What it means to become ‘Family’....
To become part of a family, especially a big one, means if
you let a little talent show (even if that tiny bit that shows is ALL you have)
then your talent will be put to use! It means kiddos will come over and go
straight to the candy dish on the kitchen table. It means they will also be
brave enough to make a mess in your house, pull books off shelves, and build
towers of blocks just to knock them everywhere. To BECOME family mean that you
will be asked to do a ‘quick favor’ for someone and end up staying a whole day
at their house, giving baths, ironing clothes, and playing with kiddos. People
will show up at your house with no warning, and dogs will be kept at your
house, barking through the night while their owners are on vacation. Children will wave to you along the road because they know you, and
always a grin and a nod in the very least will be given when passing if there
isn’t time to stop and chat. I have been waiting to BECOME part of the family,
and it is finally happening! I love it! Two incidents have happened that made me realize this, and both in the past week or so. One of Frank’s aunts, Linko, called and asked me to photograph her baby Maja and another cousin, Ethel, who both had just turned one. The reason they chose me, Linko said, was because my “camera took better pictures” than hers ;) So I am not sure that it was my *eh’hem* astounding talent that got the ‘job’. It was supposed to be a quick ‘session’ if I may call it that. It was supposed to start at 11 and be done quickly. When I got to the house the children are wild and hungry (what do you expect from 6 boys!) Maja needed a bath, and Maggo (Franks other aunt) was not there yet! Linko handed darling Maja off to me and told me to bath her while she made lunch. When the bath was done, and lunch was eaten, I was given Majas clothes to be ironed while Linko cleaned up. About 1 o’clock Maggo was finally there, the babies dressed cutely, and we were all set to start out 1 ½ hour photo session. That is a long time with two spunky one year olds! All in all, it was fun, and it made me feel like I belonged; like I wasn’t anything special or different to be impressed. I felt like family.
(This picture of maja was taken with a cheesy filter on my camera... but I thought it was kind of cute in an over edited sort of way :)
Today the other incident happened. Thankfully I had just tidied up the house because without warning another aunt, Cesi, pulled up with a van full of children, looking a bit desperate. Maggo was supposed to do her hair for a wedding, but something had come up last minute and the hairdresser couldn’t take her in so short of notice. Two weeks ago when we were in Sweden, I had done one of Franks cousin’s hair just for fun. In Cesi’s desperate search for a hair dresser, Gunilla (another one of Frank’s aunts) remembered my “skills” (ha!) and sent her in my direction. So there she was at my door asking if I had time to do her hair. Yikes! Of course I couldn’t turn her down, but I had never done anyone but my sister’s hair for any wedding, and I am not professional in the LEAST! After several tries (I was so nervous, lol) I finally managed to make it look halfway decent, and she went away happy. But the whole thing struck me again with that same feeling. I felt like family, I felt like someone who you could turn to if you needed help (yes, even if it’s just a hair-do). I love it that her kids messed the house, and that my table still has half eaten sandwiches on it (not to make Cesi look bad, I told her to leave it to me as she had a wedding to get ready for!) I am finally feeling like a niece, and not a foreign girl who married their nephew.
Today the other incident happened. Thankfully I had just tidied up the house because without warning another aunt, Cesi, pulled up with a van full of children, looking a bit desperate. Maggo was supposed to do her hair for a wedding, but something had come up last minute and the hairdresser couldn’t take her in so short of notice. Two weeks ago when we were in Sweden, I had done one of Franks cousin’s hair just for fun. In Cesi’s desperate search for a hair dresser, Gunilla (another one of Frank’s aunts) remembered my “skills” (ha!) and sent her in my direction. So there she was at my door asking if I had time to do her hair. Yikes! Of course I couldn’t turn her down, but I had never done anyone but my sister’s hair for any wedding, and I am not professional in the LEAST! After several tries (I was so nervous, lol) I finally managed to make it look halfway decent, and she went away happy. But the whole thing struck me again with that same feeling. I felt like family, I felt like someone who you could turn to if you needed help (yes, even if it’s just a hair-do). I love it that her kids messed the house, and that my table still has half eaten sandwiches on it (not to make Cesi look bad, I told her to leave it to me as she had a wedding to get ready for!) I am finally feeling like a niece, and not a foreign girl who married their nephew.
(This picture is from when I was doing the girls' hair in Sweden)
Aww that picture is so darling and so is the little girl! Great job! Love, Tabitha
ReplyDeleteHaha, I remember that day you went to go take pictures, I had showed up at your house in the morning when you weren't expecting me and then I rolled out of bed without time for breakfast or a shower and had to come with you and Frank to his aunt's house. She was awesome! She wouldn't let us leave without getting some food. That's awesome becoming part of the family, I think you're doing a good job at it!
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