PACIFIC NORTHWEST – Family: More than Blood or Marriage

Knowing I would be in Seattle on my way to and from Alaska, I decided to visit some family and friends along the way. At my niece’s wedding reception last month I’d been visiting with her aunt and uncle (from her dad’s side) and mentioned that I’d be in Seattle – and they’d invited me to stay with them.  Now most people probably aren’t very close to their brother-in-law’s brother, but I am.

   My sister married his brother when I was only age 10. Growing up in Oakland, we had hardly any relatives within 1000 miles – but Jason and Barbara only lived 30 minutes away. And even though we aren’t really related, my family is also their family, so it connected us – and we used to get together every few months for dinner or a visit. Then, after we moved to Utah, instead of my sister having to choose which side to visit her husband’s family was always great to just invite my Mom, Dad, and me to many holiday celebrations. They usually had 50+ people, and by adding just the 3 of us then my sister never had to choose between families – because she could have everyone she loved there together.

   I’ve been very blessed that way my whole life. My dad’s step-mother’s family were always aunts/uncles/cousins – and I was surprised when I got old enough to understand genealogy and these people didn’t show up anywhere on my Family Tree. I remember Family Reunions where I’d ask how we were related and got a complicated explanation of the connection, and quickly learned that these people were family and important because of how they’d lived – and not just some lines on a genealogy chart. They may not have shown up as branches, but they are definitely the roots that built strength into my family – those amazing people that accept non-relatives into their families, homes, and hearts.

   I’ve felt like an honorary-Moulton most of my life, so they’re as much my family as those that I’m “officially” related to – whether we’re “technically” related or not. And that Barbara and Jason are so generous and accommodating sure makes it even easier.