When I was young, I became part of a blended family. It's a honor to say that, because they could have very easily turned away from me. I wasn't family, I had no right to anything they had, I had no history with them - I was completely new.
I quickly found out that the Skvarla family is a unique and fascinating group of people. I came into this family as a step-daughter, but you'd never be able to tell. I was told to call them Aunt and Uncle, Grandma and Grandpa, or cousin whoever - and I found out that they referred to me the same way. I was on the older side, approaching double digits, when I met them, so I was brought into the older crew of cousins. Keri, later on, would be part of the younger group.
It all worked perfectly. We had special tables at family dinners, Gram would show us how to make poppy seed and nut rolls, we'd play games - it was the most socially "normal" style of family I was part of.
However, things happen... people move.... parents divorce.... etc, etc....
You don't really know where you stand with that family when your only tie to them severs. So, I played it by ear. Little gatherings happened, things were fine - then life happens, you grow up and move away. People lose touch, it's just the way it goes.Sometimes, a sad moment can bring people together. When Gram passed, there was no way I'd miss her viewing - I had to be there to celebrate the wonderful woman she was. I was a little uneasy, it'd been over 15 years since I'd seen anyone from this family - within 2 minutes of walking through the door, I was pulled into countless hugs. There were endless conversations, the hours flew by.
It was a heart warming moment. I wasn't this persons daughter, or Keri's sister, or the ex-wife's kid - I was Koren, and they were happy to see me. I was part of the family photographs, listed as a grandchild. Gram always had a way of bringing everyone together, and she managed to do it again.
So, after making those connections again, being friends on F-book, a trip to NY, etc - the relationships grew. I can't even begin to describe the wave of emotions that hit when we were invited to watch one of my fav Skvarlas walk down the aisle.
I connect and relate to N the most out of the group of cousins, we share similar views and she's got one of those genuine, caring, old souls that are a rare find. Happiness and joy just ooze from this woman, and her partner has the same vibe about him.
We were proud and honored to make the trip to Ithaca, NY for this lovely, eclectic, moving ceremony. The crowd was a perfect example of what a family is - it's what you make it. Family is love. There were people there from different phases of their lives, representing all the little pieces of what make them a great couple. The whole night was fun and full of hope. I loved being able to introduce B&B to some of the happy folks, and it was one of our greatest nights of the year.
Team Natbert!
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