There is a lot of folklore about what to look forward to in life and what to dread. In-laws of all sorts are usually in the latter category, while grandchildren are certainly in the former.
Little that I had ever read or heard led me to expect to so enjoy and like my son-in-law Sam Mitschke and my new daughter-in-law Kristy Money Straubhaar.
I guess we expect, or at least hope, that our children will have splendid taste in partners, or at least find people less scary than some of the people they dated in high school.
What I certainly did not quite expect is that my children would bring such interesting people into the family, to the enrichment and pleasure of the whole family (which incidentally is shown in the first picture, at Rolf & Kristy's wedding reception in Utah--Rolf (our oldest son), Kristy, Sandy and Joe in the back, Sam, Julia (our daughter) and Chris (our youngest son) in the front. I have a hunch that I am in serious danger of getting maudlin if I go on, so I will leave it there. But here's to the unexpected pleasures of life.
An
d here is Sam, in the snowy Utah backyard of the reception.
And here is Kristy, verifying the whole brides are beautiful image, in the window of her parents home, at the reception.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The unexpected joy of in-laws
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I wish I could more eloquently say how much what you wrote (and what you've expressed in person, too) means to me. Thanks, Dad. Becoming part of your family has truly been a joy for me, too. I'm proud to be yours and Sandy's daughter. And Julia, Sam, and Chris' sister. Thank you.
When I was spending time with my dad in Athens two years ago while he taught a class out there, we shared a similar conversation about the unexpected joys of in-laws (he was telling me about his own experience and waxing wistful about the whole process for me someday). So interesting to see the process unfold over generations so beautifully.
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