Family 4th Weekend

This picture is of my son wearing the t-shirt that my extended family had made for our trip to the Outerbanks in North Carolina, "Families are like fudge. Mostly sweet, with a few nuts."

For years, my Dad's side of the family from Cleveland, Ohio has gotten together, usually around the fourth of July weekend and again in December, before Christmas. My Dad was the oldest of nine kids, born to a full Irish Mother and German Father. So this fruitful Catholic family of entrepreneurs is a crew; full of passionate personalities and characters. It makes for loud and fun games, pranks, and adventures.

The Goebel's have gathered at our family camp houses, various Lake Erie vacation spots, beach houses at the Outerbanks and Mackinac Island, and fishing in Canada. One year my Grandma took 42 of us to the place where she was born in Ireland and also two other cities, as we were there for 10 days! I love my family and realize what a rare gift and blessing it was to have these experiences growing up.

As a teen I remember grumbling though, about missing the big fourth of July party back home to be at a family reunion. Then when I was seventeen years old, my Dad got cancer; and five years later he passed away, forever changing how I value precious time with family. Because the family has grown very large with all of the kids and grandkids, and many of the family business dynamics have changed, we have not organized a whole gang trip since my Grandmother passed away in recent years. But I'd give anything for one of those fun vacations or a weekend with my Dad again. I still cherish the memories and look forward to when I do get to spend time together with his family. I hear his voice when my uncles speak and laugh, and my kids get to know the grandfather they never met in some ways.

As I say Happy Birthday America, I recognize the sacrifices that others have given to provide us with opportunity. We have so much to be thankful for in this country. And this fourth of July, I encourage you to let go of any past family hurts and truly be liberated to love freely and unconditionally. Life is full of fireworks that make us ooh and ahh, if we will only stop to appreciate those moments. I hope that you will make the time to get together and catch up with your nutty forever family this summer.
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