Any sister will tell you that FAMILY plays a huge part in one's vocation. And I can tell you that my family, especially the extended part on my Dad's side. My dad, you see, grew up in the HOLIEST OF HOLIES family with eleven children: ten boys, one girl (my poor aunt). My grandmother, a very stubborn, IRISH woman, made EVERYONE pray the Rosary every night after supper and go to Mass every SUNDAY! Yeah, she rocks! Too bad, I never met her and I seriously wish I knew what she was like, if she'd support me in my vocation and such. But I guess she lives through her sons and daughter who openly support me! They have shaped me into the person I am today.
First things first, it's always an adventure when the Gutherman family gets together. Our adventurous day started with one too many persons than seats in our LARGE van. Someone had to sacrifice...and since I need to practice sacrificing, it was me. No, I didn't stay home. No, I didn't share a belt. No, I didn't ride in the trunk. And no, I didn't ride the roof racks. Instead, I merely sat on the floor. I know, dangerous. I just tend to live life on the risky side at times. Today was one of those times.
Anyway, we finally get to the farm, my absolute, all-time favorite house to visit. As a kid, there was so much room to run around and there was the tire swing. As an older kid, there is still so much room to run around and the tire swing is still there. I can't tell you HOW MANY BONES HAVE BEEN BROKEN ON THAT THING. Anyway, I love the smell of the farm, the look of the farm, the sounds of the farm. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE FARM. I just love it. We walked into the quiet little farm and it was very obvious we were the first cousins to arrive. However, as soon as we got there, all the other cousins started filing in and we started shouting HOOPAH for no reason. We aren't even Greek; we're German. Every uncle was picking up every cousin and hugging them and shaking them about. You had to go through a receiving line of family members before you could even get to the food. It was great!!!
After we all prayed together, everyone ate, and kids ran around. I ate the most beautiful chili in the world, and then ran after my million little cousins. You see out of 27...28....29 cousins, I fall ninth in line. So everyone is littler than me...or shall I say, younger since I'm only five foot. I was pushing the tire swing, riding the tire swing, giving piggy back rides, feeding kids, playing manhunt, going barn exploring, you know, normal stuff for an older cousin. Some of my little cousins I haven't seen in years and others I saw just a few days ago. That's just how the family works.
As we played and took numerous pictures (check them out on my facebook), I once again imagined my life a few years down the road, visiting the family party, not with kids of my own, but with a veil and habit. I'd bring one of my kid loving nun friends and we would play all day with the kids. And Lord knows this is most likely VERY accurate. Even the little ones were joking today, Sister Becca, where's your veil? Too cute for words.
Like I said, my family shaped my vocation, by openly supporting me as the FIRST NUN IN THE FAMILY (YAY!) and asking me for my story. It must be so weird to hear the part of my story where their name comes into play. We laugh about it and carry on the story. Today, I was telling my Aunt Angie a bit of the story and she told me that she was taught by the same sisters as I was in high school but in Chicago. She told me she spent every waking moment with them and really thought she wanted to be a nun. But she correctly discerned the vocation and somewhere along the way met my crazy Uncle Paul. And thank God she did, because she doesn't even know how much of a HUGE influence she is on my life and my vocation!!
Family is so important to me. Especially this family. I can't thank God enough for them because they have been more than I could ever ask for. It's the biggest support group out there for a girl like me. With 20 aunts and uncles, almost thirty cousins, and some second cousins, it's a crazy but functioning family who would do anything for me and I in return for them. I've been so blessed.
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