Why life with my big fat brown #family is both epic and insane #diversity
Long weekends in our house mean family, friends and yummy food. If you’ve seen the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, or if you’re “ethnic” (I use that term very loosely) you might understand what I mean when I say I have a big fat brown family. I can’t use the word desi as my family is rather multicultural. Think united nations. We have Italian, Scottish, Jamaican, Guyanese, Brazillian, Pakistani and Indian and that’s just our immediate family. Our children are beautiful (I am completely biased) and I am forever thankful.
One of the reasons I am so thankful for my big fat brown family is because our differences have allowed us to expand our understanding and appreciation of one another. Our children are different hues of brown/beige and to me nothing could be more beautiful.
I am thankful that my children don’t think twice when they hug their cousin’s Gramma who is a beautiful, fit Brazilian woman or hang out with their loving uncle who is Jamaican. To them it’s all family.
Food brings everyone together; whether we’re having tandoori chicken pizzas, jerk chicken or sheppard’s pie, they’re happy.
That acceptance is what makes us inherently Canadian. We are not a melting pot, but rather a mosaic of cultures and backgrounds. We are fiercely proud of our heritage, our background, our food and our culture. It is that very pride that connects us with our fellow Canadians and makes us the true north strong and free.
Having a big fat brown family is a fantastic thing. It’s hectic, more than a little crazy and getting together sometimes seems like the logistical olympics but in the end it is all worth it.
For the majority of my childhood I only had one uncle’s family nearby, though he did have five kids (these big fat brown families do not just happen) and going over to their house was the BEST. There was always someone to play with, and if you didn’t get along with that person that day, you just chose a different cousin. Easy peasy. Since then, I have had much more family immigrate to various parts of Canada and we aren’t always able to get together as often as we might like, but when we do it is epic. It usually involves a ridiculous amount of food, chai and laughter.
Years have passed since then. Graduations were followed by blossoming careers, travel, significant others, weddings, deaths, children and the circle of life continued. The importance of family was never as apparent to me until last year when I underwent some major health issues. While I am blessed with friends who check in on my family and I, sent food and came to visit; words cannot express what my family did for me. Explaining it here would neither do it justice nor serve much purpose other than to say it truly taught me that blood is thicker than water and bonds of family cannot be broken.
When we get together now our next generation of kids run amuck in the typical way that children are expected to. Long weekends sometimes mean kid swapping at family gatherings where the children beg and plead to sleepover at their cousin’s house and in turn other cousins wind up sleeping over at your house. Fortunately the sleepless nights, midnight giggles and lavish morning breakfasts are worth it. There is a sense of peace and a center-ing of the soul that takes place for me when I am surrounded by my family. It is a wave of inner calmness and a return to all things good.
I was so blessed to have grown up with family friends that were like family to us. We shared in all the good times, were there for each other in the bad times and filled childhood albums with beautiful memories. Those memories will always be cherished but it seems like for the most part, most of those friends have moved on. When we see each other it is wonderful and there are no shortage of memories to reminisce and laugh until we cry, however family kind of just sticks around. We don’t have to see each other all the time, in fact we don’t see each other all the time but the very fact that we come from the same roots and understand each other in a way that only my own big fat brown family will, is priceless.
What a beautiful post! I barely have any family at all (it’s so lonely!), and have always been jealous of the BIG happy families!
Thanks Christy! We only had three kids in our family growing up and I used to feel like it was a small family compared to my uncle’s family with five kids. Thankfully we’re all older now and have families of our own so it’s fun to watch the grandkids play together.
The photo with your next generation is adorable. It’s beautiful how you all celebrate together, and I’m thinking you need to do some fusion recipes of Brazilian Indian, it could be the next thing! 🙂
Thanks Randa! I think you may be on to something 😉
My memories with my cousins while growing up are such a special part of my childhood. Even though I don’t see them more than a couple of times per year now, I think we will always have a closeness as a result!
lovely piece 🙂 my older daughter and I were talking about family backgrounds and where people are from this morning on our walk to school and it made me so happy to think that where she is from, who she is, none of that will take away from her Canadian-ness. Feeling a lot of love for Canada today 🙂
Thanks Sarah 🙂
The children’s photo is precious! My memories of family gatherings are still very vivid. I did not grow up here but as my family (husband and two kids) and I moved here, we left our families back home, it is a sad reality, but they will always be in our hearts. Like you, our family gatherings too are loud, filled with food, laughter, music and fun times. I just hope that in the near future, we can visit our families back home and have a joyous celebration of love and togetherness.
Love this! Like you, I grew up in a smallish family (three kids, with cousins all over the country except local,) and wound up marrying into something much larger, that is sometimes hard to keep up with! Despite the utter chaos, I wouldn’t change it for anything. 🙂
Love the title of the post, the photos are very cute. I had a pretty big family myself.
Cousins are such a blessing. We always looked forward to cousin time growing up! I wish my children’s cousins lived closer.
My husband is one of seven so his family is HUGE. It makes get together fun.
I had several cousins growing up and we always had a blast. My son doesn’t have any cousins, and I’m sad for him!
This is so sweet. Huge diverse families can learn so much from each family member, It’s awesome that you have such close family friends too!
What a lovely post. Very beautiful. You have a wonderful family. I wish we were as close with ours!
You have a beautiful family. We too, are like United Nations. I have Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Ecuadorian cousins. We all grew up together and it was always fun during weekends and summer vacations.
I think your kids and their cousins are adorable! I used to spend summers with my cousin, who lives far away. I miss that.
I love all of these pictures! And now you made me want to go back and watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding again!
I grew up with lots of cousins. We were as close as best friends.
I just met an aunt this week and it was amazing. I haven’t been able to connect with some of m family, so it’s nice to meet new people who don’t have the generational baggage as before. Love the pics.
You have a beautiful family. I am one of 5 kids and we spent a lot of time with our cousins. I remember my mom and aunt packing all of us kids in the car to go to the beach.
Kids don’t see color. Never have and never will.
There is nothing better than family. Great looking group.
I am the only child. If it wasn’t for my cousins I would have had a boring childhood!
You have a very lovely family & the photos you have shared here are just awesome. It is really great that you are very close with your family and relatives. We have a big family too & I always love to be close to everyone around.
Thank you Lisa 🙂
I have lost contact with most of my cousins over the years. I do remember these great childhood memories
I love big families. I am on the other side of the country , so I haven’t seen some of my family in over a decade. Cousins longer. I keep up via social and phone, love to be able to skype . You have a wonderful family!