Melting pot, mixing bowl, my American Family

My brother adopted two Rwandan teenagers who were in an orphanage in Uganda.  Jasmine and Julian are growing into fine adults, they are now twenty two.  They are also quickly entering proper adulthood with college nearly done and thoughts of starting their own families brewing. 

This past weekend at my parents, Jasmine’s beau asked her to marry him. How touching that Mr. Christian Fuentes would ask his family; mother, step father and three out of four of his brothers to travel from Maryland to Smyrna, NC to be part of the event and part of our family.

So let me map this out to you. My family, both sides have been here in North America for hundreds of years.  My mother’s father’s family the longest, dating back to the late 1600’s or early 1700’s and part of her family Native American so perhaps thousands of years.  Then a branch of my father’s family, the Sullivan clan several hundred years have been present here in North America.

So this past Saturday late afternoon, with a cool wind blowing out of the north across Core Sound and brilliant sunshine, Christian Fuentes, first generation citizen via El Salvador asked Jasmine Sullivan my niece, first generation citizen via Uganda via Rwanda to marry him.  She said, “Yes.” 

In one generation, my American family makes the most dramatic mix that it has seen in two generations. The last great mix occurred when my very Dutch American grandmother married my very Irish American grandfather. 

Sitting comfortably here in 2013, I'd just love to see what this American family looks like in 2113.