I have finished reading Genesis, the book of beginnings, the first book of the Pentateuch, also known as the Torah. Moses is the human author. He wrote Genesis more than four hundred years after the occurrence of its events; therefore, he was not constrained to protect anyone’s identity. He uses actual names and tells unvarnished truth.

            However, these days such constraints need to be taken seriously; so, I talked it over with Kat. She gave simple advice, “Change the names to protect the weird and wonderful.” Because my blog postings are derived from family and friends; it is necessary to follow her advice. That brings me to the introduction of the Dodge family.

            The patriarch, Rick, loves being with his family of 13 as well as his church family. He married Nan some 60 years ago, and they brought three children into the world. They both worked demanding jobs as well as tending to their growing family. As with most families, there came a breaking point in 2002 after the children were grown and on their own.

            The firstborn was Laura, who eventually gave birth to Rolf and Jeremy. Next came Kristi, pushing boundaries–as second-borns do—and adding her son, Cal, to the Dodge mix. Third in line, Adam, favored his dad in looks, temperament, general accomplishments, and salesmanship.

            Finally, Kat, my daughter, became a Dodge in 2003. She and Rick met in an online chat room and several months later had their first face-to-face meeting in London. Their budding relationship had an unusual and unexpected beginning. They enjoyed two separate and complete weddings on different sides of the earth. Then they shared their second honeymoon with Ed and me in California and Oregon.

            So began my connection with the Dodge family, my third. There’s also my inherited, bio family in Oregon and my family by marriage in Ohio.

             Whether 4000 years ago or right here and now, families are big and small, broken and dysfunctional, full of saints and sinners, capable of love and laughter. They make great stories because they are so weird and wonderful. Let us love them, protect them, and enjoy them.