The Other Goodsons

I have four siblings, but, because my parents tended to gather many people to their hearts, I am fortunate to have many other people I call my foster siblings.

When my sister was in high school, her best friend went through a great deal of trauma in her family life. I won't go into detail out of respect for her privacy, but my parents sheltered her (sometimes literally), giving her a place to escape to in our home. She was probably my first foster sister.

Then there were many foreign students whom Daddy brought home for dinner. There are dozens of them, but one from Lebanon in particular holds a special place in our hearts. He has since brought his family here and proudly calls himself an American. Living in a small college town doesn't necessarily give one a view of the wider world. But, through these foreign students, we grew up knowing about other cultures and knowing the other side of the story of world events.

Daddy would cruise the college dorms during Thanksgiving and Christmas break. He knew that the cafeteria was closed and many of the foreign students, unable to afford to go home during the holidays, would cook meals over a hot plate. Most didn't have cars, so they couldn't hang out at the Pizza Hut. He invited them to our home for a hot meal and a glimpse into American family life. In later years, I've come to realize that he did it not only for their sakes but for ours.

Once, when my two middle sisters were in high school, they had friends who were also sisters, Susan and Diane. As a joke, my sisters convinced Susan and Diane that in our family, all of the females' first names were "Mary". Daddy and Tim's first names were "Joseph". This deception went on for several weeks, at the end of which Susan and Diane, wanting to be a part of our family, christened themselves "Mary Susan" and "Mary Diane." They became my foster sisters as well.

Thereafter, when anyone joined our family, we automatically gave them new first names. Brothers-in-law became Joseph Daniel and Joseph Dennis. It came in really handy when my oldest sister, Lynn, married a man named Lynn. He became Joseph Lynn and later, J. Lynn. Very helpful in talking about them so you knew which one was which.

I had what I call "complementary" aunts and uncles...beloved to our family in particular were Aunt Theola and Uncle Don, and Aunt Pat and Uncle Bill. I used to babysit my cousins, Rachel and Gene.

Throughout my childhood, in spite of our rather large family, it was made even larger and more loving. Mom and Daddy open their arms, their hearts, and their home to a mish-mash of people, all needing a large family to be with.

I love this family.