Family gathering at Mall of America - wonderful!

I am luckyest person in the world! No words can describe the joy that I feel. Today I met my relatives at the Mall of America. It can't get much better now.

I woke up at 6.30 so we could drive to Minneapolis 7.30. It took two hours to Minneapolis, the capital of Minnesota, along with St Paul. When we arrived 9.15, there were no shops open so we walked around and found out which stores we wanted to visit. Mall of America is USA's largest shopping center, with four floors and rides and rollarcostars in the middle inside. While we walked around I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen at noon. I was about to meet my second-cousins for the first time.

Background history
Dad's aunt, Birgit, immigrated to the United States when she was 17 in 1914. She married Arthur Charles from Scotland. They had three children. One of them named after Charles himself. They called him for Charles too. Charles married May Beth, I met her today too, together with her children, Chuck, Colette, Cece and Carol. Candy could not come, she lives in Alabama. They are about 40 - 50 years old, if I have read the family tree correctly. This family History is so interesting!

The moment I had waited for
At twelve I was very excited. We went down to the Underwater adventures waiting. They planned to park in the "garage" next to the Underwater Adventure park. I was really nervous. What if I didn't recognize them? I had only seen Chuck on a picture before. It was difficult to concentrate on other things where I stood waiting. I tried as best I could to provide a picture of Chuck. I hadn't really realized that I was about to meet my realitives that I had heard so much good about the past year. After a while I heard my hostmom, Linda, say my name and when I turned around I saw three women and one of them had a welcome sign in the hand she had made herself. That was Colette. I had not expected to get a welcome sign! A few seconds later came Chuck and their mother, May Beth. It was a completely amazing moment. I was so happy that I got tears in my eyes. A large shark-bear went by and we took a picture. Colette could sing the Norwegian national anthem. We sang it together and videorecorded it. It was super fun!

Lunch, photo album and gifts
We went to eat, but since it was no tables ready, we sat down on a bench and looked at family photos they had brought. They had an image of Klaus, my grandfather, where he stood on the steps of the cabin of my grandmother. They didn't know that it was my grandfather so it was so cool to be able to say "That's my grandfather!" They had many pictures of Bergit, both young and elderly. Very beautiful lady. They had a picture of Valborg, sister to Birgit, who died when she was only 17 years old. When I sat there looking at the pictures I could mind thinking hwo nice it would be for my grandmother and my dad to be where I was. Chuck had even printed out the big family tree on an A3 sheet of paper or larger. They had presents for me, they are so generous! They were too nice. A turquoise scarf (they did not know that my favorite color was turquoise), a lovely pair of gloves (nor did they know that I had lost my mittens.) They had a sweater with "Minnesota" on for me, and a name and address - sign for my suitcase. I gave them bracelets that I had made.

They must be some of the most pleasant people I have ever met. As if they were sent from heaven, they were so nice! Very generous too, they paid the lunch for everyone. I got tickets for the carousel also, that Kali and I tried later. They had a very close relationship and a sense of humor that was fantastic. Very easy-going people, and I really had a great time. I am very proud that I am related to them. It was a delight. The day was a delight, and I didn't want it to stop. No words or pictures can describe this day well enough!I feel very lucky that I got the opportunity to get to know them. And I am very thankful to my host family that took me to Minneapolis!