IS YOUR FAMILY AS WONDERFUL AS MINE?

Personally, I'm a Duck Dynasty fan,
      although I wish they would shave their shaggy beards.
I admire their simple and empowering faith,
      and I wish that mine wasn't so clouded with thought.
My uncle isn't a fan of their show,
      but he shares their faith... and he doesn't have a beard.
My little brother was gay, engaging... and very competitive!
      He won so frequently at the games we played...
            that he expected to win whenever we played. (and he did)
My middle brother was disciplined and successful.
      He did the right things,
            and he was a much better golfer than me.
Many of my cousins farm the rich soil of Iowa,
      They are hard-working men and women,
            and they are virtually all conservative.
On the other hand,
      some of my family members are quite liberal,
            watching MSNBC instead of Fox News.
I like to watch documentaries and reality shows,
      but I have relatives who watch The Bachelor,
            Dancing with the Stars, and even pro wrestling.
Part of my mother's side of the family are Pentecostal,
      many of my dad's clan are practicing Catholics,
            there are Mormon's too, and at least one Presbyterian,
                  but mom and dad weren't religious at all.
My family is filled with warriors- I'm proud to say.
      They've fought in every one of our America Wars,
            but there are Quakers too, who refused to fight at all.
Dad flew combat missions in Europe,
      Sean and Donald were in Iraq and/or Afghanistan,
            Larry was in the Coast Guard, and Bill served in the Air Force.
For reasons that I'm not sure of,
      our family is filled with pretty girls and cute kids,
            some white, some black, and at least one Hispanic.
My wife has cancer, my sister-in-law and my uncle had it too,
      and it took my brother's life much too soon;
      my aunt suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis... mom has glaucoma...
            and there's a strain of alcoholism running through the family.
I like to golf and do a little bass fishing,
      but our daughters are obsessed with running and fitness,
            and my son-in-law is an accomplished snow-boarder,
                 and one of the creators of the video game, "Medal of Honor,"
Some of my family members live in NC, some in NY,
      several live in TX, a few in MO., and many still live in IA.
By and large, they've been successful and happy,
      but there are exceptions to both of these.
MY FAMILY comes in many different sizes and shapes;
      they have differing views and differing histories.
      They see the world differently, they vote differently,
            and their ages and incomes vary widely...
BUT THEY ARE MY FAMILY
      AND I LOVE EACH ONE OF THEM.
THEY ARE KIND, PRODUCTIVE, AND HONORABLE PEOPLE,
      AND THEY MEAN THE WORLD TO ME.
I have been blessed with a wonderful wife,
      two beautiful daughters, a charming son-in-law, two beautiful granddaughters,
            a grandson who fills my heart with joy...
                  and a great grandson whom I love dearly.
What is more,
      I'm also blessed with a loving extended family,
            some of whom I see and some of whom I miss.
All in all I'm a lucky man.
      I am grateful for each and every member of my family.
      I'm loved and I love, and
      I'm born again! Who could ask for more?