THOR-eson. Goddess of Thunder?

My family is hardcore off-the-boat Norwegian. Like, there are landmarks in Wisconsin named after my family where we settled upon arrival. Thoreson American Legion Park, Tobe Lake and several churches my ancestors helped build. That said, I grew up in a very Norwegian culture; I was raised Lutheran. We're talking stereotypical. We eat lutefisk at Christmas time as we decorate our juletre with candles and traditional Norwegian decorations. Our family gives thanks before each middag, usually composed of meat, potatoes, and a home-grown vegetable that we grow in the summer and freeze to eat all year.

I speak Norwegian, and when I speak English I still have a Scandinavian accent (often mistaken for a “Minnesotan” accent). I give great value to family, real friends, and doing service for others. All these things are very traditional Norwegian. I mean, come on guys, my last name is Thoreson.

As my grandfather Wilbur (who STILL can't say his W's, but instead things come out as "you're velcome") nears the ripe age of 95, I have begun to take a long hard look at my Northwestern Wisconsin-based family. We are not wealthy, but we are hard working. We are not skinny or stylish, but we know how to feed a large group and we always have warm feet (wool socks is an annual Christmas gift). We do not have the largest estates, but come birthdays, holidays, or any kind of celebration, man can we pack 'em in. Church dinners? We got that hotdish on lock. This humble, warm, and honest background has developed me into a person with the same values. I do not aspire to be rich and famous; I aspire to have a loving family and an awesome garden. I can honestly say that my Norwegian family and Scandinavian values helped me grow and develop into who I am today, just as I feel many people's ancestry does. I would recommend everyone look into their family's history; it's really fun to discover how your origin impacts you as a person. Takk på du leser mine blogginnlegg! Har en bra dag!