A Reunion... Remembrance, Reality and Mortality All Come Together

The family reunion that had been planned for months went ahead. Losing a relative two days before didn't exactly fit into the scheme of "A Happy Time" but Shad would have wanted us to go ahead....so we did.

Overcast and drizzling when we got there. Guess God had to shed a few tears of His own on Shad's behalf.

I walked into a house filled with so many relatives I have never met. It is amazing how social net working and family web sites bring so many other people into your life.

I used to wonder how my mother raised three kids without a cell phone. Now I wonder how ANY of us survived without cell phones or this new age of technology.

My oldest son was a no show. My younger son was a "No Go."

Of course my daughter was the first one ready this morning and renews my faith in kids on a daily basis.

We had a TON of food. Pulled pork and about 50 other side dishes to choose from. Frances was there (you know, from previous blogs) with her two nieces.

All the cousins I grew up with now have children and grand children of their own and it took me at least two hours to figure out "Who belonged to who." Massey was joined to my hip from the time we walked in until she hooked up with a cousin who was in the band program at her high school and they had so much in common it wasn't funny.



The clouds relented and all the activity moved down to the dock. The boats fired up and the ski's came out. The tuber's behind one boat and the skiers behind another.

It was a great day. Everyone had stories about Shad or memories to share. It was like he was with us in spirit and I am sure he was.

This is a pic of Ronnie and Lynn...our hosts (and my cousins.)

This is another cousin with my cousin's husband's brother...Now I'm just sounding like a Jerry Springer show!

Here is sweet Frances with another one of my cousins, Neal.

This is Neal with his daughter Kim.

Here is Massey with her new BFF and new found cousin, Emma. They hit it off immediately and it amazes me how blood relation brings two young souls together so quickly.

They got on the "Tube" with my cousin's husband slinging them all over the lake with his boat, having the time of their lives and learning in a few short hours how important and special family can be and how precious and vital it is to know, love and be loved by a family member.




It was a bittersweet reunion. Missing a part of our family that stayed home mourning, but carrying on and letting all the "Newer Cousins" get to know each other and teach them how fabulous it is to be part of a great family.




I took this short video of Massey and Emma on the tube together. Two precious girls, not only cousins but now good friends. To see life move on, see kids connect and feel a family bond is a great feeling...not only for them but for me as well.

The day started gloomy...felt weird having a reunion when a relative had just passed. The gloomy part spread into a mellow remembrance and that spread into a connection of cousins that have never really known each other before but who left the reunion knowing they had just made a new friend and had bonded totally.

There are a lot of 15 year old girls that would have balked at having to come to a "Stupid Family Reunion." I am lucky enough to have a daughter that fell in love with her new found cousin and lucky that my OWN cousin raised a daughter just as delightful and it all naturally fell into place.

That, my friends is "FAMILY."

I am a blessed person. I am blessed with amazing family and a God that hears and provides.

Not looking forward to Monday when we say good bye to yet another family member but feeling better about how fortunate I am to have been plopped down into this particular family. Out of the billions and billions of places I could have landed in, God chose THIS family for me.

Count your blessings...name them one by one. And you WILL see what the Lord has done.




One life has left our family. One new friendship and kinship has been formed. Life moves on, I feel good that new bonds and friendships have been made. The "Circle of Life" has been passed on. The circle has grown bigger and these young girls have learned their first important lesson..."Family Matters."


Enjoy the video...they certainly enjoyed the ride!