I'm so glad I'm a part of the family,,,,hummmmmm...

Well, the unofficial official family get together happened over the weekend. I am not sure just how many were there but I can tell you there was plenty of food and many mouths to eat it. There were the seniors of the family from the high eighties to the low 60's. Then the next level was the high 50's down to the low twenties. Our most important group was the high teens to the little unborn child. Many of us told little white lies like "you haven't changed in the last 10 years" but what we meant to say was " wow aging doesn't become you" or "you look so nice in that spandix" but we really meant " what were you thinking when you put that on". Only joking.

We have the neatest mix of relatives. They came from Michigan, Tennessee and all over Ohio. Everyone greeted each other with hugs and kisses sometimes several times by those who didn't remember they had hugged you twice before. Some couldn't remember who you were but trusted you were related. M&K made sure we were welcome in their home and made each person feel special. They decorated with fall items and just let people roam all over the place and they do have nice digs to roam in. The little kids played together and the teens talked to each other, I know I was surprised too.

Some couldn't come this year and yet more were here this year than last. This whole get together started with a small group last year talking about getting together and over 40 people showed up at M&K's house. The one nice part of our family is the musical side and even though it was difficult to get people to gather in we still sang a few old hymns and my mom and cousin's daughter played guitars and my cousin played the key board. We even had a harmonica player and hand tamborine. Some may have thought we were Salvation Army, we finally took the bell from Kelly and removed the big bucket. ( ha )

I guess I say all this to also interject these are special times of catching up on what is happening before we go to someones funeral and have to ask "now how are they related?" It is a busy world and as you sat back and looked around at all those who came, you had a sense of wow, this is something to actually ( sam's favorite word) know that this 60 some people are your family. Some of us, who can still recall past events, shared some stories about when we were younger, some of us talked about retirement, like it can't come fast enough. Others talked about their homes, what things have been going on and just laughing with others even when we had no idea what they were laughing about. I think we all agreed that grey hair is probably going to come back as a fashion statement this year and large sized clothes in dark colors do help make you look slimmer. Most of us could not read fine print so no one shared any written material. At the end of the day as everyone hobbled to their cars and strapped the kids and themselves to go home they were glad they made the trip and hope they can remember to come back next year. Those who can't will say " it's time to get ready to go to Marsha's" "who" "Marsha"s" "where" "you know Marsha's house"
"why do you want to go there" " we go there every year" "what" " you remember we go there to see everyone" "why" " never mind, just get in the car" " I don't know why you're so mad" " if you would have said we were going to go to their house I would have gotten ready" .....------ something like that is sure to happen to the best of us.

So to M&K thank you, thank you for all your hard work to let us invade your home and have a GRATE DAY!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU