Reunions

After Grandma M. passed away in 1974, Uncle John was determined to keep the family together. He didn't want us to drift apart. His vision has been such a blessing to us all. We have been doing the weekend long reunion, every year, since the first one in 1980. Three generations later and we just had the largest gathering I can recall (over 80). Four generations were present this year. The youngest was just under a year old and the oldest was 85. It's wonderful to think that most of our kids have grown up knowing their cousins, great aunts and great uncles. And they all look forward to it. Maybe the kids even have a vague idea about Sam and Anne. Legends spring from these reunions.

The first reunion was in a low lying area at Pokagon State Park in IN. Most folks were in tents and the story was, they got flooded out by rain. Not a good omen...but family ties are stronger than weather, I guess. Everyone came back and back and back. 28 years later and we are stronger than ever. I was reluctant to attend the first year. But under pressure from mom/Beth, I made a token visit on Sunday morning that first year with Mark as we traveled back from a trip out west. I have skipped a few years early on but it has been in ink on my calendar since Chris was a couple years old.

From the photo, it's hard to imagine these folks slept in wet sleeping bags.