Reunions

Growing up, my family was not big on family reunions.  On occasion we would have them, but neither of my parents liked them, so frequently, if we went at all, it was only for awhile.

Don, on the other hand, grew up in a family that held large reunions.  His mom was one of 9, so when that family got together, the reunions were big . . . and loud.  When we were married, he would tell me about the reunions, and we would go to the ones we could.  We missed a memorable one that was in the basement of an unairconditioned church in Bucklin, when it was hotter than you know what.  Kim and Kenton made that one.  We went to our share of ones in unairconditioned places, or in freezing cold places . . . and it was always fun to meet members of the family that I hadn't met before.

After all of Don's brothers married, we began to hold reunions.  This year, everyone on Don's side made it here except Eric, Kevin and Barb's son.  After dinner at Louie's, we came back to our house where all of the kids went to the basement to play Apples to Apples.  The adults stayed upstairs, but we were delighted to hear all of the laughing from the basement.  The kids were having a great time.

My family gets together every now and then, too, but it always seems to revolve around Bowl games.  This year, we all managed to get together for the Fiesta Bowl, though I never got to see Jerri.  When we don't all stay in the same hotel, it is complicated; and when the only mode of transportation is an RV, it is even complicateder.  But we managed to have a great time anyway.

My favorite "family" reunion was during the tailgate, however.  I got to see my pledge daughter, Pat, and meet her husband, Greg, and daughter, Sarah.  I hadn't seen Pat for years until the Kappa reunion a year ago.  We didn't get to spend much time together then, and we didn't this time, either, but what time we had was wonderful.  She is such a treasure . . . it was wonderful to see her again!