We started planning more than a year ago and it was hard to really believe that the time was here, and before we knew it, it was time to head back home with many fond memories and renewed friendships. I have to give a big shout out to my cousin Jimmie and his great wife Christi. The stepped up and made this reunion great. Also, Facebook played a large role. Usually at these things we spend the first few days getting to know each other. But thanks to Facebook we had already done that so we just got right to being together and having fun.
In the weeks leading up to the reunion my mother had a mild heart attack and found herself in hospital. We were not even sure if she would be able to go. Word went out on Facebook and the entire family was praying, as well as other people all over the world. This gave me a new perspective on how important family is.
One of the hardest things of coming to the reunion was that it was the same weekend as our Annual Church Festival. I really did not want to miss the festival, but we do that every year and the family only gets together every 5 years or so. As the years go by we start to loose members of the family so these times we have to spend with each other become very important.
I think as I get older family becomes more and more important to me. Now I have two families, my family and my church family and they are both important to me.
I have to say a little something about this game we played. Some may be familiar with it but it was the first time I had ever seen or played it. The game is called “corn hole” and it is a blast! The object is to put a bean bag into a hole 27 feet away. Not as easy as it might sound. So we set up a little competition with brackets, thanks Tom, and everything. Each night was played, and laughed, and had a great time just being together. On the final day we had the championship and although I tried my best, it was not good enough and I lost the final round. We had some great fun kidding about the game and loosing and the trophy is one for the books! Special thanks to Peggy and Roger for the game.
The day time was spent in sight seeing around Nashville and the evenings were spent with family. Just sitting around, breaking bread together, and enjoying one another. There is nothing better then sharing a meal that everyone had a hand in preparing. Each family brought something and there was plenty to go around. I will cherish these times for the rest of my life.
Saturday night we began the long process of saying goodbye. Some we will see again soon and other we won’t see again until we all meet for the next reunion. We all have Facebook so we will stay in contact with each other much better than in years past. Let us hope that is will not be another 40 years till I see some of the family again.
To those of you who were there, it was a week I will never forget, to those of you who were not there, you were all missed and maybe next time you will be able to come. And to those we lost, we love you and miss all of you. You were there in spirit and in our stories and we will never forget you.
The moral of the story is, take time and spend it with family. Some of us have bad relationships with family. Mend those broken fences before it is too late. Once they are gone you will never get that time back. If there are family members you have not seen or talked with in some time, be the bigger person and make it happen. If you need to apologize for something, just suck it up and do it. Time is short and they will not be with us forever.
