Family Ties
I rarely get to see my extended family. We see Mike’s family quite often, and his extended family at least at Christmas, and usually at some other point or points during the year. But the last time I saw my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins), LG was just starting to stand up by holding onto things, so it’s been awhile - mid 2005 if I’m not mistaken.
Today, was one of those rare opportunities as we all came together to celebrate my aunt and uncle’s 60th anniversary. My father has 6 sisters, only 3 of which are still alive. The oldest three have passed away. My father is the 2nd to youngest in his family, and oddly enough, he became a grandfather the latest in life. Then again, he became a first-time parent the latest in life as well.
I am the youngest cousin. The closest one in age is 6 years older than I am. So, the fact that I’m now 40, makes them groan, and me smile a little because if nothing else, I am always the baby in my extended family!
LG was the youngest one there. There was another little girl there who was a couple of years older from my uncle’s family and they enjoyed playing with each other. And my cousin’s 18 year old daughter entertained them both and LG absolutely adored her cousin “Wheat-knee”.
When we arrived and got out of the car and started walking up to the door, LG was just as happy as she could be, turning around to see her Grandpa following behind, but when we got to the door and she saw all these strange people, she clung to me so tightly, I couldn’t move. Since my hands were full of the camera bag, a pen my dad had just handed back to me and LG’s sippy cup, her papa picked her up and carried her into the house.
Everyone was, of course, thrilled to see her, and after awhile, she warmed up and ran through my cousin’s house just like she runs through ours, albeit a little slower because of the obstacle course of people stationed throughout.
One of my cousins told me that he didn’t really know who most of the kids were that were there, but when he saw her go by, he knew exactly who she was because she looks just like me. I always take that as a huge compliment because I think she is beautiful.
Mike finally got to meet the one first cousin that he has never met in all the time we’ve been together which is about 19 years now. I can’t even remember the last time I saw said cousin myself actually.
The funniest thing to me, though, was that one of my cousins’ wives was asking me to identify my cousins (as kids) in a photo from a birthday party that was taken before I was even born. And lo and behold, I pretty much got them all right. Yay me!
My family is big and spread throughout the country, and I wish we could get together more often like we did when my grandparents were still alive, but at least we got together for a happy occasion and not a sad one. I look forward to the next time!
As we drove to my cousin’s house this morning, I realized that the anniversary of my mother’s death had come and gone about 10 days ago and I didn’t realize it until today. I had known it was coming, but it’s not really an anniversary I like to celebrate, so I guess the time has come that it stays more in the back of my mind than it used to. It’s not like I don’t think about her - I think about her every day - but I like to remember her life more than I like to remember her death. And besides, ever since this little girl has come into my life, I’ve felt her presence very strongly. So really she’s not gone. She’s just here in a different form.
Have a lovely weekend.
Comment by OldOldLady Of The Hills
March 18, 2007 @ 1:32 am
What a wonderful day Karin….(I love that picture of LG…just so very dear…)
60 years of marriage…that is quite a fantastic milestone, isn’t? Congratulations to them….! You know, it almost unfathomable to me that people have been together with this rich history for sixty years! God Bless Them!
Comment by Barbara
March 18, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
A beautiful post about family. Very nicely done. LG is beautiful.
Comment by Theresa
March 19, 2007 @ 8:18 am
“So really she’s not gone. She’s just here in a different form.” Which is why you didn’t realize the day had come and gone…