Family from far and near
Last year on Memorial Day, we the children were gathered for our father's 85th birthday. We were a week early, because my youngest sister had to put a son into the MTC in Provo, and said she could stay through the holiday weekend if the rest of us could come. Dad was throwing himself a big party but we wanted a quieter time just to put our feet up and visit with each other. Our three cousins from Reno, kids of our oldest uncle, were invited to come up and join us for Saturday; the last time I had seen any of them I was fifteen. Their father was a career Navy officer, and they had been stationed in Norfolk for three years when we were growing up, but I had only seen them in later years that once .
We had the best time. Coincidentally, Mom was assigned to speak in church that Sunday, so we had the opportunity to go to sacrament meeting together and hear stories about her grandfather, Heber J. Grant, which was her assignment. Didn't that work out marvelously? I thought so.
It is wonderful that all of us enjoy each other. It started out with just us sisters; Anne was going to be in Utah, Carolyn said that she had to make a trip and she could make it match up, so I said I was determined to come, and I encouraged Alison. As to the brothers, Morgan said he would not be able to make it from Colorado and we weren't sure Bryan could come from the east coast. Then Morgan was unexpectedly able to rearrange his schedule and come by car with his girls--they don't have many chances to see their aunts and uncles, and they were the only grandchildren, besides the grown ones who live in Utah, to be with us; and then Bryan said he was coming.
If my brain had been working last weekend, I would have put this together then, for the holiday, instead of not finishing the post I was working on for Friday and giving that up because of a headache. I've been wanting an excuse to post pictures, so here it is anyway. Thanks to my siblings, I have plundered emails for these.
Anne, Morgan, Alison, Bryan
All of us except Morgan, with his daughter Libby behind, waiting for picture-taking upstairs.
Morgan with me at the folks' place, below.
Alison with all of Morgan's girls--we were all beaming all weekend.
Carolyn, below
It had been five years since we had all been together, but we are all expected for the 60th anniversary in November. That's what happens when you end up scattered all over the country. See you again soon!
We had the best time. Coincidentally, Mom was assigned to speak in church that Sunday, so we had the opportunity to go to sacrament meeting together and hear stories about her grandfather, Heber J. Grant, which was her assignment. Didn't that work out marvelously? I thought so.
It is wonderful that all of us enjoy each other. It started out with just us sisters; Anne was going to be in Utah, Carolyn said that she had to make a trip and she could make it match up, so I said I was determined to come, and I encouraged Alison. As to the brothers, Morgan said he would not be able to make it from Colorado and we weren't sure Bryan could come from the east coast. Then Morgan was unexpectedly able to rearrange his schedule and come by car with his girls--they don't have many chances to see their aunts and uncles, and they were the only grandchildren, besides the grown ones who live in Utah, to be with us; and then Bryan said he was coming.
If my brain had been working last weekend, I would have put this together then, for the holiday, instead of not finishing the post I was working on for Friday and giving that up because of a headache. I've been wanting an excuse to post pictures, so here it is anyway. Thanks to my siblings, I have plundered emails for these.
Anne, Morgan, Alison, Bryan
All of us except Morgan, with his daughter Libby behind, waiting for picture-taking upstairs.
Morgan with me at the folks' place, below.
Alison with all of Morgan's girls--we were all beaming all weekend.
Carolyn, below
It had been five years since we had all been together, but we are all expected for the 60th anniversary in November. That's what happens when you end up scattered all over the country. See you again soon!
Oh, so good when all can gather and just relax. I suppose it's no surprise that you sisters look so much alike, but is Alison the only grey-haired one of the bunch? When my late wife and I first met her some years ago, she was a blonde (I think). That may be why I didn't recognize her years later when she spotted me at a Trader Joe's.
ReplyDeleteNo, Alison is not the only gray-haired one, the rest of us just cheat.
ReplyDelete