Family Gathering

Sunday we had our family gathering, all 34 of my mother's kids, grandkids and great-grandkids except for 1 great-granddaughter who is in New Mexico. All the cousins had a really good time together, there was a group for each age group. We had people here from Clermont, Starke, Minneola, Lawtey, Mulberry, Palm Bay, and Jacksonville, Fl., Brunswick, Ga. and Diagonal, Iowa.

My DH and I had to leave early, as my husband was feeling ill, we still don't know what the problem was, but he was dizzy and his equilibrium was off, and he was a little disoriented. I think that it could have had something to do with the heat, as he is not in real good shape.

My daughter said that we should do it at least once a year, and my niece who is the one from Iowa said that she would make it at least once a year. It is really heartwarming to me to know that they all get along, and all enjoy being together. It is interesting to see the younger ones looking up to the older ones, and being included by them. My niece commented to my daughter that the kids didn't once come to tell on anyone, or complain about anyone, they were having too good of a time. Evidently, after we left, there was a really good basketball game, and a few wrestling matches. We can go on with the cycle for awhile, as we have some early twenties, but a few babies, too.

Part of me was feeling like, oh no, I have so much to do, but then I reminded myself that I am retired and there is no time limit to getting things back together, or even working on things I want to work on, like my CC and my OC.

Nothing is more important than family, and in all 3 branches, mine and my 2 brothers, there have been divorces, some pretty messy and more than heartbreaking, and it is so good to see the children together, and I'm hoping that they will realize that even though bad things happen, that family is still important, and extended family still loves them and is there for them.

Off my soapbox now, I really hadn't intended to climb onto it.