For Love of Family

My father's father turned 85 last week. In honor of him, his daughter Betty offered to host a family gathering in Kansas. The invitation was received back in June or July, in the middle of our decisions to move and then in the middle of the moving. It wasn't until two weeks ago that I fully committed to go.Why was it such a hard decision? Because it would involve doing something that I've done a couple times before, but was this time causing lots of anxiety to think about doing again. Yep, driving the boys cross country by myself. Before leaving, we did car swapping and we now have my parent's old van that Natalie had been driving for the last year and a half. It involved driving to Utah County...twice...but we got it. Its interesting how many times I found myself questioning whether I was really going to go through with the driving. First with the getting the van. Second with the having the van and having a moment where the window wouldn't roll up(there's no way I was going to drive several hundred miles with the window down) and then a few moments of feeling sick combined with Evan having a runny nose for several days. Despite all the reasons I could come up with for not going, I knew that my spirit needed to go. I haven't seen most of my own siblings since last Thanksgiving and I wouldn't be making it home for this coming Thanksgiving so I wanted to be with them, even if only for a few hours. And the last time I saw Pop's siblings was before I had even met Oliver.

So on Thursday morning, I took the boys to school, drove to Tooele where the window fiasco happened as well as some prescription concerns, came back home to pack and then pick the boys back up. Fed the boys lunch, packed the van, got a last minute visit from Oliver during his lunch break, received a blessing from him and then we were on our way. Drove east on 80 and we were doing good. Made it to Laramie, Wyoming, around 8pm. We played at the hotel swimming pool for about 40 minutes then ordered pizza and got to bed. The next morning we got on our way. We stopped at a rest area just outside of Brady, Nebraska, and decided that's where we should have been meeting and not just for the few hours it would have taken off my drive.

Ryan took the camera in the car. Such beautiful artistry.

We finally got to our destination to find Grammy & Papa and Ryan made friends with his second cousin. he boys were glad to be out of the van and glad to also see Natalie and Dave drive up. On Saturday morning, X-man(Ryan's new friend) was asking around for the "orange shirt guy."

Grammy, Hike!

Ryan and X-man on the broken hammock.

Saturday was a day filled with people. That made Ryan and I happy, but Evan was not so thrilled. All of Pop's siblings were there. I asked when all 8 of them were together last and his sister said probably when their mom died. My dad was 14 when that happened. My grandpa and his girlfriend. Seven cousins and their families then 4 of my 6 siblings and their families. Forty seven people total including us.

All 8 replicating a photo from 1962.

The men

Almost all that were present for the weekend.

Grandpa's Grandbabies

 It was nice to be outside so much and to see so many happy faces as well as to get to know a few people I'd never met before. After my siblings showed up, dinner was ready. Uncle Chuck had been enjoying himself fishing for the last several days so they had fish. That is not normally a food found in our home, but not only did I eat it, but Ryan did as well. Evan didn't eat very well at all. After the food, there were two cakes presented for Grandpa's birthday. One looked like a golf course with a sand trap in the shape of an 8 and a water feature in the shape of a 5. Casey had made another cake with all of the states and everyone present got their own flag placed in the part of the country they came from for this party.

 Then one of my cousin's son's had a football game. Several people went to watch it while alot of us stayed behind to relax and enjoy each other's company. Ryan played with his bigger cousins who are actually really good with him. They never really got annoyed with him and took care of him when I wasn't around. I loved seeing them interact. Soccer and laser tag.

 Grammy brought out smores stuff at the end of the night although we didn't toast the mallows, just heated them up in the microwave. and then it was bedtime and Evan became inconsolable. And I had a moment of breaking down. Natalie gave me a hug which brought me to tears as I was putting a screaming Evan in the van to drive him to calmness. He fell asleep, I think I hit a coyote, and I brought him back where he fell quickly back asleep in his bed. I was wired so I came back out to find the leftover chocolate and watch the rest of the horrible BYU-Utah football game.

Natalie and Dave played Monopoly Deal with me and Jo guiltily came back out to hang out(she said she had convinced Nat to stay up until I got back and felt bad) so I had a great few hours hanging out without children pulling my attention other ways. I am grateful for Mom & Pop who read to Ryan and put him to bed in the midst of my chaotic departure and for my understanding sisters. I'm sure if Casey weren't sleeping in another part of the "compound" that she'd have been there too.

The younger cousins. Evan is in fact in this photo-look for the red and gray stripes walking away.

Unfortunately, the next morning saw almost everyone depart. Ryan was distraught when I said that his cousins were leaving and that we were going to go back home too. before we had left Utah I had told him we were going to a party and he was said because we hadn't had the party yet. I had to remind him of singing happy birthday to grandpa and that that was the party. He felt better and soon was saying, let's go!
        More random shots from the weekend many thanks to Casey or Mom using my camera:

 

 

 

I know Jo would hate this picture, but I like the proof that we're sisters. :)

Evan trying to stowaway in Casey's van.

Casey waving to Ryan below:

And I love Evan mid wave here.

Hard to see it, but Mikayla had written "Cop Car" in the dew and then drawn bars on her window.

The Lodge.

The awesome overalls Grammy gave to Ryan. He's playing pictionary at the moment.

I honestly don't know what's happening here. I'm hoping they are singing The Wise Man and The Foolish Man.

Grammy and her grandbaby walking across to the house to say goodbyes.

Really bad picture (I was driving...) but on the drive back west on Sunday afternoon, I saw 45 hot rods driving east. Definitely a highlight, although I'm really curious as to how they all got organized that day and why. Update: I figured it out : this site is their update.

Worn OUT!

We were back on the road after some goodbyes and with few things to report on about the drive, we came home to happily find Daddy who had been a little too lonely while we were gone. It's interesting to think about everything now that its over. I'm sad to have not seen two of my brothers. but grateful for those who were able to be there. I'm not the best correspondent so I probably won't keep up on their lives too much except for when someone else tells me, like my mom. Some funny things: somewhere in Kansas are a handful of birthday cards with my signature on them. Watching Casey and Nat race across the yard to take pictures of the kids playing soccer. Comments were made that we were very lucky to have the father we have. I've always thought that but it was also interesting to hear an outsider's comment of seeing the extended family made our parents seem pretty normal. Ryan fell off the top bunk on Friday night but in his sleepiness, refused to lay next to Pop on the lower bed but instead insisted on climbing back up to the top bunk. Luckily, he didn't fall off again. I am grateful for the hugs given, the acceptance shown and the laughter that was more than abundant. It was a good weekend. I think I'll have to take Betty up on her offer to be a halfway point for our family again sometime soon.