. . .catching up

We have been traveling the last couple weeks to visit family, and some very good friends...  When I say we, I don't mean hubby and I ~ HE evidently has spent a good part of the time I was gone sick with bad allergies, flaring RA and even a toothache.  Sorry honey ~ I missed you a LOT... and I will be home today ~ sounds like YOU need some TLC...

So back to my story ~ because Hubby has a fairly new job again, and couldn't get away ~ I begged Princess Bride and GrandP to go to the Great Northwest with me ~ because I do not fly alone.  It takes serious anxiety medication support to get on, and stay in an airplane, [all of my phobias rapped into one little tin can...] and I need someone to help me stay safe when I have that much medication in me...

That said we have REALLY enjoyed each minute of the last 2 weeks... Illness among my sisters aside, [2 of them ended up in the hospital for part of my stay in the Portland area, and I could get a complex if I thought about that too much... haha] ~ but, beyond that the trip was really GREAT.! 
 

I saw 5 of my 7 siblings [one of my brothers passed away some years ago, and my oldest brother/SIL are serving a mission for the LDS church in Nauvoo IL right now... so were not available for a gathering at our niece's wedding, even.]  But it was a wonderful reason for 5 of the rest of us to get together for a photo op...  We had tried to get all 5 sisters in one place but K was sick the day of the wedding and was SO sad to miss it...  So we will have to try again...

Our next planned extended family reunion will be in 2015 which all my parent's descendants are invited to ~ and those that can make it will always try to come... Still there are so many of us now... the great grands are piling up and there might even be some g-great grands among their posterity in the next few years... so it takes a LOT of effort just to get a few of us together... not to mention we are so spread out...

I miss mom and dad so much and when I see my brothers & sisters it's a huge reminder of just how much fun we have... Nevertheless, I know they look down from time to time and are proud of this big bunch of noisy and happy people...  There is not an bad egg in the whole group! HONESTLY.!!

We can be a tad on the silly/crazy side as is shown in the photo display below, 

Our youngest brother in the family and father of the bride the day this was taken ~ with 4 of his 5 sisters.  L to R ~ Me [#7], G [#2], M [#5], J [#6], J [#8 ~ the baby]...

G didn't catch at first that we were all suppose to make funny faces... but this was the best of M's silly face so I went with it...

 . . .then obviously the youngest two have no idea when to STOP being silly!  haha

BUT, all in our great big extended family are law abiding citizens ~ and compassionate caring people.  As a family [and as a rule] we serve and give to the community and greater good on a regular basis.  Many are involved in various church and community efforts to improve the world we live in... I was reminded lately that there are a BUNCH of Eagle Scouts [13 out of 19 grandsons just as a start on the posterity... I'm pretty sure there are already some g-grandsons that are Eagle Scouts too].  Several members of this family have served missions for the LDS church, some have given time and much effort to other churches and vital organizations, like the Red Cross, Literacy and Child Safety groups, the list goes on... Some have served in the military [Son1 ~ currently in the Navy, just the most recent].  All have reached outside their own comfort zone to emotionally, physically and financially help family/friends in need over years of following mom and dad's example.  That legacy will always continue because Daddy & Momma taught us well and we their children have taught our families well too.

I love my great, big, NOISY, loving and sometimes silly family... I appreciate that I can keep up through emails, FB, text messages and especially SEE them through pictures exchanged over many miles... When we get together the years and miles melt away... and I wish for a smaller world where we could see each other a little more often.

We are spread from one side of this great country to the other [quite literally].  I am proud to say that as a family we represent the NE, SE, SW, NW and an amazing number of points in the heartland of this country as well.  It's a blessing in my life to call each family member something... husband, son, daughter, brother, sister, nephew, and niece... and I thank God every day for the blessings we share as a family.  We are SO very blessed, and while we each have our own private challenges, collectively we are an amazingly fabulous and strong group... One that I feel so happy to call "my" family... I am very VERY grateful to have spent some time visiting them this last couple weeks ~ and while I am ready to go home, I am also a bit sad that I know it will be a while before I see them again.