Family Reunions are da bomb!

None of us could quite remember how long it has been since the last time our entire family got together for a reunion, but finally came up with something close to eight years ago. We have really good reunions because we generally really like one another. We don't gossip; we just sit and talk about our lives, now and then.

The three oldest relatives are brothers and sisters. They are what remains of the original seven of them, and we can never know who long we'll have them in our lives. My uncle is currently in the same nursing home as my mother, so it makes visiting easy. He is the oldest and certainly the feeblest. None of them has lost their sense of humor. All but one of my grandparents seven children had fairly large families, who continued with their own large families. We're a pretty impressive group when we're all together--126 this reunion.

I loved watching the little kids. There was a big sandbox there, complete with cars, trucks, dozers and tractors, and it stayed full of kids all day. There was some very dirty bathwater in some homes that night, along with some tired kids.

Families should somehow work it out so they see each other more often than just at a reunion every five or more years. Imagine if my grandchildren got really close to my cousins grandkids. I've always felt that kids need those roots to feel secure, and to know someone always has your back in bad times.

Facebook has been a great tool for us to find family members and to periodically check in with them,but a phone call is even better. Do whatever you have to do to keep that scattered family close as often as possible.