Family Reunion 2013

When sweet Gram went to heaven this past February she left behind an inheritance and requested that all her family get together in Ft. Myers, Florida for a reunion. The reunion was the first week of July.  Gram and Grandpa had 4 children together.  These children married and had at least 9 children who mostly married and had at least 16 children (I’ve lost count of Gram and Grandpa’s great grandchildren).  It was amazing that about 52 of us were able to get off work and travel from all over the world to have the first reunion in many years.  We had family from Guam, Germany, California, Indiana, New York, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina and some other locations.  What a great time!  I speak for everyone when I say we all had a blast. 

We were able to mini golf, visit parks, have a ride on a yacht, visit a sea life museum, watch Despicable Me 2, swim in the pool, take a huge family photo, watch fireworks, see dolphins, take turns cooking family meals each night, go for walks, play board games and so much more.

Saturday morning we had a bit of a scare.  Our youngest daughter Haley wound up in the ER.  She had an episode that resembled a seizure.  She woke up Saturday morning complaining of a severe headache.  She was very grumpy which is not like her.  We all dressed and went to breakfast where she complained of a stomach ache and said she was feeling dizzy.  Then she went limp.  Tim picked her up before she fell and carried her.  Then her eyes rolled back and to her right side.  She did not respond to anything for about 45 minutes. She wasn’t blinking.  She wasn’t talking.  She just sat there staring off into space with her eyes completely dilated.  She was rushed to the ER via ambulance.  It was the scariest thing I’ve experienced since Brandon died.  I literally thought she had died as she lay motionless in her daddy’s arms.  I’m still a bit shaken up by the whole ordeal and very confused as to what happened.

We are having more tests run on her as soon as the neurologist can get her scheduled for an EEG to find out if it was indeed a seizure and what the cause of it was.  In the meantime, Haley is supposed to stay out of the sun, stay hydrated and unfortunately no summer camp at the lake for her this next week.  She’s been uncharacteristically clingy this week, but I am fine with that.  I want her near me so I can keep an eye on her.  She’s talked about what happened all week.  She said, “Mama, when I almost died all I could see was peach and I couldn’t move.” “Mama, when I almost died I could feel your tear drops falling on me.” “Mama, if I had died it would have been okay because I would have been with Brandon and our other family who died and I would have seen God!” (Gasp!)

One of the things that I thought about often on the LONG car ride back from Florida is the fact that family is the only thing that we will see again in heaven provided each family member sees a need of a Savior, repents and comes to Christ.   Our belongings and money will stay on this earth.  Sweet Brandon, Gram, Grandpa, Kurt, Uncle Normie and some others were all in Heaven while we had our reunion and spoke fondly of them together.  They were probably lovingly looking down on us.  However, some of our family and friends do not believe there is a God and sadly, we will not see these people ever again once they pass into eternity.  This makes me sadder than Brandon’s death.  I truly hope that all my family and friends come to Christ.  I want to be with everyone I love for all of eternity!  It’d be a forever family reunion with NO GOOD BYES. 

Gram and Grandpa left a legacy to all of us.  The thing that was most important in their lives was their love for Christ.  Even in Gram’s last moments when her mind was leaving and her body was failing her, she remembered to pray for her family, she could quote the Bible and she loved hearing hymns sung at her bedside.  The thing that was second important to Gram and Grandpa was their family.  I am truly blessed to have married in to such a loving and generous family who genuinely enjoys spending time together.  Our kids said over and over this past week, “I am so glad this is my family. I love ALL of my family! We have the coolest family EVER.”

Anyway, I hope everyone had a great 4^th of July holiday!  I’ve posted several pictures from our Family Reunion 2013.  Love and peace to all!

The last family reunion back in 1982...
Tim is the adorable 2 year old with a red bow tie in the back row

Family reunion 2013...how we've multiplied!

Most of the great grandkids

Most of the grand kids

The kids with their spouses

Finding critters is what they do best!

The great grand kids lined up for a scavenger hunt--winning team
gets an ice cream cone!

The kids spotted dolphins and they swam right up to the kids



Bee's ER visit

 

At the park...all those kids are our family...even back in the water

Going for a walk....found some snapping turtles

Swinging from the vines

Climbing these neat trees





Friday we all piled on this boat for a ride

The captains of the boat!

We saw all kinds of wild life on this boat ride





The girls found a tiny sea horse

Most of the family on the boat

Uncle Dan's flying electronic thingy....flying closely to the kids