reunited

Just returned from a weekend family reunion in Ohio.  It was the first one in 12 years.  We had a blast.


This was my mom's side of the family, the Nichols family.  We had almost everyone with us this year to celebrate.  Harry and Jessie Nichols, where it all began,  had 4 children that had 13 grandchildren that had 14 great grandchildren.  All were present to celebrate except for one person.  My Aunt Terry just began a two year stint with the Peace Corps in Togo Africa.  She was terribly missed but also terribly admired for what she is doing.  Hi, Terry!

Harry (for whom Harriet is named) and Jessie are my grandparents.  They are no longer with us but could still be seen and felt everywhere throughout this reunion weekend.  We could see them in the many, many games of Bridge and Liverpool Rummy and Rummikub.  In the homemade cinnamon rolls, swiss chocolate squares, and lemon bars.  They could be seen in (and blamed for!) all the freckled skin and sweating heads and curly hair. They were felt in the creativity, organization, and leadership of putting this weekend together. They were present in the trash talk about who makes the best chili sauce. I could see them in new friendships formed by second cousins meeting for the first time.  They could be heard in the yelling and the shouting and the more yelling and the more shouting.   I could feel them in the quieter moments too, in the hammock or the yard.  They could be heard in the traditional good natured ribbing we do to each other.  They were there in the competition of the never ending volleyball game in the pool. They were present during the memorial prayer service as we all joined together in song. I could see them in the sparkling eyes of the 5 new babies that joined our family this year.   Mostly though, mostly, they came to mind during the laughter.  There was so much laughter.

Neither sets of my grandparents are still with us.  I would give anything for them to be able to meet my husband and to know my daughters.  Since I can't do that, I am so glad that all of us children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren can come together to celebrate and to honor them simply by being together.  I know that they would be incredibly proud of what they saw this past weekend.

We left some "Nichols Family Reunion" cards at their site at the

 mausoleum just in case they wanted to play a few hands.

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