My dad’s parents – I love this picture of my grandpa. The way he is holding his mouth is the exact way my dad held his.
As far back as I can remember, family was very important to my parents. We went to visit our relatives every chance we got. I don’t remember one family vacation that we took that didn’t involve visiting family. We grew up knowing who our relatives were and knowing that it was important to keep that connection.
My dad came from a family of eleven children. Even though they were spread out in age, they got along pretty well. My dad use to say that when they were young, if they got mad at one brother or sister, they just went to play with another one! As the brothers and sisters grew up and got married, they started settling in different parts of the country and didn’t get to see each other very often. Therefore, they started having family reunions from time to time when I was just a kid. Even though some of the brothers and sisters disagreed on some major issues they seemed to make an effort to stay connected. These reunions were always fun occasions and an event that our family looked forward to. It was always extra special if Uncle Sam or Uncle Jim and their families were able to come as they lived the furthest away.
This picture was taken at my grandpa’s funeral. This is the whole family at that point including one half brother and two half sisters. Of the seven children in the picture (my cousins), three of them have passed away.
As the years have passed and our aunts and uncles have started passing away it’s come to the point that many of the events that the family gets together for are funerals. Out of the eleven children (not counting their spouses), only five are still living. Most of them are getting up in age and aren’t able to get around like they use to.
The brothers and sisters with their mother – minus Uncle Leonard who had already passed away.
A few months ago we found out that my Uncle Sam was coming for a visit along with one of his sons and children. A few of my older cousins decided that it would be nice for the family to get together under happy circumstances so they organized a family reunion that would coincide with Uncle Sam’s visit. It was so much fun!
The older I am getting, the more I appreciate my older cousins. My Dad was the eighth child to be born out of the eleven so there is a big age difference between the older
This is a picture of the remaining brothers and sisters and their spouses as of 2009 – minus Uncle Sam who wasn’t there. My parents are the two in the middle in the back row.
cousins and the younger cousins. As I was growing up we had nothing in common so we didn’t do much together. Some of them were even married and had children close to my age so I felt more like they were my aunts and uncles instead of my cousins. Now, several of them are grandparents and have lost both of their parents. Instead of just ignoring the family and the younger cousins, they are stepping up to help organize family events and support us as our parents are starting to age and pass away. A few of my older cousins have made a point to come to every funeral. It is such a comfort to see their familiar faces at such a sad time.
The brothers and sisters that are left as of 2012 – Aunt Arlene, Uncle Sam, Uncle Lyle, Aunt Janet, and Aunt Joyce
The older cousins are also the ones that know a whole different angle of our family history. It is interesting how things change over time. We had one particular aunt that all the older cousins called “Aunt Izzy”. I don’t think any of us younger ones called her that. I’ve also found out that they called my Uncle Leonard, “Uncle Mike”! I have no idea how all that came about, but I find it funny that the older ones and younger ones are so different.
Some of the family at the reunion – 2012
As time passes, not only are the aunts and uncles dwindling, but sadly, so are the cousins. We have lost several of the older cousins in the past few years. At this last reunion my sister was commenting on how strange it is that WE are now the middle generation. Looking around it was obvious that we are no longer the “younger cousins”.
Almost the whole immediate family on my mom’s side – 2012
I don’t know how many more family reunions we will be having, but they sure have been helpful in keeping everyone acquainted and up to date on all the new marriages and new additions to the family.
A closer look at the other side of the table – 2012
My mom’s family is the extreme opposite of my dad’s family. While Dad was one of eleven children, Mom was one of two! Every time we went to see my mom’s side of the family it was like a family reunion as her sister and family always came to visit us while we were at my grandparent’s house. I know the parents are usually the “glue” that holds a family together, but I am very thankful that my parent’s siblings and families still get together even though their parents are long gone.
We had a lot of fun getting to see both sides of the family on our last trip. There were some sad moments because this was the first family reunion that my dad was not there to enjoy it with. But, I am very thankful for all the great relatives God has given me and for all the fun times we have had together. I am also very thankful for all the great memories I have of our loved ones that are no longer with us.
Here are a few more pictures of our family reunion weekend. My mom, all three of us kids and our families stayed at the same motel across the hall from each other. It felt like we had our own little vacation getaway! We missed my sister-in-law and two nephews that couldn’t come, but we sure had a great time! What a blessing family is!
The remaining aunts: Aunt Joyce, Aunt Janet, Aunt Arlene, and my mom, Carol. 2012
The remaining uncles: Uncle Paul, Uncle Lyle, Uncle Mernie and you can see a little bit of Uncle Sam in the cowboy hat on the right side. – 2012
A family tradition: My cousins Janie, Sandi, and Jeanne singing and playing the guitar.
My nephews, nieces, and girls at the family reunion – Joshua, Kendra, Nathan, Bethany, Lisa, and Melissa – 2012
My kids, nieces and nephew by the lake at the reunion – Joshua, Kendra, Bethany,Nicholas, Lisa, and Melissa – 2012
Me with a few of my cousins. Several had already left before we got around to taking pictures. Not all of them were there, but it would have been nice to get a picture of all the ones that were able to make it – 2012
My kids, niece and nephew – Lisa, Bethany, Nathan, Nicholas, and Melissa – 2012
Nicholas and Sophie drawing
Sophie, Nicholas, and Jason along with the finished artwork – 2012
Listening to music and soaking in the hot tub! 2012
Playing in the pool at the motel – 2012
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Thoughts From A Mother's Heart 
Posted by Sandi on May 16, 2012 at 10:56 pm
So glad to hear that you see the differences between the “older cousins” and the younger set. I saw long ago that there was a difference in what is in our memory banks. Only my “group” has similar memories. For me they were always “Aunt Izzie”- she signed her letters to me that way, and he was always “Uncle Mike”. The oldest cousins have passed on, Jimmy, Buck, Weeg, Dennis and Dick. Oh, how I miss them and the richness of who they were. As is God’s plan, you are now in the middle group and I am nearing the end. It is as it should be. Sandi
Posted by Laurie MacArthur on May 17, 2012 at 11:23 am
Family is such a blessing! My dad was one of nine. He was the second to the youngest. My Aunt Thelma (his sister) will turn 100 next year, Lord willing. Of those nine, there are only 3 sisters and one brother left. After WWII, the family planned a reunion every December in Philadelphia or New Jersey. They are still having them! My cousins have taken over the planning, and a few of them have homes large enough to entertain such a large gathering. My mom, on the other hand, only had one brother, and her mom only had one brother, but I can remember family reunions on my grandfather’s side in Delaware on occasion. They were always fun times with lots of good food! Thanks for sharing your memories. It brought back some of my own!
Posted by Karen Bochek on May 17, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Very nice write up as an “Older cousin”
, I will share with you Leonard was known as uncle Mike because when he first met Bessie he told her his name was Mike. It stuck. Mom was Izzy because some of the younger kids couldn’t say Edna and came up with Izzy. I don’t believe Dad ever called her anything but Izzy unless he had to use her given name. It was fun seeing all the family and having a good time. Thanks all Karen
Posted by Linda on May 18, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Thanks, Karen! That is good to know.
Posted by Jan Ward on May 17, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Very fun reading about all this. Love that there is an Aunt Janet since I am Janet. I am cousin to karen Bocheck on the Schmidt side. Her Aunt Anne was my Grandma Anne.I have enjoyed getting to know these cousins the last couple of years. My Dad was an only child and joined the Navy–other than visitty Grandma Anne a few times we never really knew any of the cousins on that side or even on the Bailey side–many were not born until after we were and we lived away.
Janet Kay Bailey AKA Jan Ward form Texas.