Friday, August 31, 2012

FamilyFridays: 2012 Ward Family Reunion.

Family. This is an area I consider myself very blessed in.

When I first met Ben he wanted me to me his family. I'm not just mentioning Mom and Pops. He meant "The Family."

When I first met one of his 'Aunt and Uncle Combos' when we went to college - they gave me a hug after a brief visit at their home. The next day I got to meet another 'Aunt and Uncle Combo' that recommended I come with them to their daughters gymnastics event. I ended up in their car without Ben and it was like I was family.

Years later my these same family members, held me up over the summer before Ben and I got married, helped host our rehearsal dinner at their place, and played the role as our legal representation to adopt our son.

I am enamored by my husbands relatives. On his mom's and dad's side. I am blessed.

The Ward Family Reunion is always on Sunday of Labor Day Weekend - on Grandpa Ward's property in good ole' Grandy. In college we always made the event on Sundays. After we were married we served at our church and would make the last few minutes of the reunion - then hang out at Ben's grandma's. A few years ago one of Ben's uncles got a lake house at Table Rock. That's where the real fun has begun - great memories.

See...

At the reunion - our generation doesn't really know many of the people we are hanging out with at the reunion. The real fun for us is to be around Ben's dad's brothers and sisters and their kids (who are our age and younger) and just chill on the screened in front porch at the lake house.

I consider this reunion a treat too because I did not grow up going to reunions. I had one very involved Aunt and Uncle on my mom's side and my mom's dad - my grandpa. My dad's side is very blended. My dad played huge roles in our lives and the lives of his sister's kids. But my grandparents (his parents) and relatives weren't sentimental or super close. I didn't really see my dad's parents but on rare occassions...that was reality - I didn't know different. Our grandpa now lives with my parents, which I enjoy. And my dad's side visits - and it's incredible to see them and their babes - but we aren't mega close. And I'm okay with that - that's our reality.

So to go to an event where family is celebrated, you are hugged and loved on and fed and well..... hugged some more...and then genuinely told 'i love you' by all your husband's cousins - like it's second nature...welp you know you're in a great life-giving place.

So our weekend's opening ceremony will begin tomorrow afternoon at the lake house with lots of food and close family..followed by the reunion Sunday morning/afternoon and then back to the lake house till Monday evening. Pax and I will have Ben for 3 straight days, we'll see baby Logan and Hunter and stuff our faces.

Happy Labor Day Weekend to you!

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