Many, many moons ago, Art's great-great-grandparents raised a family of sixteen children here on the Oklahoma prairie. Art's Grandpa, Abe, was the son of the oldest daughter of this family. The story goes that the patriarch of the family would saw a bit off of the huge family dinner table and the bench seats every time a kid married and moved out. (That would definitely discourage divorce.)
Every year, on the Last Sunday of December, the H family still gets together at the school cafeteria to consume mass quantities of good cooking (It's mostly potluck) and catch up on each other's lives. Because so many generations exist now, there's a good chance that you won't recognize a significant percentage of the group, but that doesn't seem to stop anyone from talking, laughing and comparing family size.
I don't know how long the tradition will/can continue. I think there are only 2 or 3 of the original 16 children still alive, and the families are literally scattered across the country now, and probably around the world. It's sad, but there are people from this community that we only see at the H Reunion, even though we might live only 20 miles apart. I suppose that's just modern life.
The H's have a jump on most families though. How many people can say that they annually celebrate with their great-grandma's extended family. I certainly can't. That would be like us all getting together with the children of Great-Grandma Berry's brothers and sisters and their children. (I'm not even sure how many siblings she had; that's how bad I am at genealogy. Aunt MJP, you'll have to set me straight.)
I have to tell a story on my sister-in-law, Lizzy*. (Art's youngest sister) She and her husband, Carl* (both pictured above), found a wedding picture in one of the albums there of Lizzy's great, great, great grandma and Carl's great, great, great grandpa. That kind of thing just happens when communities stick together, like this one has. In their defense, though, it was a second marriage for the two old-timers, and they never had any children, so Lizzy and Carl are only related by marriage. But still...we give them a hard time about it. How could you not?
*Names changed
3 comments:
I'm not sure that it isn't something about families from that area. Since Art and I are distantly related and my family is from out that way and they get together every year I understand. It's fun and different and Jonathan has no idea why we are so intent on seeing distant family once a year. Ours is usually the Sunday before Christmas at the Cherokee. Now that we live so far out I haven't made it in 3 years.
Wow! Now that's what I call a family get together! I imagine a great time full of laughter, and fun stories. I do wish we could get together will all of our families. Maybe we should think about a reunion.
Now looky there! LOL Hick right in your own hubby's family! I just DATED someone who was related by marriage, I didn't marry him!
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