Be reunited

It always seems to happen this way. Last year my family in the hill country had their family reunion the weekend after G’s family had one of theirs. This year, they are on the same day. It is not the same part of G’s family, so we committed to go. Besides, I have done a lot on the genealogy for this part of the family, and I would like to submit it.
I have never attended a reunion for my Gillespie branch of the family. I never knew they existed until three years ago. When I found them, the reunion was over. The next one wasn’t announced until we had committed to the big reunion that only happens every seven years. This year the reunion we are going to is every two years. I guess there is hope for next year.

I had never attended family reunions before I married G. My mother’s family consisted of one of her brothers whom we were close to. They lived about a mile away from us and we saw them all the time. I think there was something terrible that happened with my mother’s family when I was still too young to understand. It must have had something to do with my grandmother’s death. That is always such a passionate time anyway, and feelings are easily hurt.

One of her brothers was killed in an accident when I was very young, her sister was old enough to be her mother, and lived in Ft Worth. Another brother lived in Houston, and they were estranged for a number of years. That left my aunt and uncle who lived so close.

There was something else that happened with Dad’s family. We would visit Ma often, then it all stopped. When she died, our pastor was the one who called after seeing her obit in the paper. That must have hurt my father so, but he never let on.

Even before that with his family, the entire family unit was not close to the greater family. That is so obvious now. I knew nothing of his family past my grandmother and his sister. When I met a distant cousin at the assisted living place, we had no idea that the other existed. She didn’t know my great-grandfather, and I surely didn’t know her grandfather. They were brothers!

My family’s reunion is important to me because I would love to visit the cemetery where my great-great grandfather and other kin are buried. Since it is on private land, I need to ask. Where is it easier? I know I could ask when we go to church, but it just doesn’t seem appropriate.

Anyway, we are preparing for the reunion. Perhaps we can eat and run - to my family’s side!