Mrs Justa and the 2013 family reunion post number 1

Well another year has past for our family reunion. I am from a family of 9 brothers and sisters, one sister has died and our parents are both deceased. We live in various parts of the country and we try really hard to get together. This year there were some of us, not all of us. This year we went back to the State Park my mom had chosen so many years ago. It was really not bad, we got heavy rain one evening, but the base of the fire was strong enough to withstand the rain and light up some more logs. It was neat to see the cousins spend time together. Wish my brothers who could not make it had… it was strange not to have them and their families there. We were missing some nieces and nephews and their kids….

We had no cell phone coverage, we had electric on the sites and public bathrooms. Some people tented, some had trailers, some hoteled it….  all seemed to have a good time.

As we entered the weekend and started to observe things, we came to realize there was a passing of the baton so to speak. When we started to go to this part- we were in our 30s and our kids were 7 . Now we are some  of the elders and our kids have kids of their own. Jeff and Amanda became the dinner site- we all gather together for dinner, a dish to pass and eat our meals, talk, laugh and end it with a nice campfire and s’mores and memories being created.

Adrianne has not been to a reunion for years- but I bet she would like to sometime in the future.. she had mentioned tenting it at some point with her family… and heck if they are more on the line of hotel people, there are some people who do stay in hotels. One year we rented a cabin off site and one year we rented a cabin in a town near by….—that is an option too,.….their kids will be a better age next year… hmmm….maybe they will come too.

The transition was subtle at first, but became more apparent as the clock ticked to 10 PM and Mark and I were headed to the camper to call it a night… leaving behind the 30 something year olds and the younger cousins. Yikes.. we were the “older relatives” who went to bed early…

The kids seemed to totally love the camping experience, and I have to admit I soaked in watching their smiles, there sense of adventure, and looking at how totally exhausted they got from being outdoors, from going “creeking” and from building sand castles.

I thought about all the electronic devices and the automation we have in our homes- and even though they are nice… … (as Mark says to the boys… _)

“this is living… it doesn’t get any better than this !”

And ya know what he is right!. Regardless of our various challenges in life,

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regardless of our stressors our hectic sometimes lives… when we got here—the waters smoothed, the days were peaceful, the experience was something I am so glad we got to share…the only regrets are the people who could not be there…. but than again –we do have next year !!.

So I am off…. kinda chilling tonight…. reminiscing …feeling blessed. Love to all… Mrs Justa alias Cindy,

 

Mrs Justa and a special person

 

There are people in our lives that can make us laugh. People who have been there when you are low and when you are upbeat.

I feel like I want to take a moment and recognize one of those people. Every once in a while I will write about someone…..Today….is one of those days….

My sister Melanie is 8 years younger than me… (OMG I can not believe she is THAT old though ) Anyhow, we have been through a lot in our lives and she has been there at times of extreme low, and times of adventurous journeys, and helped me pick up pieces when I felt broken.

Way back in July 1985, she greeted me at my moms doorway- as I brought in my than 2 1/2 year old son, and was a lost soul in the place called LIFE. My marriage had split—and I had no job, and a son I wanted to do the very best for. She was there to talk, we sat in front of my moms console stereo and listened to Pure Prairie League and Styx- one night I remember after I had Jeff in bed- we sat drinking a couple generic Wegman’s beers ( I am not kidding—the beer was like 1.99 a 6 pack and white label….)and trying to figure out how to get from there to anywhere …. she can make me laugh when there is darkness all around.

Through the years we’ve  had many many  journeys—some we even got in a car to go on …. to Maine—HA that was a fun one—hee hee—on the way back we wanted to take the ferry across Lake Champlain –we had planned to do that ferry ride before we even started out on our venture…. well we took it in the TOTAL THICK FOG—an hr and 1/2 ferry ride in total whiteness— we were psyched when we saw a tree on a little island… HA… what were we thinking????

—  we went off to  Cincinnati area twice to help out our older sister who desperately needed sisters to support her through some pretty tough things… the times of laughter and adventures are in the rear view mirror of life— and hopefully when life settles down a little bit more—we can share some more special times.

I think it is so important to not get so wrapped up in life- that we lose sight of people and times that have meant a lot to us.

Melanie—if you are out there—this posts for you !!.

Love to all… Mrs Justa alias Cindy

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