On March 18, which will be two weeks ago this coming Sunday, I had a family get together to celebrate all the March birthdays in our family. Since Tom's was on the 12th, my oldest grandson, Jordan's was on the 18th, John's on the 19th, my oldest daughter Christi's was on the 23rd , and mine was on the 24th , we are a birthday partying bunch of people.
As we have all gotten older, and busier, I try to pick one day that is close to everyone's birthday and have this get together, to celebrate with one big party! True, the cake is only one cake with everyone's name on it, but we all share pretty well! That is, if everyone can beat Johnboy and Lil Brother to the cake first and get a piece! LOL
When my family is all together, it takes a lot of schedule shifting and everyone's cooperation to pull this off! When this happens, I am truly in my comfort zone. There is nothing I like better than to have everyone gathered together, and just spend some quality time. On the 18th, it just could not have been better!
As a matter of fact, this year was more special than previous years and I will tell you why. My daddy had been married previously, a long time before he and my mother were married, and had two other children. We have a half brother whose name is Robert (which I used to call Bobby in my younger days, and a half sister whose name is Sammie, Sam for short. These siblings are much older than we are. Robert is 73, and Sam is probably 69. She would kill me if she knew I was telling this and she is not this old, but I think she is.
Growing up, I vaguely remember Bobby and Sam, because they were older. They were both grown by the time I was born, and though I remember them coming to our home on occasion, we were not what I consider close, not like me and the brothers. They were simply from another era in my dad's life. After Arkie, Lil Brother and I grew up, and after my mother and daddy had left us, I think it is only natural for you to wonder about your past, and one tends to want to gather round the kinfolks so to speak, and cling to what family you have left.
Since Sam lived only 40 minutes away in Hot Springs, she and I began having lunch once a month either here or in Hot Springs. We had many, many long talks, about growing up, and most of all about our daddy.
Then a few weeks prior to this birthday party, the brothers and I had talked about going to Delight, Arkansas and looking Bobby up. He again, lives only about an hours drive from my house. I really wanted to go, but I was so ashamed about not going before this, that I was finding it un-nerving to think about this visit! How would we be received? What would they think? After all, it had been over thirty years since I had last seen him, and that was the day of our daddy's funeral. My conscience was really getting the best of me. There was no particular reason as to WHY we had not kept in touch, just that life in itself and the directions it takes us in had gotten in the way, and for some reason, and our full family had gone by the wayside a bit.
Anyway, I feel as though I am rambling and boring you to death, so I will try and get to the point and get this story told.
John, Tom, Tom's wife and I did go to Delight, and were received with open arms. The love was still there! The day flew by as we talked of our father and of our childhoods, though different in many ways. It was great, and we left with plans to keep in touch. What made it really wonderful, is that Bobby's daughter, Debbie was there, and we have been keeping the emails hot since that time. She was just a little blonde headed girl the last time I saw her, when in reality she is fifty years old now, with two grown children of her own. We are supposed to get together this coming Friday for the day, and I can't wait.
After we got home from this visit, I called Sam and told her what had transpired. She said, "Well the next time you decided to do this, please call me. I haven't seen Bobby in years, and we parted a bit on bad terms, and life is toooooo short to for this to continue this way." I told her I would. Then I had an idea.
The March birthdays were upon us, so I called my niece and told her of my plan. I asked her to talk Bobby and her mother into coming to my house. This in itself was a feat, as Bobby is just like my daddy in many ways, and prefers to stay at home. I told her to tell him that his sister, Sam would be here and she said she was really excited to see him again.
Then I called Sam, and told her of the plan, and told her Bobby was going to be here, and he was really looking forward to seeing her again, as it had been much tooooo long of a time since their last encounter.
Then I crossed my fingers, and hoped I could pull this off. And you know what??? I did!! Johnboy and Lil Brother said they were so proud of me for the attempt and the eventual outcome.
Finally, after so many, many years, the five of us were all together under the same roof again. It was just awesome! I could not have asked for a better birthday present! We spent the whole afternoon together, everyone was reunited with everyone's family, and it was like old times.
It reminded me of when I was a child out in the yard at dusk, catching lightening bugs and putting them in a mason jar. All you had to do was look on the porch, and see mother and daddy sitting there under the cool night breeze, watching us and reassuring us all was well and good! That"s the feeling I got once again as I bid the last of my family goodbye that evening.
When I was walking back up to the door, I paused and looked back at the porch, and I swear I could see mother and daddy sitting in the rocking chairs with big smiles on their faces, shaking their heads as if saying 'Yes, Linda, this was a good thing! And long past due.'
Although we may have been born at different times, with years between us, and although we may have strayed from each other over the years, the gap has once again been filled. The bottom line was that we all loved our daddy, that he a very special and significant part of our lives, and we knew he loved us too.
What more could a person ask for??
Thanks for muddling through this with me. I was just a most special time in my life, and I will never forget it.
[attachment 52149 GarrettFamily012.jpg] The five of us, plus Sam's
husband, Harry who didn't get the meaning of photo of the siblings!
[attachment 52150 GarrettFamily018.jpg] The Birthday Crew
[attachment 52151 Bobby.jpg] Our oldest brother, Bobby
[attachment 52152 the-three-musketeers.jpg] Me, Arkie and Lil Brother in our birthday T-shirts! One of my favorite gifts. Peace, Love and Happiness.
As we have all gotten older, and busier, I try to pick one day that is close to everyone's birthday and have this get together, to celebrate with one big party! True, the cake is only one cake with everyone's name on it, but we all share pretty well! That is, if everyone can beat Johnboy and Lil Brother to the cake first and get a piece! LOL
When my family is all together, it takes a lot of schedule shifting and everyone's cooperation to pull this off! When this happens, I am truly in my comfort zone. There is nothing I like better than to have everyone gathered together, and just spend some quality time. On the 18th, it just could not have been better!
As a matter of fact, this year was more special than previous years and I will tell you why. My daddy had been married previously, a long time before he and my mother were married, and had two other children. We have a half brother whose name is Robert (which I used to call Bobby in my younger days, and a half sister whose name is Sammie, Sam for short. These siblings are much older than we are. Robert is 73, and Sam is probably 69. She would kill me if she knew I was telling this and she is not this old, but I think she is.
Growing up, I vaguely remember Bobby and Sam, because they were older. They were both grown by the time I was born, and though I remember them coming to our home on occasion, we were not what I consider close, not like me and the brothers. They were simply from another era in my dad's life. After Arkie, Lil Brother and I grew up, and after my mother and daddy had left us, I think it is only natural for you to wonder about your past, and one tends to want to gather round the kinfolks so to speak, and cling to what family you have left.
Since Sam lived only 40 minutes away in Hot Springs, she and I began having lunch once a month either here or in Hot Springs. We had many, many long talks, about growing up, and most of all about our daddy.
Then a few weeks prior to this birthday party, the brothers and I had talked about going to Delight, Arkansas and looking Bobby up. He again, lives only about an hours drive from my house. I really wanted to go, but I was so ashamed about not going before this, that I was finding it un-nerving to think about this visit! How would we be received? What would they think? After all, it had been over thirty years since I had last seen him, and that was the day of our daddy's funeral. My conscience was really getting the best of me. There was no particular reason as to WHY we had not kept in touch, just that life in itself and the directions it takes us in had gotten in the way, and for some reason, and our full family had gone by the wayside a bit.
Anyway, I feel as though I am rambling and boring you to death, so I will try and get to the point and get this story told.
John, Tom, Tom's wife and I did go to Delight, and were received with open arms. The love was still there! The day flew by as we talked of our father and of our childhoods, though different in many ways. It was great, and we left with plans to keep in touch. What made it really wonderful, is that Bobby's daughter, Debbie was there, and we have been keeping the emails hot since that time. She was just a little blonde headed girl the last time I saw her, when in reality she is fifty years old now, with two grown children of her own. We are supposed to get together this coming Friday for the day, and I can't wait.
After we got home from this visit, I called Sam and told her what had transpired. She said, "Well the next time you decided to do this, please call me. I haven't seen Bobby in years, and we parted a bit on bad terms, and life is toooooo short to for this to continue this way." I told her I would. Then I had an idea.
The March birthdays were upon us, so I called my niece and told her of my plan. I asked her to talk Bobby and her mother into coming to my house. This in itself was a feat, as Bobby is just like my daddy in many ways, and prefers to stay at home. I told her to tell him that his sister, Sam would be here and she said she was really excited to see him again.
Then I called Sam, and told her of the plan, and told her Bobby was going to be here, and he was really looking forward to seeing her again, as it had been much tooooo long of a time since their last encounter.
Then I crossed my fingers, and hoped I could pull this off. And you know what??? I did!! Johnboy and Lil Brother said they were so proud of me for the attempt and the eventual outcome.
Finally, after so many, many years, the five of us were all together under the same roof again. It was just awesome! I could not have asked for a better birthday present! We spent the whole afternoon together, everyone was reunited with everyone's family, and it was like old times.
It reminded me of when I was a child out in the yard at dusk, catching lightening bugs and putting them in a mason jar. All you had to do was look on the porch, and see mother and daddy sitting there under the cool night breeze, watching us and reassuring us all was well and good! That"s the feeling I got once again as I bid the last of my family goodbye that evening.
When I was walking back up to the door, I paused and looked back at the porch, and I swear I could see mother and daddy sitting in the rocking chairs with big smiles on their faces, shaking their heads as if saying 'Yes, Linda, this was a good thing! And long past due.'
Although we may have been born at different times, with years between us, and although we may have strayed from each other over the years, the gap has once again been filled. The bottom line was that we all loved our daddy, that he a very special and significant part of our lives, and we knew he loved us too.
What more could a person ask for??
Thanks for muddling through this with me. I was just a most special time in my life, and I will never forget it.
[attachment 52149 GarrettFamily012.jpg] The five of us, plus Sam's
husband, Harry who didn't get the meaning of photo of the siblings!
[attachment 52150 GarrettFamily018.jpg] The Birthday Crew
[attachment 52151 Bobby.jpg] Our oldest brother, Bobby
[attachment 52152 the-three-musketeers.jpg] Me, Arkie and Lil Brother in our birthday T-shirts! One of my favorite gifts. Peace, Love and Happiness.
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