My mom’s side of the family, The Crowe’s (Russell and Sheryl couldn’t make it this year) met in Chattanooga for a cook-out and a day on the lake last weekend. I hadn’t seen some of my family in years, so it was great to see everyone all grown up. Josh has narrowly missed meeting my mom’s oldest brother,Uncle Jimmy at family gatherings for over 12 YEARS! He was beginning to think this uncle who lives in Chicago is a myth. Well, they met and he met his three daughters as well. Mystery solved, illusions shattered…Josh finally met Uncle Jimmy! Caroline and Clark were loving being around all our family. Clark enjoyed flirting with my cousins. While Caroline was just in her element talking to everyone, jet skiing (for the first time), swimming, riding on the boat with her cousins, riding in Uncle Kenny’s golf cart, and giving every single person a big hug before we left. I am very thankful for such a sweet family. Thank you Uncle Kenny, Aunt Julie, and Aunt Dianne for organizing everything. We had such a wonderful time. Family truly is a gift.
Clark and his best bud, Uncle Kenny. Here he is trying to talk Kenny into taking him on the boat.
JuJu and Caroline playing one of C’s favorite new games.
Feeding the ducks with Uncle Kenny and Daddy-O…I just wonder what Caroline is telling Kenny?!! That girl loves to talk with her hands.
Caroline and Clark with their great-grandmother.
Clark and Molly
Caroline’s first jet ski ride and I missed the photo opp. Here she is getting into the water. She rode with my cousin Zachary and her daddy-o.
Clark enjoyed flirting with my cousin Lee. He wanted her to hold him and then he changed his mind.
Helen Marie and her fab five (kiddos). Judy, Dianne, Jimmy, Linda, Kenny
Matthew and Andrew, finally getting something to eat after giving lots of jet ski rides.
The Crowes, the cousins, and Caroline:)
The whole crew (minus a few)
She loves Aunt Julie!!
Caroline and the infamous, Uncle Jimmy.
Loving on her great grandmother.
Psalm 127:3-5 ‘Children are a heritage from the LORD,offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
While visiting with my grandmother several months ago, she was just loving on Caroline and Clark and shared a story with me. I guess she thought I seemed harried or something. While she was a young mother of five (four of whom are very, very close in age), she didn’t have a car, and she didn’t have a lot of money…she was truly a stay-at-home mother. She said her aunt who was well to do and never had children came to visit. She said her aunt was watching the children playing in the yard and she told Helen that she was rich. Helen said she was completely stunned and asked ‘Who me?’ Her aunt insisted she was. And yes years later after raising five children along with my grandfather, one can say she is rich. Her quiver is full.
Now I don’t know if that makes we want to have three more children, but there is a certain excitement that large families bring. Holidays, hard times and special occasions wouldn’t be the same without them. There is a certain comfort and familiarity that comes with family.
**Also, I have 300 more pictures and I’ll be getting those to all the family soon. Now that my computer is back in working order.
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