summer traditions

(1974 - Our brown station wagon in the parking lot.  My Oma is second from the right)

I grew up attending a family reunion in Kingsville, Ontario every summer.  We would drive the 3 hours south in our brown station wagon.  As the smallest, I was stuck in the middle between my older sister and younger brother.  We'd be hot - the back of our sweaty thighs sticking to the brown leather seats.  Of course there were no ipods or DSs back then.  And definitely no air conditioning.  We had ourselves to entertain and annoy.  When we arrived, we'd find many of my mom's cousins sitting under the big trees of Kingsville park.  There would be lawn chairs pulled together as first and second cousins would sit close together, telling stories of past times and catching up on new ones.  For our family, this would be the only time each year that we would see these cousins.  The adults had the past as a bridge to reconnect with each other.  As kids, we connected through play.  We didn't necessarily know how our parents were related or the similar war time stories of loss and immigration that they shared.  This interest and understanding came when we were older.  For now our interest was in running amongst the trees, rediscovering the old playground and trying to see who could swing the highest. We'd look forward to the potluck we would share and oblige our parents for the yearly family picture.

(1976 - Me in the front left)

(Me in the middle row wearing red with glasses.  My sister and brother are beside me.)

As we grew older, these annual trips became more infrequent.  Summer jobs and camp took priority.  As teenagers we were less and less interested in maintaining these relationships.  We didn't consider our part of the many family connections that ran deep between our relatives.  As the older generation passed on, we lost an important reason for bringing us all together.  It was 6 years ago that my family last joined our first and second cousins under the trees of the Kingsville Park.  There were many new babies and partners having joined our circle.  With children of our own, the interest in knowing our story deepened.

Now, we are the next generation, bringing our children together to laugh and play.  Sharing food and catching up on each other's lives.  Last weekend, my first cousins and their children gathered at my parents' home.  Our numbers were small.  Nothing like the many cousins that would come together when I was a child.  But my children connected so easily with their second cousins.  It was wonderful to gather and celebrate family.

Some pictures of the fun.

(My mom and uncle)

A summer tradition in our family is to have a pinata to celebrate my niece's birthday.  It was wonderful to extend this tradition into our larger family gathering.

Jesse insisted on being blind folded.

All the first and second cousins.  (This was the only way Jesse was going to be in the picture.)

Happy Birthday to YOU!

My wish - that we can continue to gather together and allow our children to experience the importance of celebrating family and feeling a connection to our past.