Reunited

I just spent the weekend with 63 of my closest friends.

I hear mixed reviews of different family reunions. There's always the strange uncle that freaks people out or the tension between estranged family members. There's even a full-blown feud in some families.

Not in my family.

We spent the weekend together at the Red Moose Lodge in Eden, Utah. We were the only guests, so we basically had the place to ourselves. We stayed three nights and played and laughed and talked and cried together. It was a WONDERFUL weekend.

I'm so grateful to those who spent time planning and carrying out the different events. I'm grateful to those that managed and organized the finances to make the reunion possible. I'm mostly grateful to my family for being the people that they are because I truly feel blessed to be able to associate with such awesome people.

I'm grateful to my Dad for giving me life and for loving my mom. It's a great example for me to follow. I'm grateful to Uncle Tom for his teachings and wisdom, and to his family for the love that I always feel from them. I'm grateful to Bard for taking time to teach my sons to fence (swords, people, not stolen property) and to his family for being so boisterous and fun. I'm grateful to Margo for her stories and the huge smile on her face when she tells them, and to her family for their obvious love of life. I'm grateful to Lasca, who often feels like the big sister I never had, and to her family for their laughter and for being good examples to my sons.

It's been six years since we all got together, and there have been a lot of changes in the last six years, but we seemed to pick right back up where we left off when we left each other last time. We've done fun things at past reunions: Disneyland, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Broadway shows, Tournament of Roses parades, Sea World, Trolley Tours of San Diego... But this reunion was my favorite so far, because we had each other, a room to meet in, a pool, and lots of time to visit. There were several activities planned, but for the most part, the activities brought us all together instead of splitting us up into groups and families. Instead of running ourselves ragged at theme parks or on tours, we spent the time visiting and getting to know each other so much better. We laughed a ton. We ate a ton. We grew closer together.

I thought that this reunion might not be as good as ones in the past with larger activities planned, but strangely enough, this one was better because I think we spent more time connecting to each other, forging and strengthening family bonds. In the end, that's the most important thing that we could be doing anyway. Don't get me wrong... the other stuff was fun and exciting, and I wouldn't give up those experiences either, but this reunion was my favorite because I got to know my family a little better.

Highlights of the weekend for me:

• Just seeing everyone again
• Spending the entire weekend with my wife and sons
• Evening family gatherings
• Memories of Grandpa and Grandma
• Fencing with Uncle Bard
• The zany family olympics
• Michael's "our song" game
• Playing games and laughing until it hurt
• Family Talent Show
• Dutch oven food
• The best pool party EVER

I'm sad it's over. But I've renewed my desire to keep in touch with family and to try to get together with many of them before the next reunion in three years. I truly count my family members as friends. I really DID spend the weekend with 63 of my closest friends.

I just might be the strange cousin, though, so if you're reading someone else's review of this family reunion, maybe you're getting a different version of events.