Freedom Day Celebrations

Friday morning, we packed all the necessities and a few "just in case" items into the car, and set off for our short trip to Aunt Sharon's house, near Parsons, KS. I am used to the drive taking more time. Did I drive slower when I was single? I must have stopped more often, or there was construction that I have forgotten. Whatever the reason, it took almost an hour less than I thought to get there, and that was including the 1/2 hour or so we spent in a restaurant in Tulsa on the way through. Aunt's house has been Grand Central Station at Fourth of July for as long as I can remember. This year was no different. Actually, this year was a little different. Aunt Marilyn usually stays at a hotel, but her kids stay at the house. This year, DH and I stayed at the same hotel as Aunt Marilyn and Uncle John for the first night. Since some of the cousins left on Saturday, we all stayed at the house on Saturday night, as there were more rooms free. This is Aunt Sharon and Uncle Roy, sorting change for Hope Harbor Children's Home. We joked that they were so poor after the 4th, that they were scrounging for pennies to fill the Food Fund.


Usually, if everyone were to show up, there would be no less than 29 people. We also have close family friends who might as well be related, as many as 12 more from their family, who will come to our party to watch the fireworks. This year, we had 22 all together. My parents couldn't come from so far away, a few cousins couldn't come because of work or distance; they were greatly missed. This is Beka, her hubby Kyle, and the newest cousin, Kaylynn.


"The Girls" are all about 16 to 23, and there are 7 of them. These girls are mostly my 2nd cousins, but there are two 1st cousins. (Kaylynn is the only 3rd cousin, so far.) They all pile in and do fun things. Friday afternoon, there were two different games of Taboo; Saturday, the game of the hours was Rummicube; I tried to teach Andrea to play Cribbage, but we never got to finish the game. Now that several are old enough to drive, and have cars, they go to the swimming pool in Oswego, KS by themselves. That is the pool where I learned to swim at age 14. It is so neat to know that The Girls have turned out so well. Good kids, all. I remember when Jess was barely old enough to try walking, and now she is a college graduate, with a good job, and a bright future. Yep, part of that feeling old coming back up. This is the whole batch, watching the fireworks.



I have always been in the middle. Stuck at the kiddie table, and desperate to be at the adult table. The older than me cousins are around 10 years older. The younger group is at least 10 years younger than me. The younger cousins and the second cousins are not so far apart in age. I used to get shuffled with the younger kids, I suppose because there just wasn't room where I wanted to be. Honestly, if there is a disconnect in our family, it is your own fault. There are plenty of things to do, people to hang out with, and everyone is friendly. But... there are times when The Girls make me crazy. They are all so pretty, thin, tanned and tall. I only got one of those traits (pretty is the one I am selfishly and vainly claiming). This is Grams, with DH and Me. See where I got all that beauty? I only hope that I have that much hair when I am 88. Kinda tough, since I don't think I have that much hair now.



With Kaylynn, we now have five living generations. Somewhere, there are generational pictures. I don't have any of them, and I didn't get one of my own, but I did get this picture of the top and bottom of the list. This is Grams, holding Kaylynn... her only (there will be others, so first!) Great Great Grandchild.



I wish that we could get together more than once a year, but we are all so spread out, and getting more so with every cousin that marries and moves great distances due to jobs. When I moved to Oklahoma, I was moving closer. Top to bottom and left to right: DH, Me, Kyle holding Kaylynn, Alysia, Rebekah, Morgan, Laura, Andrea, Colby, Jessica and Chelsea. Photo on my camera, courtesy of cousin Kelley.



I have seriously considered starting a Facebook page. Not because I just want another blog to bore you with, but because I have friends who have invited me to join. Now, I find that several of the cousins have a Facebook. Much like the blogs, I want to do it to keep in touch, since none of us seem to use a telephone anymore. A letter? What is that? This is Crazy Faces.


We found we have talents as pyrotechnical engineers. Did you know that a Black Cat will still blow up if you drop it in a bucket of water? It does, and it does not destroy the bucket. There was the game of Fireworks Ball. A lit Black Cat pitched from the deck to the batter on the ground who is holding a splintered 2 x 4 or a fireplace shovel. Then, there were the rogue fireworks that tried to chase Jayson. Seriously, it was kinda scary. One of the roman candles fell over and off the table after the first shot. It got turned a little more clockwise with each shot, and that was the direction that Jayson ran. We were laughing so hard, once we knew that he was not burned, and the trees had not caught fire. He didn't know why it was following him, and I reminded him that "smoke follows beauty". This is the dusk view of the firestarters. How many cousins can one deck hold? (I have the tune of Ariel's song in the cavern from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" playing in my head now. Don't you?)


We went to church with Grams on Sunday, and we are happy to stand while singing. The little building has the hardest, oddest angled, close-set wooden benches with no padding at all. Back in 2003 (the last time DH and I went to the 4th), cousin Kevin was leading the singing, and asked, "Would you please stand?" and DH said (not realizing how out loud...), "GLADLY!" Oddly, they sang two songs that I didn't know. That is rare. I love it! We had lunch on Sunday at a Chinese buffet, which was pretty good. We drove home Sunday afternoon, in the same easy, lazy way we came back from NM. We took our time, enjoyed the view. OK, I slept while DH drove. Don't laugh. It is our way. We came home sunburned, and tired, but it was a wonderfully fun holiday. The Fourth has been the big annual holiday since I was a little kid. I hope to share that with my family for many years to come.