Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Okay, Enough is Enough...

cousins
Million Dollar Shot...I didn't ask them to hold hands and line up, they just did it, and thank goodness I had my camera out and ready to shoot...this pictures is PRICELESS!
Spencer, Griffin, Beckham, Sophia, and Peyton
cousins
This was planned...well worth the wait though.
family
This is one of the most important parts of the Golabki...the photograph of everyone in their THEMED get-up. This year it was tie dye!

I have been out of town A LOT since arriving in Michigan. The last two trips have been way up north where there has been either no wi-fi or a very weak wi-fi signal. Sadly, I have not been able to publish a post. In this non-posting time period, I became blog lazy. Need to get going again. SO, I sit here tonight not sure where to start, which pics to post, what stories to re-tell. Mostly because, I/we have been having the BEST time and I am not sure where to start!

In the time since being here we traveled north to Petoskey to our annual family reunion on Jeff's side. It is a weekend filled with golfing, cousins, shopping, one 'Girl's Night', long car rides hence the many I Spy games played,...it is a jammed packed weekend of activities which usually leaves me feeling overwhelmed by the packing, planning, getting, going, doing,... but really nice. We get to see family we don't get to very often and the kids get to play with their cousins. It is actually one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in Michigan. It is so lush and green and soft there. Haha, am i talking about landscaping or a big blanket?

However, EVERY single year, faced with the long ride home (5 hours-no traffic), Jeff and I talk/debrief each other and laugh about the special, fun moments that happened throughout the weekend. I hear stories that he has to tell and I fill him in on what was most fun for me. EVERY year, I feel happy and lucky to be a part of such a large, sometimes crazy, extended family.

Peyton and Beckham only add to our enjoyment of this weekend. We get to watch them play and laugh with all of their cousins...younger ones depend and look up to the older cousins, older cousins feel important and needed...super sweet to watch. We know this is a special time for the kids. They are making memories and learning from each other. It is so great to watch them interact. Especially because we know one day, this reunion that was named after a stuffed cabbage of all things (Golabki), will be turned over to the next generation of 'kids'.

We will be the 'parents'. We will look over at them while eating a family meal together, and we will wonder to ourselves and out loud, "Where did the time go?" Yes, one day this group of cousins will be taking over the Golabki, making plans, making sure we all stick to old traditions, planning, cooking, ...doing all the things we try to do now. It is bittersweet, watching our babies grow up...but we are all sooooo LUCKY to have what we have right now, in this moment.

1 comment:

Steph C said...

Love this picture! How fun and I love you have a theme! Neat! Miss you.