A Special Reunion

I'm not quite sure where to start this post.  Maybe at the beginning?  As in, once upon a time, many years ago...?  But that's not quite right either.  It may seem like eons ago to my children but I'm sure it seems like yesterday to my parents.  Funny how elastic time can be.

So I guess I'll begin with a story.  A story that started in 1964 when two young men, one a college student and one a young brother worker, struck up a friendship.  That friendship grew stronger when in 1974 (I think?!), two young families found themselves living in a place fondly known as 'the Harbor.'  For the next few years, any time the sun broke through these two growing families found an excuse to create yet another story.  (There is some debate about whether this harbor was named Grays because of the man who discovered it or the predominant color of the sky.  If the sun breaks through, one must take advantage!)  And stories they were!  Stories shared in the great tradition of storytelling so that even their sons- and daughters-in-law can add in missing details with each retelling.

As time went on, these two families moved on to sunnier locations many hours apart, but the friendship weathered even time and distance.  Annual road trips were undertaken to spend time together creating yet more memories, more stories.  And time continued it's unstoppable march.  The children grew up, married, bore grandchildren and annual trips weren't made quite as annually.  It happens.  But this friendship weathered even that.  Until one day, almost 50 years later, the two clans were reunited (all of us together for the first time in 17 years) for one very special weekend on the very same beach that many of the stories came into existence.  And for one lovely weekend, we enjoyed hearing both perspectives of stories that had been told and retold over the years.

The storytellers and their wives:  Dad, Mom, Scott and Linda.  In an amazing stroke of luck, we enjoyed gorgeous weather.  Not a gray sky all weekend!

The storytellers and their families.  It was quite a bunch we fit into two beach houses!

The grandchildren.  It's kind of interesting that in the first 10 grandchildren, there is only one granddaughter and in the last seven grandchildren there is only one grandson!

One must get a picture of the adults getting a picture!  "Look here, kids!"

This group was coined, 'The Originals.'  We have many a picture of the seven of us through our growing up years.  Funny that we lined up how we normally hung out - Rob and Kris, Sam and Laurie, and Sally and I were all buds and poor Geoff was left to tag along!

Friends still!  I can't wait to meet Matt and Sally's new addition.  Sally took on the responsibility of planning the weekend and she did a great job.  Thanks my friend!

And while we're taking pictures, we might as well get one with Bumpa and Grammy and their grands.

Grammy taking her 5 granddaughters for a walk.

We enjoyed many a scrumptious meal as can be evidenced by Lane's smoothie mustache!

Old friends picking up right where they left off.

A kite or two was flown...

and a kid or 17 played to their hearts content on the beach.

Speaking of playing, epic football games between the 'big boys' (i.e. the dads) and the "little boys' (i.e. the grandsons) kept us all entertained.

And the days ended in glorious sunsets.  A special weekend for sure!