The "Brady Bunch" Gathering

At the place where pear trees line the gravel driveway that both sides
 of the family have shared for many years . . .

and where apple trees have been divided and harvested each autumn . . .

"her" side assembled and chatted

and in another area "his" side also met to catch up with each other,
while young and older women in two separate kitchens . . .
in two separate dwellings . . .
prepared food and brought it together under one large tree.

When it came time to eat, everyone gathered and he asked the Lord's blessing.

We all know that food brings people together . . .

 

there was corn on the cob and there were salads, plain and fancy . . .
homemade buns . . .

salmon that disappeared before the line up was done . . .
and chili and ham that made up the difference.

Ages ranged from 3 months to eighty. Mennonite, non-Mennonite,
Canadian, American, Japanese . . . everyone welcome.

It was 34 years ago, on the weekend around August 3rd, 1978
 that the Mr. and Mrs. from both sides signed the deal on the purchase of this joint summer property.
I remember this because of the special day it is for us as we celebrate Julene's birth - our firstborn,
the first grandchild - the very reason my dad saw the future with renewed vigor.

The couples had no idea that 33 years later
there would be two lonely spouses left,
who would marry each other . . . because they were all best of friends.

The year following the purchase, twin grandchildren were born on his side
and then Kristal on our side . . . and so it went.
Being the oldest on my side (and a female) helps me to connect the dots.

The next generation . . . the great-grandchildren . . . may never fully understand, but they bask in the fact that they now have an Opa as well as an Oma.

So many stories . . . within the two families . . . but this is not the time to tell them  . . .

On this day we celebrate a new relationship . . .
a new found love and companionship.

The grafting of two families . . .
in a place that feels like home to all of us.