Reunion Time!

Every two years my Ma's family has a family reunion. She was one of fourteen children, and nine are still living, which is pretty impressive. I wish she was still with us, but I know that she is looking out for me. I am named after her. She was a really special lady. I have a lot of fond memories of going to her house. We went down to her house all the time. She always made us the best breakfasts. She would be the first to wake up and I would always wake up to the smell of delicious bacon, or pancakes, or biscuits. We all looked forward to Ma's breakfasts, going out in the cow field, and playing with cousins. Lots of good memories. 

The Mahan clan. My Ma is fourth from the right on the second row.

My Ma and her siblings, Lorene, Reba, Ma, and Clemon.

Pa and Ma.  They each took a picture of each other and then someone put them together to make it look like one picture. It worked out well because the pictures fit good together. I saw this picture my whole life and always thought it was one picture and was surprised when I was told it was actually two. 

It was a special treat to be able to attend the reunion and see the relatives. My Dad's family is pretty fantastic. We do not get together that often, but when we do you are welcomed with open arms, everyone telling you how happy they are to see you. It is the best! I went to these probably every summer growing up, because they had them more often.

 It is really interesting to see how the family has changed because everyone has grown up. I have three kids and live abroad. It's really fun because I do not know a lot of the relatives there, but I am related to everyone there. People will just come up to you and start talking and you figure out who they are and I always have to say that I am Jimmy Dunn's daughter, because that is what he is known as back home. Everyone knows Dad, of course because these are his people.To my surprise when we got there, there were some cousins from Utah who I would have never guessed would have made the trek out here. It was so nice to see them. They were so good to me when I was at school out West. I have a great love and appreciation for all of them making me feel loved and supported while I was in school. And they are my Dad's second cousins, so not even close cousins and they still treated me like I was their own. That is how my Dad's family is. They are great examples of unconditional love and supporting each other and family. It's been a blessing to me throughout my life to be apart of a family that loves and accepts you because you are kin.  

It was one of the best reunions we have had in awhile. I had such a great time. I got to see cousins I haven't seen in years who now have kids the same age as mine. There was so much love and joy there. It is always a potluck meal, and there is always so much food. So much food! You can never have enough at these gatherings though. My kids were hungry and wanted to eat, but it wasn't time yet and we had not said the prayer. One of the ladies (I have no idea who she was, but we are related) said "you go ahead and feed those children. If anyone says anything tell them that I told you to do so". Love her, whoever she is. Just such a group of happy easy going people. Just the best. I am so lucky to be part of such a loving and huge family. 

Cosette took up with all the little cousins running around. Henry took up with the golf cart that someone had driven over to the school house. He called it his tractor, and was delighted when he got to go for a ride in it. He also was enamored with the giant motorcycle someone had rode in on. He is a boy through and through. 

My Dad was in charge of planning the some games for the adults to play. I ended up finding them all and then he executed them. We only played a couple because everyone just wanted to sit and visit with each other.   

Me, Caroline, and Raphael. 

Cosette playing some cornhole. I am not sure if it is a Southern thing, but whenever we come down South it seems to always be played at gatherings. 

I love this picture because I got one of Cosette at the last reunion with blue lips like this. 

My Dad and his brother look so similar it is hard to tell them apart sometimes. Here they are with my cousin's daughter, who did not believe that they looked so similar, haha. 

Cute Sarah and Raphael. He was quite the star at the reunion. 

Caroline and Raphael. 

Henry and Grandma in his "tractor".

My cousin Bridie and her cute little girl, who is two days younger than Henry. When I say cousin I use that term loosely. She is my Dad's cousin, but I just refer to everyone as a cousin. 

I was so surprised to see the Eyers at the reunion. They are some of the Utah cousins. It was so nice to visit with them. It's been a while since I have seen them. 

Me and Carolyn. 

One of my favorite pictures of the day. This is my Aunt Reba with my Uncle Dale and Raphael. Aunt Reba is number two and my Ma was number three. She looks so much like my Ma in this picture. It was so good to see her there. She looked so nice and was so happy the whole time. 

After the reunion we went over to Cummins Falls. It is the top ten waterfalls in Tennessee and the best swimming hole in the United States. I had seen pictures that my cousins took when they went and it looked amazing. It was on my summer bucket list and we made it happen. The only bad thing was is that by the time we got to the trailhead the park rangers told us that we only had time to hike to the overlook because the park was going to close soon. That worked out though. It was late in the day, and we were pretty tired after partying at the reunion. It was a short hike to the overlook and the view did not disappoint. But we now have to go back because it was so incredible. That swimming hole looked awesome. You can walk along the different terraces of the waterfall and go under it and it looks like it would be really fun. Lyndon says to always leave a place with something you want to do so you have a reason to come back. We have a ton of reasons to come back to Tennessee, but Cummins Falls is added to the list. 

These two goof balls asked me to take their picture on the way home. They are so good to each other (most of the time). On the car ride home that day, they were pretty cute. 

That morning before the reunion I was having a bad day and really had no desire to drive all the way out there, but sometimes you have to go through the motions until you get there. It's not that I did not want to see anyone I just did not have any motivation/it felt kind of overwhelming to get everything ready and the kids and sometimes nothing seems worth leaving the house for. I am glad I pushed through and went. It was the best thing I could have done for myself. Like I said, it was the best reunion we had in a long time. It added to my testimony of how much God loves us, to put us into families. I am really lucky and come from a good one. And how important families are. They are the rock and foundation of the world. I know that I could have not done the things that I accomplished as a kid without my parents helping me and pushing me to be my best. And I could not do what I do without my sweet Lyndon. Nothing beats being in a good family.