Family Reunions

Family reunions....let's discuss.  I have two that I go to every year-my mom's and my dad's families.  My favorite (and most humorous) part about both of these events is that we go all year  between seeing most of these people, we get there only to socialize with those in our immediate family that we see all of the time and then proceed to sit with said relatives.  Really.  Last week, we headed out to my dad's family reunion.  When it comes to my Dad's side, you can't throw a rock in my town and not hit a relative.  We show empty handed because I have an Aunt who loves to cook and was pretty much providing enough for all of us...so I let her:).  After LOML and I take turns chasing Baby Boy around for a while, I finally decide to pull rank and grab a roll off the buffet for the little guy to snack on while we wait for someone to bless the spread for the LOVE OF GOD!!!  LOML is determined not to be the last in line, so he and the girls start lingering around the stack of plates on the table hoping to jump on that at "Amen", but something goes wrong and they make their way back to where are immediate family has gathered in the back corner neat the "Exit" sign.  FINALLY, the 123rd relative shows up with their fried chicken and congealed salad and we can get this eat fest on it's way.  (You should know that by this time, I have made my way to the stack of plates....I wouldn't say I was first, but I was definitely a close second.)  It was like a war a tell you, there were people coming at the table from all sides...chicken, ham, no...roast beef...it was all just TOO MUCH! At this point no one is talking about anything accept what all they can fit on their plates and will they need a clean plate for round 2.  It was crazy I tell you.  I got back to the table with a plate for Baby Boy and myself and honest to God, I am not even sure what was on it.  I had no plan.  I just grabbed what I could and got out of there!  LOML was stuck talking severe right wing politics with a cousin and I was doing my very best to get him back in the game, but it was a struggle.  This cousin, I kid you not, goes to a church where they sit around and talk about the different political candidates that are running in the next election and discuss their platforms so they can decide who to vote for----AS THEIR SUNDAY SCHOOL!!!  WHAT??  Ok, to each his own.   Obviously things get much quieter as people start to eat.   My aunt and her son(with his family) are sitting with us- like I said, we don't stray from our pack.  EVER.  Since I was first (or second) to get my plate of "real" food, I was first or second to hit the infamous buffet of desserts....ahhhhhhhh!
Then the ring leader gets up with the microphone...go around, introduce your family that's there, make excuses for the slackers that didn't come, and tell us all of your news.
"Jimmy and Suzy had a baby, Mary and Jeff are getting married, little Timmy is finally graduating and I've had an off and on again bought with gas that should be kicking in here any minute----"
I promise, you never know what's coming next.
But, all in all, it's not a bad time if you think about it.  I have had the honor of knowing all of my grandparents and three of my great grandparents.  My girls knew them too.  A few years back "the other shoe dropped" as my sister and I liked to say.  I had it pretty damn good for about 30 years with having all of these people in my life.  Unfortunately when they went, it was fast and all around the same time.  That really sucked. (Sorry, I know my great grandmothers and one grandmother are looking down not pleased with my choice of wording.  The one here wouldn't approve, but would understand.)  So, now that they aren't all here anymore, I kinda like going to these little get togethers because it let's me hold on to them a little bit more.   They are the constants and the comfortable.