Reunion Over

I'm heading to the lake this morning, not to take care of Lily although I will clean her paddock later, but to say good by to my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We had a wonderful time for the last 4 days visiting, playing and of course eating but parting will come and this morning all of them are packing up to start the drive or to meet their planes. We had family come from the East coast, the West coast, the North, and the South. All of us will treasure this family reunion. Our Sunday was just a little slice of heaven. Mike started the horse rides early in the morning before church for a family that was going to have to start driving back home before our picnic. We all met out in Norris, IL at the Herman lake for church at 11:00am. We needed to make it that time so all the ones that went to the different jails would be able to attend. Church was full (Beth's pavilion) we used all the picnic tables in a horse shoe pattern with folding chairs, beach chairs and other kinds of chairs all in the middle. The kids sang some songs first, then we had congregational singing with Barb and Peter on the accompaniment. Uncle Johnny started the service and Mark Meister finished it up. Then came lunch, we had hot ham and cheese along with grilled fish and many salads and fruits. After lunch the kids couldn't wait to be taken over to the other side by the pontoon boat to the water slide, dive and swing. Nathan had to take quite a few trips back and forth, he let Sarah drive on one of the trips. Spark and Dan brought the racing boat they purchased on Wednesday and wow can that thing move. Beth was busy hauling people with the mule, then she started up the ski-doo for the tubing. Mom and I left around 2:30pm to head to the lake to help Joan prepare supper. We had over a hundred people come for the picnic but everyone brought such wonderful food to go with the hamburgers, hot dogs and brats. Karin's vaulters put on a fantastic vaulting demonstration after dinner and then let anyone that wanted try vaulting. Her vaulters make it look so easy it was actually a good thing for the many other kids to try so they can see how hard it really is. The vaulters are close to professional at this point. Then Karin had to start giving horseback rides. She used 8 horses, took 7 at a time and went out on the trails 5 times. On the last ride of the evening it was getting almost too dark so the horses were then put away. The kids played volleyball and the adults sat around the fire visiting and singing and cooking bacon or as Spark would say as he was passing it around "heart attack on a stick anyone?" Even Tony tried a piece but I think he was so disgusted with the thought he didn't enjoy it. I pulled out of there around 10:30pm and the party was still going strong, the kids just didn't want it to end but it was home to bed for me.