It’s going to take something pretty spectacular to get me talking about a topic unrelated to Cambodia for the next long while.
My extended family fits the bill.
Saturday was our Annual Yoder Family Summer Get-Together at Uncle Tim (my dad’s brother) and Aunt Susie’s (isn’t that a sweet picture Gabe took of the field behind their house?). Not all of Grandma and Grandpa’s descendants could make the trip, but over 50 of us did. And for the first time in a long, long while, all of Grandma’s seven kids were together.
And Aunt Jeannie went to great lengths to bring Grandma from the nursing home. It was a super-special day, and I don’t think Grandma’s grin disappeared for one second of the two-ish hours she got to spend with all of us.
Here she is with the youngest of the Yoder clan, Heidi Jaye Mayo (my cousin Rachael’s youngest of three girlies):
And with all seven of her kiddos. Doug, Chris, Jeannie, Nick and Tim in the back. Ron (my daddy), Grandma and Terry in the front.
And Grandma got her socks knocked off when her “baby brother” Russ showed up and surprised her. Word has it he wasn’t supposed to be driving, but I won’t tell. Grandma had two brothers, but Uncle Tom and his wife Betty are gone. And so is Russ’s wife, Miriam. And Grandpa. So Russ is all Grandma has left. Well, him and her oodles of descendants.
Here are some of those characters doing what they do best. Eating.
We Yoders do a lot of eating. And hoo boy, is it good! (This is my brother Josh, my sis-in-law Jess and their kiddos. And my mama.)
Here’s cutie-pie Preston and his pretty mama, Christy. We like to tease my cousin Brian (Christy’s husband) that he is sooooo lucky to have snagged her (but it’s true). Love you, Christy! You too, Brian.
Here’s Grandma leaving to go back to the nursing home. It’s easier not to think about how things used to be. Getting together at Grandma and Grandpa’s farm (right down the road from Tim and Susie’s). Grandpa taking everything in from his seat on the porch. The days when we were the ones who left, not Grandma.
Bittersweet for sure.
I heart my family.
More pics tomorrow for you cousins, aunts and uncles stopping by! (Magic Show! Pool party! Flying airplanes!)
[...] to my fam: see last year’s posts, Great-grandchildren of the Corn and More Yoder Family Fun to see how much bigger everyone got (well, not [...]
I heart your family, too!!!
[...] more yoder family fun! Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.Powered by WP Greet Box WordPress PluginIf you didn’t catch yesterday’s post (and you care two hoots about my family get-together), check out more pics here. [...]
I have to agree with Rod – fun but MUCH too short.
We missed you Stephanie and Jennifer! (And other’s too.)
Where’s the LOVE button. I’m feeling the need to punch it.
LOVE.LOVE.LOVE family get-togethers!!!
Great pics, Marla. It was another fun but much-too-short reunion.
Fantastic Marla! The cornfields, porch swing, eating under a shade tree on the lawn – all pulled on my-former-Ohioian-heart strings. I am spending this week with my family and I agree, I heart them.
Thanks for the post Marla. I missed not being there this summer. It is indeed bittersweet how life changes, but your post made me smile and I can’t wait to see more!
I love you, Stephi. We missed you! Can’t wait to see you in 11 days!!
Is it weird that the corn picture sort of makes me want to cry too?
Bittersweet for sure.
It’s been what? Five years since I’ve been to a Yoder Get-Together? Maybe more?
This post makes me happy. And maybe partly because my hubby is out of the country for the week and I’m a little lonely, but it also makes me want to cry a little bit.