Ok, family. We were at a party tonight. Some guy corners Tom and I, and he was a bit tipsy, but he filled us with a resolve. And here it is. This guy, Mr. Quinn, is the oldest of 6 kids. He will leave on Friday for his family reunion that occurs every other year. And he says, do or die, everyone is there!
So I had all kinds of questions for him. 1)Who pays? 2)When and where do you have it? 3)does everyone earn about the same so that it's not a hardship on a few? 4)how long? 5) who organizes it? etc. etc.
He hadn't seen his siblings in two years, but that was ok, b/c they had the date set 2 years in advance and he knew he would see them then. In his case, everyone pays for themselves...even the living Dad didn't pay a thing. Everyone takes a day to cook. The Texans bring beef, the Alaskans brought seafood, they brought crepes (he admits he and his wife are at the bottom of the totem pole). The family comes together from all over the world.
Turns out that the siblings in the states actually plan the location and reserve the housing. He and his family just show up and pay their part and cook on their day.
This year they had a 13 bedroom house on the Outer Banks! Their goal is to have everyone under one roof for a week, every other year.
The biggest compliment was when his daughter and son swore they would carry on the tradition when they had families of their own.
As you all know, Natalie tried to get one organized for this year. It didn't pan out. Then I tried with the same results. It just didn't seem to click.
Money, time and leave, pregnancy are all issues.
I feel like it's important to do this. We all like each other, right? We all take vacations when we really want to, right? Don't you think we could coordinate this? Or is it asking the impossible?
When some other family with 6 kids manages to pull it off, then I get back on my high horse. Then I pout.
The last idea on the table was for Thanksgiving 2009.
Well, at least I've got it out of my system. But just so you know, THE HERWAY family reunion is not dead!
5 comments:
I am on board. I would love to help plan anything for 2009. Thanksgiving you would work for us.
Anita, I just found yoru blog and this being the first entry I read is really funny because of this...I tried to plan one for my family as well. We never stay under one roof because everybody lives in Utah, so I thought Genius!Let's all come to Oregon! Well to make a long story short....it was a no go. Nobody was willing to make the sacrifice that I make 3 or 4 times a year of traveling the distance no matter the circumstance....whether it be 8 months prego, or with a 5 week old baby. I discovered the love I have for being with my family, just must not be as strong as the love they think they have for us! None the less....I feel ya, and wish I could make it work too! Look forward to seeing you are the large reunion in August! love ya!
We're in too. Jake has "distance learning" starting Nov 10 through December of 09. We're not exactly sure what that means yet but we'll soon find out come August. But it may just mean wherever we go there will have to be internet and he'll need to dedicate a few hours a day to it.
Hurray. I hope it happens sometime in 2009. It has been way too long since we've all been together. We are committed to making it work.
Heidi, do you have an opinion?
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