Seven Septembers~Reprise from 2015

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Seven Septembers -Our Cousin Reunion Finally!

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It had been seven Septembers since I had seen my five cousins at their Mother's and my Aunt Grace's Memorial Service.  Jim was working but I was able to go up with my brother, Steve.  It was a rare opportunity to have extended quality time with my brother.  Jim hadn't been back to Washington since June of 1969 when we attended my Grandmother's funeral just a year after we were married almost to the day.

We were invited to go up for a family reunion on the 24th of September this year.  We were so happy to be included in this gathering.  I was so afraid something would happen like last year, that would prevent our going, so we were so thrilled to pull out of the driveway before sunrise on the 23rd and head up there to Washington.

We decided to drive up the coast of northern California on Hwy 1 and then cut over to eastern Washington via Grants Pass, Oregon where we spent the night.  What an amazingly wonderful day. September 23 was the first day of Autumn and such a breathtaking journey. Not because of the autumn colors just yet, but because we drove through the Big Redwood Tress, saw the ocean often and passed thorough towns like Mendocino below.  A ten hour journey, off the beaten path through this glorious scenery, can change a person into someone better. We loved every minute of it.  We have come to embrace our road trips.  They create some of the best "alone times" we ever seem to manage to have anymore.

There is something so stunning about 
these trees that make you feel peaceful 
and reverent towards our Creator!

The Pacific Ocean
 Simply Beautiful On a Sunny Day

Mendocino

Google Image

This September was to be a very special one for me and of course for Jim too.   Not only would I be able to see my beloved cousins again but we would be meeting  our "new" cousin, William and his wife Rita, also for the first time.

William was adopted at birth.  Through nothing short of a major miracle, he found his siblings in December of 2013 due to a series of very fortunate events.  Those included his great desire to press on for 35 years to find his birth mother after he learned he was adopted.  His friend, Nancy, who does genealogy took an interest in his story.  She also persuaded him to do DNA testing.  That produced a trail to his father.  I had written a blog piece on my sweet Aunt Grace when she died and posted it on this blog in 2008.  It contained pictures of all the kids and her obituary.  It also contained pictures of her both in her youth and when she was older.

 You can read about it here:

http://bonsblogbydesign.blogspot.com/2008/09/she-belongs-to-ages.html   

Nancy found the blog post via searching the Internet.  As a result of that Google find and the steps that preceded it, William discovered not only his father but his mother and five full siblings! I'll never forget the joy of that Christmas in 2013. When we all found out we rejoiced.  Every one of my cousins welcomed Bill with open arms and unconditional love from the onset!  What a precious gift!  It was overwhelming and wonderful to all of us.  It was a spiritual time, an emotional time and has been an ongoing celebration.  It is the miracle and story that never grows old.

You can read about it here:

http://bonsblogbydesign.blogspot.com/2014/06/by-grace-of-god.html

Oregon was so pretty.  The forest is so thick it looks

 like the mountains are carpeted with pine trees.

It reminded us of the Sierras

 near Reno when we were kids!

This is my idea of car camping...

Find a great secluded place...

Grab lunch from your cooler...

Recline your leather seats and take a little nap...

Hit the road again.

That is as rustic as I get. 

Poor Jim!

We arrived in eastern Washington and got settled into our hotel Thursday evening.  We were going to meet the cousins at 1:00 for lunch at Chuck and Jane's house on Friday to kick off the reunion.  I was so excited and nervous!  How weird is that? Not being excited but being nervous!   The minute I saw all of them my fears vanished in a heart beat.  I just wanted everything to be perfect and as it turned out it was.  More than 'over the moon' perfect actually.

Before we went over for lunch, we took a ride to the cemetery to visit the graves of my aunt and uncle and our grandmother. I felt we would probably go as a group but didn't want to miss going if our cousins had other plans. It was exactly as I had remembered it. Green, pristine and very quiet. There was no one there to ask so it took me a little while to remember exactly where the headstones were but we did find them.

Our Grandmother 
Alice Grace Godfrey Colberg Yeasley

Mt. Hope Cemetery

College Place, Washington

We lingered awhile and then...

It was time to go meet the 

cousins for lunch.

Chuck and Jane hosted three of the meals we shared together as a family.  They live in town and have such a pretty home.  They just recently remodeled and got all new furnishings and it is stunning.  In my interior design days I have worked in hundreds of beautiful homes and this one was perfectly done.  It's so pleasing to the eye and so welcoming.  It is elegant and comfortable.  Chuck credited his artistic wife, Jane, with all the talent. 

 Ray and Judy also hosted all of us.  They live a few miles away on a farm.  What an ideal place to be.  Beautiful, comfortable, secluded and tranquil!  These four cousins cannot be topped as gracious hosts.  Everything was well-planned and every meal a treat.  The activities and the relaxing times were just outstanding and perfect.  It was truly one of the best trips we have ever taken! 

We spent part of each day at both houses. It was just the right mix of everything.   Fun activities, lots of time to just talk and catch us, the best company and delectable food and treats.  We went to the cemetery as a family and on Sunday night we watched the blood moon rising from various vantage points with spectacular views.  We shared pictures and family stories and family videos.  It was simply the best.  One day some went to see the artwork of David's son Brandon.  He does some super artwork and was selling it at the festival.  He stopped by to see everyone one evening with his two kids, Zander and Avery. He's our other family genealogist in the family up there.  It was nice to talk with him.  The men did a few guys things, some played golf, some stayed at the house and relaxed and Jim went to a museum about the history of the area.  Meanwhile the ladies made autumn wreathes to  remember this reunion by.

Early morning sunrise golf for Chuck, 

Jake, And David's son, Brandon, 

who joined them for the game.

 I've never really been able to experience farm life for a few days as an adult and it was transforming.  When was the last time you got to just sit and gaze off the front porch into a beautiful valley dotted with farms and facing the mountain range in the distance?  The porch spans the front of the house and  is lined with chairs for that very purpose.  Or when did you just sit for a few hours and chat with your cousins while watching sheep play follow the leader, in a pen somewhat far away but within sight of the porch?  Or tasted an apple still alive having just been plucked from a tree?   Or walked through a harvested corn field?   It was heavenly to spend time out there both day and night.

A View From The Porch

Ray built a really neat gazebo with an open top for sitting out by the fire pit and viewing the starry starry nights. Out there in the country where they have few lights to dim the starlight it is spectacular to gaze at that night sky.   The gazebo frame is large and has full size wooden bench swings all around hanging from it.  Ray is a teacher and has a lot of the same interests as Jim.  And they are both always on the go!  This family meshes so well, we are so blessed.  They all made us both feel so welcome.

Here are several photos that will be self-explanatory for the most part.

This is my new cousin William.

The joy of giving him that first big hug

 cannot be expressed.

And this one was pretty great too
in the cemetery near his parents' gravesite.