March 12, 2008

• A Growing Family

  I love group photos.  My family will tell you that, as long as they don’t include me, I love group pictures.  I love to see the changes that happen in my family.  I love family. 

  My parents recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  For their gift my youngest brother, Matthew, prepared a record of pictures of the family from our roots to the present day.  In getting pictures together for my contribution I came across these group photos.  I thought that it would be fun to share them.

  

  The above picture was take Thanksgiving Day 1982.  That was the day that my husband and I celebrated our ecclesiastical engagement.  That means that we stood before our beloved priest and became engaged to each other and promised to receive the sacraments together in preparations for our eventual marriage.  In this picture are all of my siblings save for my oldest brother who I believe was in Korea in the army at the time.  My maternal grandmother is also in the picture.  My future sister-in-law, Sharon, is also in the picture.  My mother is holding a foster child. My sister is in the picture for a change.  (she is the beauty on the far right with the dark hair and glasses)

   

  This picture was taken one year later in Hamilton, Ohio after my oldest brother Steve’s wedding.  His new in-laws are in the picture as well.  I am newly pregnant with my oldest son.  My beloved maternal grandmother is in the picture. 

  

  By the number and ages of grandchildren in the picture, this one was taken in the summer or fall of 1988.  My parents have seven grandchildren in that picture, one is napping, and one is on the way. 

  

  This one was taken at the wedding reception of my brother Tom and his wife ReNee.  That was in 1993.  I know this because I was carrying my youngest daughter Rebekah who was born in June of that year and passed away two days later.  My parents have quite a few grandchildren in this picture and some of them are missing. 

  

  This was taken outside of the church where my youngest brother Matthew was married, right after his wedding.  Unfortunately not everyone is in the picture.  Quite a few of the grandchildren are in this picture.  My sister is on the far left.  Behind her is my beloved sister-in-law Sharon.

  Now my parents have 42 grandchildren with a great-grandchild on the way.  I love the way that the family is growing. 

  • 8:24 pm
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