The Gathering of the Clan

This past Saturday was Mom's memorial service, a chance for the entire family to say farewell and, at the same time, a chance to celebrate the life of a woman who loved life herself. Thirty-five of her descendants gathered at Jackie and Rick's adobe house in Healdsburg. The weather was perfect after worrying for days that it would either be too hot, or raining. It was a sunny, clear, blue-sky day. After a beautiful memorial service we served lunch and reminisced about our younger years, sometimes laughing and sometimes a tear would roll down our cheeks, telling lots of stories about life with Mom (and Daddy). Cousins came whom we haven't seen in years, second cousins came whom we've never met before. It was an intimate, meaningful, and wonderful afternoon. We didn't want it to end.

I was too busy in the kitchen to get any pictures of how beautiful the setting was, in the patio area of the adobe house. Jackie and Rick have worked for weeks making it ready for this event. Tables and chairs were nicely set out under a giant and very old walnut tree. But I got lots of pictures of our family.

We've all heard Mom say so many times "I'm happiest when surrounded by my family!" I know Mom would have been very happy this afternoon. I know in my heart that she was certainly there in spirit and was most likely smiling.

Jen and family arrived Friday night. Thursday night KL received an award for the highest mathematical test score in her class at her her eighth grade graduation. She also won an award from the County for her scholarly achievements in eighth grade. Congratulations KL and Jen (her home-school teacher)!

And on Wednesday night we got a call from PD who was excited to tell us that CD hit a "in-park-home-run!" Now this was really special because all season I had told both boys if they could accomplish that feat that I'd give them $10 bucks! So here he is gladly receiving his prize money, the first I had to hand over this season. I wish I was there to see it in person, but we had already left to head north. Maybe next year it'll happen again!

The mid-western family arrived on Thursday night. Here are the boys, R and T, climbing the huge walnut tree at the adobe house. They loved that tree!

This building is what was the original cooking area for the adobe house. The adobe was built by the Spanish as a fort, located at the most northern part of California they could build it to meet the Russians who were coming from the north.

These beautiful poppies were growing all over the land surrounding the adobe. Some of the bushes were six feet tall. They are gorgeous, and thanks to Jackie's comment, they are called Matilija (pronounced Ma-til-EEE-ha) poppies.

These are ten of Mom's thirteen great grandkids, ages 8 to 26!

Mom's Grandkids and their spouses, and Great Grandkids!

Five of Mom's nine grandkids plus a great niece and a great nephew.

These sweet young ladies are Patty's granddaughters. On the left is Amy who is a freshman in college and wants to go into medicine; and Chanelle, on the right, is starting her PhD in Theatre Arts.

These adorable kids are Shari's grandchildren, Maya, Eddie, and Andrew.

Here are the "four Burns girls" (from the left is me, Jackie, Shari, and Patty) and Mom's three sons-in-law!

Here are the cousins, lined up like we used to do when we were little kids, for family pictures.

Patty and her daughter, Kimmie, talking a walk in the vineyard. Look how blue that sky is!

It was a great time seeing most of our family gathered together. We all agreed we need to organize reunions more often. Life is good, but life, at times, seems very short! Now we're heading up to Oregon for the summer.

Life is good!