Family Reunion Recap

I hadn't realized how much family meant to me until this past week.  I've never had a sister, but my cousin Katy is about as close as I will ever come to having one biologically.  She lives up in Yellowknife, Canada several hundred miles and a whole different climate away and yet, when we finally catch up in person with one another, it's as if there was never any boundaries or even years between visits.

And it feels that way too, with the rest of my family, from Vancouver, Indiana, New Mexico, Chicago, Houston, Kentucky, Washington DC, and even here in Austin.  All of them descended for one weekend to celebrate my grandmother turning 90 and now that they have flocked back to their homes, I feel a little bit empty inside.  It was an exhausting week, and sometimes frustrating and trying, but a good week nonetheless.   I hope it doesn't take another several years before we all see each other again!

The Dillon Clan...all 42 of us spanning four generations! 
(Technically, there are 45 within this unit, but three of them couldn't make it)

My uncle John Martin and his mom, my grandmother

Everyone cooling off in the pool...my cousin Jeff and his wife Abby and their twins; my cousin Kent's son Ryan, my husband and my brother David

Maw Maw

My cousin Jenny and her niece Sophia.  Both are adopted and both are loved to pieces by our family!

Abby and one of her twins

My uncle Hugh and his granddaughter Mia (also adopted)

Billa gets thrown in the air by her daddy

My cousin Kent's daughter Emily

My aunt Pat, uncle John Martin, and my dad

The Dave's: my brother and my cousin

Me and Katy

The birthday cake I made for my grandmother

I love this picture!

My grandmother and her children: Ann (oldest), Michael (youngest), David (#4), Pat (#2), John Martin (#3), and Becky (#5)

Happy 90th birthday, Maw Maw!  We love you!

Love,
Kelly, Michael, & Sybilla

PS.  Special thanks to my friend Anthony for so graciously being our photographer that evening.  You really took a huge load off everyone's shoulders by agreeing to take pictures for us and let us just hang out.   I owe you lots of cake, man!