And Then There Were Seventy

The Originals

I've noticed that since Dad has been diagnosed with cancer, many family members have been stopping by their house to visit and also take a few pictures. Everyone wants to make sure they get a picture of themselves and/or their children with Dad. In a previous post, I shared how Steve wanted a four generation picture. The oldest grandson, David, made it a point to get a picture of himself, Dad, and the truck that he now owns which was previously Dad's. I think it is normal when you realize that someone you love might not be on this earth very long, to want to get that last picture keepsake. I also think it shows how much you love and appreciate them because you want this memory not only for yourself but to pass on down to your children.



We have been fortunate that Dad is feeling good. He has no pain and he loves when friends and family stop by to chat with him. On Sunday his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren got together to celebrate with him and Mom. What sixty years ago started with two people has now expanded to over seventy. Plenty of memories were shared and you could tell that Dad appreciated it so much. It was very special to see him smiling and laughing and enjoying every minute of it.

Of course the cameras were brought out to preserve the memory. It wasn't too bad getting pictures of Mom and Dad, the siblings, and the grandchildren. However, when we tried to get all the great-grandchildren in one picture that was a different story. I'm not sure if we ever did get them all. One little girl was nowhere to be found and by the time her daddy located her, a few little ones had had enough and were howling, and their parents took pity on them and rescued them from the group. It was a lot of fun though and even if the children didn't enjoy the picture taking, we adults got a good laugh out of it. We tried to distract them with some singing which was an excellent idea and partly worked. I have a short video at the end and it is really cute. It gives you a pretty good picture of what it was like.

Children

 

Children and Spouses

Grandchildren

Grandchildren and Spouses

Great-Grandchildren

 Enjoy!