reunion

Over on Facebook, a friend's post mentioned how much she enjoyed this year's family reunion, how much she already looked forward to 2015.  Got me thinking about our own Reynolds family reunion, the one we never planned & I'll never forget.

Looking back, can see that our wedding & all the days leading up to it were touched in so many ways by what's best called magic ~ unexpected, transcended any expectation, seemed e were many downright magical - as in unexpected, no logical explanation.  Beginning with John, of course!

Even at the time, I was fully aware that having ALL of my Reynolds (Mom's family) with us to celebrate love was nothing sort of a wish fulfilled.  And totally out of the blue!  Will always remember reading Peggy's letter to a just-woke-from-her-nap Mom.  Expected that she & Jack would come - they made it to my brothers' & got in a visit with Aunt Kay (Mom) every summer.  As nutty about family as I am!  But Mom & I did jigs of joy after learning that Jim & Renee & the girls would here, ditto Karen.  Over the moon with happiness.

THEN, we got the letter from the Ripleys.  Not only were Bob & Linda BOTH coming, so was their dad.  Uncle Paul was tearing himself away from the ranch?  Just didn't seem possible.  And David would be here, too.

In his remarks at the reception, Peter said that the vast number of people surrounding him - close to 400 (not a typo) - had come to honor Mom.  He was off the mark.  Some came because they were friends of Mom's & wanted the chance to share her happiness, some because they were friends of Peter or Mim or Mike & Kerry and it was a chance to touch base with each or all.  A lot came because of the bride & groom.  But the Peddicords (Uncle Al's family) & the Ripleys (Aunt Betty's) came thanks to a great, deep magic - love of family