Fall Family Get Together

Friday night when I got off from work I picked up Frank in Rock Mills and then we headed over to my cousin Amanda's house for a cook out.  There were about 20+ of us there.  Randy's sister, Debbie and her husband Phil, their daughters Natalie and Della and their families, Amanda's sister Linda and her husband Victor, Frank and I....and anyone else who dropped in.....sometimes I have to laugh because I think that if a stranger dropped in from off the street....we would not even know it......there are so many of us.(It did happen once a long time ago at my mom's....a neighbor child stopped in and ate with us....and no one knew who he belonged to.)  Anyways.....our menu was cauliflower au gratin, speckled butter beans, fried okra, grilled Clark Brother's pork chops, the most awesome cornbread ever (made by Susanna), tossed salad, and home grown tomatoes.  It was a meal from heaven. One of the cool thing about the meal was that it was prepared by Della, Ramona, Amanda, and Susanna.....I did not have a hand in any of it....I couldn't have....my name does not end in the letter "a". When it came time to eat some sat in the house at Amanda's new dining room table (a gift from Randy for her birthday)....and some of us sat out on the deck.  I was a deck sitter.  The weather was perfect....so Randy Kimble, Frank and I enjoyed the beauty of the evening and some great conversation.  People drifted in and out of our world...and then it was time to go down to the fire pit and sing....my favorite part of the evening.  Amanda and I love to sing and it is so much fun...especially in the fall to gather around an open fire with the guitar and sing our hearts out.  We were the first two down there and we started singing and the rest of the bunch started gathering....before long we had a full choir down there.....some where talking...others singing...it was a great time!  Amanda's kids were here for the weekend....David and Susanna and their precious little Wheeler were here from Louisville, KY.  We are having a surprise Baby shower for her on Saturday since they probably won't make it home again until after the new baby is born.  Their son Wheeler is just the most adorable little man.  Everytime I look at him I see his daddy and it takes me back to much younger days....MINE!  Wheeler is very entertaining and I love to watch David and Susanna with him.  Ramona and Dustin were also here with their adorable Drew.  He is such a treat.  When he wants you to pick him up....he claps his hands twice and holds out his arms.  This sweet little family is expecting too....their baby will arrive sometime around Cinco de Mayo (Ramona and Dustin's wedding anniversary).  With a full stomach, the fire, and the music....about nine o'clock I started fading out.  Most everyone had started drifting to their cars...and it was definitely time for us to head back to the Rock.  Saturday was going to be a busy day and I needed some sleep.  I love my family....they rock!