Pumpjacks and Playdates: Adams Family Reunion

If you don't believe in ghosts, you've never been to a family reunion. ~Ashleigh Brilliant

I found this quote and just had to smile. You know what it means to me? It means family reunions bring spirits of yesterday back to life. As far back as I can recall, I have loved my family reunion. It is quite small now, but the Adams family is just a special little unit of folks. There is only one of the seven originals who started this Reunion and she is over 90. Fun fact, at one time there were so many “Joe Adams'” they thought we were tricking them. (My dad is Joe Mark... there is also Joe Bayless, Joe Sanford, Joe Carl, Joe Brown, all with the last name Adams – in the younger generations we have Joelle (Jodi) and Joel, too). Each year the people around the table seem to grow and change. The younger generations become the older generation over time. We were once the kids playing at the lake and now sit at the table talking. I drove to Brownwood Saturday morning (sans Nick – he went to the river which I have been to the last two years and chose the reunion this time.) My Dad came up because his birthday was that weekend and I just had to give him his presents and a big hug.

I enjoy hearing all of the old stories. You think you know way back in the day, but you don't. I love to hear about my grandparents. My grandmother, Jackie was very beautiful and they just loved her clothing. My grandfather, Don, was a very hard worker and close to all of his siblings. My great grandmother's family helped found parts of Ft. Worth and there is a town somewhere around there, Watson, named after the Watsons, her family. We had boxes from the 60s and 70s of Granny Gert's letters (my great grandmother) so I spent a long time reading through some of them. There were things I wanted to hear about in “real time.” My dad's wedding, our cousin Lori passing at age 9 in a car accident, the birth of cousins, etc... She told stories of visiting with my grandfather and when he got in a horrible car accident and all about his recovery. She called my dad, Joe M. in her letters. They always had a special bond. She is like Mother Theresa to all of us. She is just the iconic figure in my mind.

Nan, Leslie and I stayed up until 1 AM just talking about life. Nan and I both lost parents at a very young age in college so we talk a lot about that and getting through all of it. I am able now to ask very distinct questions. Like I ask her where she saw God in her past troubles and where she saw God in losing her dad so young. My family is very Christian so that is another wonderful thing, to be immersed in it without the big city of non-believers around you. I sat and talked with Layna for a while. She is like my own daughter. She is going into 7^th grade so we talked about what to expect. She is a beautiful little perfect girl in many's eyes so I explained jealousy and how people could react to her and to always keep her head on straight. I also talked to Donna for a bit about life and love in general. She asked me some questions regarding Nick about what I loved most and she says love and respect always go hand-in-hand. I never want to forget that quote. I like it. Love is nothing without respect.

I love and respect my entire family. At the heart they are all wonderful, amazing people. We all come from the same roots, yet our limbs sprout different leaves.

D'Layna