Extended families can get pretty big, and the annual reunions are even bigger. Getting together with everyone is a feat that makes you go through a whirlwind of emotions, some better than others.
1. Excitement
As the date for the reunion finally arrives, the anticipation for the day increases. Everyone is so excited to see those that they haven’t seen since the last reunion and make new memories. If you're like my family and spend a week at the lake, you basically go ahead and get your bathing suit on before even leaving so that you can go ahead and jump into the water.
2. Relief
As the settling in begins, you’re able to relax a little and be relieved that everyone made it there safely, especially the siblings that have to ride together in the car without killing each other.
3. Cheerfulness
Once your family members are all together, you just want to smile and have a good time. The early moments of the reunion are filled with hugs and small questions about how the past year has been.
4. Nostalgia
One person always brings up a single memory in conversation before the flood of nostalgia kicks in. Everyone starts remembering all of the crazy moments shared years or decades ago, and suddenly everyone is laughing and shouting out about the time that you hit them in the mouth with your head while tubing on the lake. The embarrassing ones are always the best.
5. Exhaustion
With reunions comes activities and events, which quickly lead to a huge amount of being tired. Plus, everyone is constantly catching up, and that can drain you, too. Those afternoon naps are always the best things to help give you a boost of energy before jumping back into the swing of things.
6. Hunger
Especially in the South, food is currency. Food can make or break a get together. After doing crazy things like tubing or swimming or skiing for hours, all the cousins rush to someone’s house to try to get some sustenance. Just make sure you don't eat all of their food.
7. Tension
D-R-A-M-A. No family reunion is complete without a little. Need I say more?
8. Forgiveness
But we’re family, and getting under each other’s skin is just something that happens when everyone is all together. You just have to remember that family is forever — unless you eat all their food.
9. Amusement
Whether it’s your crazy uncle telling everyone about his last fishing trip or merely pushing your cousin into the water, there’s always something to lighten the mood. Laughter is the best medicine, especially in an extremely loud family such as mine. I swear, it's as if we are all fighting over who can be the loudest.
10. Appreciation
As everyone sits down to eat and continues sharing tidbits about their life, you begin to realize how lucky you are to belong to such an interesting, hilarious, crazy family. There might be problems that arise, but even the fact that you can forgive and forget is something to be thankful for. Don't take your family for granted.
11. Pain
Because somehow someone always gets too much sun (me) or skids on the top of the water for a few feet after being thrown off at 35 mph (me) or miraculously runs into everything in their line of sight (me).
12. Love
Hugs and more hugs. All that warmth, even when it’s 100 degrees out, makes you feel loved.
13. Sadness
Eventually, the fun has to end. Packing is the worst because you realize you might not see most of the family until next year.
14. Happiness
As you begin to dwell on the fact that it’s almost the end of your time with your family, you just have to remember that there’s always next year.
I love my extended family and wish I got to see them more, but our reunion every year helps us to connect better than social media ever will. If you don't get together enough with your family, try to plan something. It's worth all of the mood swings.
