Germans

Last week - I was lucky enough to have a visit from my German family.

My uncle R- who was my father's brother, my aunt E, my cousin Sv and his girlfriend Sa as well as my cousin T from Calgary were down for a visit.

There were long nights spent visiting and easy conversation throughout the day. Crazy trips through the grocery store, stops at the school to show them off for 'show and tell', then lots of food, beer, whiskey and laughter. There were conversations in German and English and some in both. Sa and K had a bit of a drink off and K being older and maybe a little more dense, lost. Of course - it might have been the five backflips on the trampoline that did him in - its really hard to say. Nonetheless - he 'fell asleep' sooner than she did.

It also marked the first time my sisters have been in the same room together in years and there were no fireworks, though there was some tension at first. There was even a bit of a friendly (though casual) exchange when one left.

My cousin T tried valiantly to play devil's advocate - having heard my sister's story but not ours - and while I understand, because I wouldn't have believed we could have such a divide in our family unless I'd lived it - sometimes, casual and friendly is good enough. It might not be this way forever but it will never be like it was before.

I realize all of that is cryptic - but most people will understand...we are not the brady bunch.

Despite that - or maybe even a bit because of that - we had a wonderful, mushy, heartfelt time together. There were some photo ops of course - one important one where everyone gathered on my front steps and I set the timer. Lots of craziness ensued and one picture was taken with everyone, even the little children, giving the camerawoman the finger. hmm. I'm still shaking my head a little at how that happened but I bet it'll be a great picture. One for the generations.

There was some time around the fire outside telling old stories before we finally came back in. Some of us left and some of us stayed around, eating and joking and drinking a little more. Some of us got a bit sentimental (hmm - mostly the ones who were more than a little drunk...). Some of us promised others that they'd make french toast the next morning and some of us stayed up until 4am. Some of us (ahem K) didn't follow through on their promise of making breakfast in the morning and left it to the other half of some of us. But we're not bitter.

My uncle R told me he'd like to come back in a couple of years with a trailer and park it out here on my land. I'd love it - I told him how wonderful it would be for him to be Opa to my kids. Such a piece of my father, so close to me again after all these years. I can only hope he really will come.

It was a tearful goodbye the next day and a pretty lonely evening followed - but forever, we will remember that night, that crazy wonderful night where we celebrated the family we were and the family we are.