Summer Vacation -- Part Deux

Let's see, where did I leave off?? I think Katie's house. On Saturday, we left for Millsap and the Thomas family reunion. It's a reunion of the descendants of my dad's grandad, Emory Augustus Thomas, Sr., and his wife, Eva Lena. They were Pa and Ma (actually, we said Ma and Pa!) to the family. Pa died when my dad was in law school, I believe, and Ma died when I was a sophmore in high school. They started the Thomas Dairy in Weatherford and helped start Thomas Brothers Grass and Laguna Tres on Lake Granbury.

Ma and Pa had three kids, Willard, Faye Jean, and E.A., Jr. a.k.a. Junior. Willard was my grandad and I miss him everyday. Grandad and Grandmother had their three boys and Junior and his wife, Frances, had five. Dad tells stories about him, his brothers and his Thomas cousins running roughshod over the hills between their houses, three homes on three small hills on the northeast outskirts of Weatherford. I think they were a motley crew, fighting and roughhousing as boys are known to do!

I love it when the Thomas family gets together. Because most of us were pretty close geographically (S'ville, W'ford, Granbury, etc.) when I was growing up, we saw each other often enough that I have lots of memories of them all. That goes for my second cousins, too. I can remember going to my cousin Chris' basketball games, when I couldn't have been much older than Davis.

This year, the reunion was at my cousin, Rissa's house, which is on her parents' place near Millsap. Rissa had barbecue and they have pool, which means I was just required to check on my kids every few minutes. It's always fun to listen to my dad, his brothers, and their cousins talk about the old days, hauling hay, delivering milk, having fun. Often, I wish my kids could have that kind of upbringing, roaming the pastures, playing with their cousins, etc.

After the reunion, the kids and I went to my uncle and aunt's house to spend the night. Tommy is my dad's younger brother, and he and Pattie live out on land that once belonged to my great-grandmother, Ma's family. Her family, the Hardaways, had to sell it way back when, but during WWII, when my grandad was in a POW camp in Germany, the land was up for sale. My grandmother was able to get the okay from my grandad to buy the land. Tommy and Pattie have lived there as long as I can remember, first in a trailer, then in a house they built. Their house is positioned with a gorgeous view of the lake on the land, and a great view of the sunset. I love to go there.

So, the kids and I spent two nights there. During that time, they rode the golf cart and fed my uncle's "pet" donkeys. That's a joke! I mean, he has donkeys, but they aren't really his pets!
The kids had a great time playing outside, with my cousin, Melody's step-kids, Kaela and Christian. My aunt Pattie had bubbles for everyone and, poor thing, she spent most of her time blowing them! I made a point to stay with Tommy and Pattie because #1 they have always come to see us, wherever we lived (even Germany and Kansas!) #2 I love being around them and #3 I wanted my kids to spend time running around on their land.

My uncle Stan and his family were there the first night, as well as my baby sister, Angie. Angie and I slept together and had a little girl talk. I was glad Angie surprised us at the reunion. The stinker sent everyone a text on Saturday morning, saying she would miss us at the reunion. Imagine our surprise when we pulled up and she was there! A pleasant surprise, for sure!