It’s hard to believe but my family reunion in Phoenix was nearly three weeks ago. It went far better than I could have imagined and it was truly wonderful to get to spend time with my dad and his brothers. I don’t remember the last time I saw all four of them together, but I’m thinking it was easily 15 years ago. They are all the same, and there is something really comforting in that. Sure they are all actually different, but their core is the same and that’s nice to see. I see that when I am with my own brother and sister. Our cores are very much the same, and there’s a connection there that I don’t feel with anybody else on earth. It’s quite indescribable, and if you have siblings I’m guessing you know what I’m talking about.
Anyway, our resort was lovely. Phoenix was cold. And I basically got us everywhere we needed to go because of my iPhone. I bought overpriced buttons and yarn, went into the first ever built Microsoft store (there’s only two presently), and played a wicked game of pictionary. I didn’t get to know my cousins Christine and Ben as well as I would have liked, but I did get to talk about teaching with technology with my uncle John and his wife Nicola who are both professors. My dad got a little too stressed out about being in charge, and so I back filled that responsibility and made it all work out. I promised myself that I would work hard to not be in charge and just be guided, but that didn’t happen in the slightest. No problem though, I should recognize that ability as a strength and my family and friends can rely on.
Here are some pictures:
We went hiking by our hotel.
My dad and Cathy.
On our hike. From left – right: Uncle Ted, my dad, Uncle John and his children Christine and Ben.
We went to the Botanical Gardens, which was basically some fenced in area of the desert.
Random glasses on a cactus.
The whole group (minus me). From L-R: Christine, Lillith (Nicola’s mom), Cathy (my step-mom), my dad, Francine (Ted’s wife), Uncle John, Ben, Nicola (John’s wife), Uncle Ted, Uncle Bob, Yvette (Bob’s wife).
