Family Pictures

The final four! I wanted to get this picture the whole time and the last night after Aunt Zonie and uncle Clayton left I thought my chance was lost. We weren't expecting them to come back. Thursday morning they came back! They were there to help clean up and get us out of there. Zonie even brought her vacuum! I felt that it was a tender mercy for me. This picture was important to me and I felt so bad for not getting it. I'm so grateful they came back up.
I had to get really obnoxious to get this picture. A few of the Uncles didn't want to cooperate. Uncle Clayton didn't feel well at all but was out picking up garbage. We sent Terry (a cousin) to get him but he didn't come. I rushed over to get him. He just kept picking up garbage. I asked him to come and he told me he didn't want to. I told him everyone else was doing it. That just made him say, "That doesn't make it right!" I just kept following him around like a little puppy finally his daughter came out and yelled at him to go get in the picture. She reminded him that this is quite possibly the last time they will all be together. The next time they are together will probably be for one of their funerals. He said, "Who made you the boss!" But came over with me. I went and shouted for Jim to come and thought he was coming but found out he wasn't. He was busy giving zipline rides. I went up and yelled at him and he came down. Another miracle with this is that Uncle Roland was getting really irritated. Claudia was worrying about how to calm him and heard Ed (a cousin) playing his guitar. She went over and yelled for him to come up. He came but didn't have his guitar. She asked him where it was and he told her it was in the car and had been there all morning. She knows she heard him- that's why she even thought to call him. The spirit opened her ears to hear what Uncle Roland needed. It worked!

The only family that I didn't get a full family picture of was Aunt Joanna and Uncle Rodney's (Brown) family. Many of them came, some for the first time even! It was so fun to see them! This is Bill and Jan's family. They are representing the Browns. A fun story with this is that Bill was asking me about Minji and asked if I still speak Korean. I told him I really didn't anymore. Just then Minji started blowing bubbles at the side of where we were taking pictures. I asked her to stop but she didn't understand so I asked her to stop in Korean. Bill started laughing so hard. He said, "You just finished telling me that you can't speak korean but it sure sounds like you can still chew someone out in korean if necessary!"
Uncle Roland and Aunt Renee's family. Dallin and Susebel (on the right) didn't come until the day after we took this picture but Kevin and Roenna left before they got there so I took a picture of D & S and added them to the family picture. The lighting is different for them but we did the best we could with what we had. This is treasure to me. Uncle Roland isn't doing very well so I'm glad we were able to get a picture to represent the whole family!
Aunt Zonie and Uncle Clayton Petty's family Val came later in the day but we weren't able to get everyone back together again to do a full picture. Oh well!

Uncle Paul and Aunt June's family. (Palmer)

Uncle Brent (he passed away a few years ago- he had a heart attack while cutting down a tree at the cabin), Aunt Loraine, (Palmer) and their children. Many of the grandkids were out doing the geocache so they didn't get a full family picture yet! (that came later)

Aunt Avis and Uncle Khay's (Smith) family. Aunt Avis passed away a couple years ago and Uncle Khay only came for part of the reunion.

Later in the day the family was all together so they had me get a picture of them. This is another time where I knew we had the approval of our ancestors and could feel them helping and protecting us. As I was getting ready to take this picture I was looking through the camera and walking backwards to find the best framing. I didn't realize that the ground dipped into a pit. I felt my ancle start rolling and I started falling. In a flash I thought, "Oh great, I'm going to have a nasty sprain if not a break- I hope I don't hurt my camera!" Suddenly I was supported, my ankles were stregthened and straightened and I was able to catch my balance. Again, I didn't think too much on it at that moment but later came to understand that I was taking Uncle Brent's family picture. If I would have fallen I wouldn't have been able to take this picture. This is the last time for atleast a couple years probably they will all be together. Jennifer is moving to Paris. I believe that it was Uncle Brent supporting me and helping to stedy me. I'm so grateful!