I come from a broken family. By broken, I mean that my parents divorced when I was three and my sister Mel was one.
Before marrying my Mom, Dad had been married and had three children. Chris. Mark. Michelle.
After Dad and my Mom split up, he married again. They had four children together. Dayna. Lance. Chad. Courtney.
That makes nine children, for those who are counting.
The oldest three grew up in Ontario. Same country, yes, but it might as well have been across the pond. Family get togethers would have cost a small fortune.
There was a short stint in my teenage years where the three of them moved West. They moved to the small northern BC city where I was living with my Dad and stepmom. Mel was living with my Mom which was only two hours away. This made family events a more common occurrence. The oldest two got married, had babies.
The last photo we have of all of us all together happened in January 1990. This was before the youngest two had even arrived into the world.
(That’s me over on the right. Big bangs courtesy of Joico Ice Mist. Big blue glasses courtesy of the eighties. Dress courtesy of fugly.)
The three oldest moved back East. Divorces happened, I grew up and moved away from home. We spread out even further than we ever had.
None of us are very good at keeping in touch. We try, but we really do suck at it. When you are so far removed from each others’ daily lives, it is easy to get complacent and think that you will get in touch “soon”. Soon = never.
I think my history of brokenness is what drives me to work so hard on making my small immediate family unit so strong. I married someone who is going to fight as fiercely as I am to make this the best family as it can be. God is at the head of it. Love flows freely. Divorce is not an option. Ever.
This weekend marks a weekend of healing for my extended family. My Dad, father to nine really neat children, arranged to get us all together. I saw siblings I had not seen in twelve years. I met nieces and nephews I had never had the chance to hug and smother with kisses. I got to reminisce with my eldest brother about the time he tried to teach me to drive and I put the truck in the ditch (The shoulder gave way! It wasn’t my fault!).
We ate amazing food, courtesy of Dad’s wife Gail who just slaved away in the kitchen all day. We laughed until our sides split and we even shed a tear. Or twenty. We also made sure to update our family photo.
I was hit with the realization that no matter how much time has passed and how horribly we keep in touch? It does not matter. We may span age groups, professions (and non-professions), belief systems and fashion styles. But inside each and every one of us runs a common thread. We share the same blood. The same DNA. We are family.
Thanks, Dad, for organizing the best Thanksgiving I have ever had. You done good.
33 Comments
That is SO amazing! I love that! Happy Thanksgiving!
p.s. LOVE the bangs!
That’s really lovely. I’m so glad you have that picture, those memories. That family, too.
Comment by Jennie on October 8th, 2007 @ 1:21 pmWhat a wonderful weekend. And congratulations on having the determination to keep your own family together, and God surrounding it. 
That photo alone is an indictment against the 80’s, lol!
How wonderful!
I am happy for you, that you got to have that experience and a now memory.
Happy Thanksgiving!
So glad you had a lovely Thanksgiving and got to reunite with all your siblings! Great photo of the 10 of you!
Comment by Hannah on October 8th, 2007 @ 2:35 pmWhat a special reunion!
That wall o’ bangs in the top pic is freaking AWESOME.
When can I see you?! It’s been too long! I work Tuesday, but would a Wed. playdate be a possibility?
Happy Thanksgiving, Ange.
Oh, yay. I am so glad that it went well. That is pretty amazing to have such a big group of diverse siblings that all get a long. I think that you are really blessed!
Comment by Loralee on October 8th, 2007 @ 4:31 pmThat is awesome Angella. Isn’t it amazing the different packages healing comes in. That is really cool that as adults you were able to come together in such an intimate way and enjoy each other so deeply.
The bangs…high five girl, I wasn’t a Joice girl, more of a Aqua Net and my hair dryer on high to blow back some wings on the side. I had red glasses, that were fake and thought were the best!
I’m speechless.
Your family spread across the country, but reunited. So touching. That is what Thanksgiving is all about!
And… your entire look in 1990? Wow. I had to zoom in to be sure it was you! 
I, too, worshiped at the altar of Joico Ice Mist. There was nothing finer.
Wow, that is quite a family reunion! I’m glad you were able to all be there. Happy Thanksgiving!
What a fantastice post Angella. How great that you all could get together, SO glad it was a fantastic time.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ps the bangs. I laughed out loud. But not at you for I too aspired to those exact bangs. Fortunately for me I didn’t have the funds for Joico Ice Mist. And also that my family was not so much into taking photos.
Words cannot describe the joy your bangs bring me. (Oh, and beautiful post, as always.)
Comment by metalia on October 8th, 2007 @ 7:31 pmFirst of all, I must address the bangs picture. I had no idea one of those people was even you!!! I did get a huge laugh out of the picture though…being a child of the 80’s myself. I must say, you have come a long way baby!!
And the photo of all of your siblings at the end - priceless! That is the coolest. Family IS important. Really neat that you guys got to get together.
Comment by Dana on October 8th, 2007 @ 7:57 pmWow. What an amazing picture. What a cool memory for you (and your kids) to have!
Comment by Lisa on October 8th, 2007 @ 9:23 pmHow very cool! Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun, there is nothing better than family.
Comment by Kelly on October 8th, 2007 @ 9:52 pmWow, what an amazing photo. Time can’t change the fact that you are family!
Comment by Mom Misplaced on October 9th, 2007 @ 7:58 amwhat a great story. So many families come from broken places and actually never get together due to past issues. What a great updated photo also!
I laughed out loud- courtesy of “fugly”? that is too funny.
Comment by kelly on October 9th, 2007 @ 11:37 amThat’s terrific, Angella. So glad that the Thanksgiving was one to give thanks for.
Comment by Elizabeth on October 9th, 2007 @ 11:44 amI was ready to cry … until I saw your bangs! DUDE!
So happy you had the chance to get together with your family.
Comment by mommyknows on October 9th, 2007 @ 5:11 pm[...] We had a fantastic weekend. It involved a lot of food, family, and a lot of talking. I think I have used enough words to last me for the next month. OK. Maybe only until tomorrow. But still. I’ll be brief with the recap of the rest of the weekend we had besides the amazing reunion with my side of the family. [...]
Comment by Dutch Blitz » The Thanksgiving Recap That Is Short On Words, But Long On Photos (aka A Post My Husband Will Read) on October 9th, 2007 @ 8:56 pmThis was a fantastic post. I loved every bit of it..especially the pictures.
[...] I’m not all deep thoughts and melancholy brooding. I was reminded of this last night while editing more photos from our Thanksgiving with my side of the family. [...]
Comment by Dutch Blitz » The Lighter Side Of Me on October 18th, 2007 @ 1:25 pm[...] My side of the family is spread across the province…and the country. The last time I saw my Mom was when she came here when Emily was born. Almost two years ago. My family has never been on to congregate for Christmas, or Easter, or Thanksgiving (except for last year). [...]
Comment by Dutch Blitz » On Being “Traditional” on August 9th, 2008 @ 12:16 am[...] October, we headed down to Vancouver to spend Thanksgiving with both my side of the family as well as Honey’s kin. His parents agreed to watch our three monkeys for the day so that [...]
Comment by Dutch Blitz » Making A Run For The Border on August 31st, 2008 @ 2:49 pm[...] in our respective families. Well, truth be told, I am also somewhat of a middle child as well. Long story. Diagrams would help understand the family weeds [...]
Comment by Dutch Blitz » Stuck In The Middle on October 2nd, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
I LOVE that first family pic. Classic.
Glad you had a great time!
Comment by Karen on October 8th, 2007 @ 10:15 am