Toren Family Gathering

Sunday (after our time with the Melberg's at Mitch's wedding) we continued west toward Bird Island for a Toren Family Gathering (my mom's side of the family) . The children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and GREAT, great grandchildren of Harry and Adeline (my grandparents) reunited at Gary and Karen Toren's farm (my aunt and uncle).

Karen and I discussed a family reunion at Easter this year. I did the invitations, Karen did the real work and hosted, and last Sunday it all came together. The kids spent the entire afternoon in the pool with their second and third cousins. The adults gathered under an old Ford Motors tent borrowed from Dave Plass, the neighbor.

Below is my Uncle Dick (my mom's oldest brother) with his youngest daughter Deanna.

We poured over old photo albums. (My mom's sister Toots on the far right, Dick's other daughter Deb in the middle, and Toot's daughter Kris on the left. Toot's real name is Lorraine!).

Old albums are a true treasure. I hope someday this blog can serve a similar purpose.

My cousin Deb's daughter Jaleenah.

My cousin Christopher Toren's girls - Maggie and Addie - with root beer floats.

We played lawn games. Here is my Uncle Gary and Kris's husband Rick.Mark with Ann Toren, my oldest cousin Rick's wife.

And of course plenty of visiting.

As a child, I saw my aunts, uncles and cousins often - every holiday and many birthdays. I don't think any of them lived more than 30 miles away (the farthest being Olivia, 2 towns away). That is how it works in the country. We often saw each other at my grandpa's house in Bird Island. The stories of the children and grandchild of Harry and Adeline so fun to tell and hear.

Now we are grown, large in numbers, spread further, and with families of our own.

My mom was one of five kids, on the farm. There are 12 grandchildren. There are soon to be 22 great-grand-children (Brett and Rachel's baby should be here soon.), and 3 great-great grandchildren. My mom and her brother Curt are the youngest, but they were the first to leave us.

My cousin Rob is the farthest from us. He lives in California with his family, but is currently serving in the military in Afghanistan.

Brett and Rachel didn't make it, because they didn't know if the baby might present itself. It hasn't.

My grandparents moved to town long before my birth. Uncle Gary and his son Christopher still farm the family land, although the home farm has been gone for many, many years.

To close, it was a wonderful day. I hope we do it again next year!