Finding Things

I went out to the van to get my camera so I could get pictures of my family, many of whom I’d never met. I stood there at the van looking back over towards the pavilion where everyone had gathered.

If Daddy were there to reminisce with his cousins, to meet their kids and grand kids, I know I would hear his laugh all the way out in the parking lot. He was known for his laugh that traveled clean from his toes.

When Mom, Christy and I got there and started walking in with a few others who were arriving at the same time, I immediately started watching to see if I could see him.

I just wanted to see him in someone's eyes. To hear him in someone's laugh.

Even though there were some blue eyes there, we came to the conclusion that the really light blue eyes came from the Keen side of the family.

I went looking for him but I didn’t find him there. What I did find was a group of people I can call family. What a blessing.

I found folks I’d never seen before but felt the connection.

I found that someone in our ancestry founded the city of Longview.

I found that one walked closely with Sam Houston.

I found that if rapture did happen that night we would all be going to heaven together.

That made me really happy.

We took pictures of each generation, starting with the first cousins, then our generation, then the next. Daddy would have been in the photo of the three first cousins.

He wasn’t, and that was ended up being okay. I’m really glad I went.