If you have read my book, The Matriarch, you might have surmised that family means the world to me. If you did, you would be absolutely, one-hundred percent correct. I am currently on a family reunion at the beach (my 28th time attending) and am blissfully sitting in my condo while my grandson naps upstairs. Outside, I hear my youngest daughter and an entire army of cousins playing in the rain in the pool just below our balcony. They range in age from five to twenty-eight (if I have done my math correctly). I don't know what game they are playing but I can tell from the volume of the voices and the laughter that everyone is having a good time. Their parents (my generation) are sprinkled about the lawn chairs that flank the pool, floating in the corner, or resting in their own units knowing someone always has eyes on the youngest members of our group. The number of kids old enough to babysit far outweighs the number that needs babysitting - a dynamic that has shifted significantly this way over the past few years.
To put the week into perspective, this reunion is hosted by my husband's mother's side of the family. My mother in law and her two brothers had ten children in total. Those ten (my husband being one) have all married and had children of their own—38 of them! Our daughter (number four of her generation) was the first of the "grandkids" to marry and has now added the first great-grandchild to the mix. He is either number one or thirty-nine depending on who you ask. No matter the number, the family has steadily grown over the years and shows no signs of slowing down. I imagine there will be weddings or births every year for the next twenty-five years. What a blessing!
Everyone travels from all over to meet for a glorious weekend of sun, sand, fellowship, and fun. Every year we all stay at the same condo or very close by. When we pull into the parking lot, it feels like we are coming home. My military kids especially like coming because it has been a constant for them their whole lives, a rarity for them. When we get about three blocks away from the condo the anticipation begins to build and we always roll down the windows and blast a beach-themed party song to reflect our good mood.
We call all the kids the Bigs, the Middles, and Littles, based off their age. Most of the "Bigs" are actually adults in their own right now but they don't mind the label. They are proud to be in the family. All the age groups have a bond with one another after so many shared summers and pick up like old friends without any awkwardness, shyness, or trepidation. There is a feeling of familiarity, safeness, and comfort among all. The week is filled with joy, laughter, and sunburn. I also love that my husband's family has included me as one of their own since day one. There are no outsiders because that would be the opposite of family, the unspoken theme each year.
We don't need anything fancy during the week. The week isn't about having things, it's about being together. We play some mean spike ball, dig big holes in the sand, play dodge ball on the beach, tear it up on the pickleball courts, kick back a few too many beers, listen to my mother in law's stories from long ago, and host an annual Olympics with events that include the egg toss, no-handed doughnut eating, crab walk, three-legged, and wheelbarrow racing, just to name a few. We rarely leave the condo area once we get here because everyone just wants to be together. (The only exception is for the men to play golf or for a trip to our favorite local restaurant where everything is fried and the tables are sticky.)
Even when the sun goes down and the pool closes, very competitive card games are played well into the night and the laughter continues. The kids are safe to roam around in groups because they know the condo grounds like the back of their hands and no one is ever alone. Late night chats go on until the wee hours, and even though we all suffer from sleep-deprivation, our spirits are magically rejuvenated and we wake up ready for another day on the beach just like the day before.
This tradition has been going on even before I was lucky enough to join the family, and from the looks of it, will continue for many more years. It is so nice to see that it is still a priority to the older kids and I look forward to seeing the next generation populate and become a part of our memories.
The beach week is our favorite week of the year because it is all about what matters most. Family.
Tell me about your family traditions in the comments below! Have a great week!
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