Camping and Family News

[abka]

After writing about the Croatia trip I feel a slight urge to narrate the events of Chris and Erin's wedding, but many of you are there and I think it suffices to say that it was a joyful event and we really enjoyed participating in Chris and Erin's special day as well as catching up with everyone and meeting some new people, particularly (for me) Erin's friend Illie, Chris's friend Alicia, and Andrew's sister Kristen.

This weekend we went camping with my mom's family. As a kid this side of the family went camping every memorial day, july 4th, and labor day, but we haven't gotten together for a few years so it's nice to revive the tradition. It's also only Denis's second family-camping experience. His dough-boys are getting pretty good. Unfortunately we got some mistaken directions so it took us four hours rather than two to find the campground. Saturday we basically just spent the day visiting with everyone. Sunday morning several of us went to a couple of cemetaries to look for dead relatives (my mom and aunt are in the middle of a big family geneology project). We found the graves of my great-great-great-great grandparents (my grandmother's great-great grandparents on her father's side) and great-great-great-great-great grandparents. Aparantly there's one generation missing and all they can find is that the wife was listed in the poor house when her youngest child (of five) was six months old, but there's no mention of her husband. They also can't find either her or her husband's death certificates and/or graves. It's somewhat interesting, but I'm glad that my mom and aunt are compiling all the info and I just get to learn about it. The graveyard was pretty hot and uncomfortable.

My sister didn't come camping because she wanted to spend the weekend in Boston with her boyfriend. It was a good thing she did. When we got home she called and said that Matt had proposed and now they're engaged! It's about time they made some decision since they've been together for six and a half years now. He's maybe not the ideal person I'd pick for her, but it's her decision, he's a good guy, and I'm sure they'll be happy together. She said he gave her a huge ring and it's really shiny. They're going to get married in two years after she finishes her master's degree. During that time she's going to be in Maine at UMO and he'll stay in the Boston area with him mom saving up money. (He's still job-hunting.) They want to pay for the wedding themselves, which will certainly thrill my dad. She asked me to be her maid-of-honor, which is really flattering. (Technically I guess I'm a matron-of-honor, but who wants to be called a matron?) She's waiting until tonight to tell my parents in person. I'm excited for them. We'll have to find a time for Matt to experience family camping.

Comments

[toran.livejournal.com]

So... if you couldn't find their graves or their death certificates, they could still be alive. Or undead. They could be vampires. Check photographs (or portraits) of them against photographs of all your modern relatives.

Hasn't your sister only ever dated this guy? Like, ever?

[abka.livejournal.com]

I have yet to see any photographs of these relatives so maybe they never existed at all.

Yes, this guy is my sister's highschool sweetheart. They broke up once? twice? briefly during highschool and I think she went to senior prom with Franz (younger brother of one my highschool classmates), but they've both never had a relationship with anyone else. A little wierd to me, but it works for them. It would be sort of like me marrying the infamous Tim (although I dated other people somewhat seriously in between Tim-times). Actually I mentioned Tim during family camping this weekend and my family started reminiscing about him, about how he brought yummy baked goods to Christmas one year and my aunt napped with him on my grandmother's bed, etc. Denis didn't appreciate it. I didn't think they'd go on about him, I assumed that since Denis (and his baklava if they're comparing baked goods) definitely wins out in my opinion he'd do so in theirs as well.

[toran.livejournal.com]

Cool! Maybe your family descends from gods or they were spontaneously created post-Adam/Eve because God was bored one day! That would be just as neat as if they were vampires.



I'm lying. Nothing would be neater than if they were vampires. :(

I think it's great that she's marrying her high school sweetheart. I'm just deeply suspicious of people who have only ever dated ONE person EVER and then marry that person. Because it's possible to be in love with that person and be very happy etc. But generally there's a lot of growing up you do by being in different relationships with different people and seeing what works and what doesn't.
So, good luck to her!

Also, Denis should totally bring baklava when you guys come down. Because baklava is great.
Finally; Whatever. Denis can break any of your previous so-called boyfriends in half. Just with the power of his awesome.