Family Reunion Time!

As you are aware, our family is literally spread from one side of the globe to the other, from the northwest United States to Central Asia.  With Ashley's family in town between State Department postings, we decided to try and get all of them together, something that hadn't happened for several years.  We almost made it, though at the last moment, Laura and Ben in Portland had to bow out for work.
Mike and Adrienne got here first from Provo, Utah, where Mike works at an ad agency, and she is finishing a Masters in Exercise Science.

Sam and Emily arrived from Seattle, where he is a Boeing engineer, and she works for an international remittance company.   Brynn and Chad came up from the coast, where he is a dentist and she manages The Gang.

Paula wisely programmed a picnic at the pool, where we paid to get the great-big group in under the guise of a "birthday party."  C'mon, with that many people, someone had to have had a birthday, right?

By the way, in fairness to Adrienne in the right foreground, she's about 26 weeks along in their first pregnancy.  Everyone had a great time performing feats of daring-do on the diving board,

and splashing around the pool.

How much better can it get - playing with your cousins and having access to unlimited Doritos?

The parents bought the baby-sitting services of a young woman in the neighborhood who apparently needed the cash more than she has good sense, and gathered at a local restaurant for a great meal.  Then, sure that the kids were asleep, they headed back home and laughed a lot playing some card game.

On Sunday night and Monday, folks started heading back to their real lives.  We were sad to see them go, but glad for the time spent together.  

We love our family, every one of them.  We hope yours is full of such good people.

Dave & Paula