My People

My people are from Pennsylvania, Franklin and Oil City to be specific. They are right next to each other in the northwest part of the state. See, right there in the upper left (near the "P" in Pennsylvania):

My father is from Oil City. His family has moved out west and I've never really known them too well. My mother's family is a different story. Many of them still live in Franklin, or nearby and we have gotten together for the John B. Courson Family Reunion every summer for as long as I can remember. 

There are twelve siblings in the Courson family -- Mary Lou, Jackie, Connie (my mom), Frank, Esther, Thanna, Nancy, Deanna, Karen, Richard, Larry and Tommy. I know or knew them all (sadly, my Aunt Jackie, Uncle Larry and Uncle Tommy have passed away), their spouses and, for the most part, I know all my cousins and my cousins' children and my cousins' grandchildren. 

Our reunion was this past weekend. It was wonderful to see those who were there, especially my mom's siblings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aunt Deanna, Aunt Mary Lou, Aunt Thanna, my Mom,
Aunt Karen and Uncle Richard.

Each year (for the last several years) we've had a theme for the reunion. This year was the hippie reunion. There is a horseshoe tournament each year (my dad and brother won this year and will have to bring the trophy back next year), along with games for the adults and the kids. We have a "meeting" each year to share the minutes from the previous year and the news for the current year -- births, graduations, marriages. We also elect new officers who are in charge of planning the next year's gathering.

We always have tons of food. One thing I always look forward to is my Aunt Thanna's raisin-filled cookies. She's battling melanoma now and couldn't make them herself, but her daughter, my cousin Cindy, made some.

I never really knew my grandparents. When I was growing up, I sometimes felt envious of my friends who had close relationships with their grandparents. Today, I am so grateful to them for the family they made and the legacy they left. I wouldn't trade my aunts and uncles and the memories we share for anything in the world. 

Every year, it seems like I make a new connection with someone. It always catches me off guard and I love that. One year, it was with my Aunt Sandy (Uncle Richard's wife). Last year, it was with my Aunt Kim (Uncle Tommy's wife -- I'm so happy she and her kids still come to the reunion even though he died suddenly in 1999). This year, it was my cousin Kay (whose jewelry making ideas I'm totally stealing!). 

There are so many stories and I love hearing them over and over and laughing until my stomach hurts. Someone (maybe me?) needs to write them down so they aren't lost. 

The tradition of the reunion confirms for me that traditions are important. They give us connections to our past and are truly the best things we can pass on to the future. My extended family helps me feel connected in this crazy world. Explaining to my daughter and my niece who is who and how we are related to them helps them know how they are connected to something bigger than their everyday life. Without the tradition of our family reunion, we wouldn't have that. 

And even though things change -- like who makes the raisin-filled cookies -- things stay the same. These are my people and I know that we will continue to love each other and be there during the difficult times when we face losses and illnesses and in the joyful times when we experience miracles. 

THANK YOU John and Mildred Courson for making such a beautiful family.