ALPHA GK

I am the alpha grandkid on my dad's side. The alpha of a grand total of (I'm thinking, I'm thinking...) 26 grandkids. Many of those grandkids have gone on to have multiple-children family themselves.

This past weekend MC 2 and I went with my parents to visit my grandparents for papa's 85th birthday. Many of the GK's and the great GK's were there. Now when you are the first of 27, ranging in age from 36 to 14, well, the ones toward the bottom you don't know so well. And throw in their kids? Please... I haven't asked "Who's your daddy?" so much since Jerry McGuire first came out. I asked my Granny if we could have name tags, she laughed in my face. Much like I did her's when she said to let MC 2 just go outside and play by himself. "He'll be fine!" says the woman who won't be the one chasing him. MC 2 had a blast. He spent most of the morning chasing chickens and shoveling some old hay. He rode the four-wheeler and gator with grandpa and was eventually comfortable enough to go ride with some of the kids. They took off towards the woods and I waved and prayed. But he LOVED IT! It was nostalgic for me, because we did the same thing when we were growing up. We lived closer until I was about 15 and we got to visit often. Thanksgiving was always the holiday up there. Then men would hunt and/or work cows. The women manned the kitchen and kept us out of it. Us cousins, we went and did whatever. Horseback riding, fishing, playing in the hay bars or silo, we pretty much ran free ( and survived).

Sadly, in years of late, the only reason we have all gotten together is for a funeral. My grandparents have buried 3 sons and a grandson (most of those in the last 20 years). It was nice to get together this weekend with out that being the cause. We told stories, we laughed, we ate. It was a good day to be the alpha GK.