What’s it like with 42 grandchildren? How do you celebrate with them… holidays, anniversaries, everyday life? How do you figure out gift-giving for toddlers all the way to adult grandchildren? What about the costs? Or travel? Michigan and Tennessee are quite far away from New Jersey. It seems Judy and I often have a lot of planning to do.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are always big family gatherings. However, as our family continues to grow, it has become a rare occasion when everyone can celebrate together. Even without the entire clan, it is still quite an event: food, presents, activities. Organizing can be daunting, but it is really worth it!
The bottom line for Judy and I is that God has blessed us abundantly and we love our children and grandchildren dearly. It is our love for all of them that motivates us to make gathering together happen!
One of the times we were able to all be together was to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Our two eldest daughters took the lead. We needed a place for the entire family and chose the Jersey Shore. They figured out the financing, found four houses, did a walk-thru, and assigned accommodations for everyone. Breakfast and lunch duties were assigned by family and much of each day was spent hanging out at the beach.
Every evening, two different families organized the meal and the activity for that night. The food was great….Mexican, Italian, burgers & dogs, some healthy alternatives, nice desserts, etc. Night activities included a scavenger hunt, volleyball tournament, movie night, roasting marshmallows, flying kites, water sports, wiffle ball, and children’s games. Everyone did their part with a maximum of fun and a minimum of drama.
While all the activities went well, the first night’s scavenger hunt with mixed family groups immediately got everyone involved… a great ice breaker and a perfect unity builder. To provide a lasting memory, we took photos of each grandchild with Judy and me and used them to create Christmas ornaments. The informal time we spent hanging out together was absolutely delightful and probably the best part of the trip.
I would be remiss if I didn’t include the faith element of our time together. Our family knows that prayer is an integral part of our lives and, although there are some differences on what that looks like among us, we were able to unite in dedicating the week to the Lord, praying before dinner, celebrating together at a Mass offered for the intention of our 50th anniversary, and sharing a time of honoring and giving thanks.
God has blessed us with a big, wonderful family and we love being together. Our family goal is to enjoy each other and help one another get to heaven….where the celebration will really begin and will last forever.
For Discussion: What is the next opportunity coming your way to do a big celebration?
For Action: What can you add to this year’s Thanksgiving celebration that everyone will enjoy and will also allow for an expression of your faith?
Dave & Judy Touhill live in New Jersey