Reuniting Family

In August I had a very special experience.  I was reunited with my sister, Jo Ann  twice, and once with two of her children, and their children.

On my First Visit, JoAnn and her husband, Clarke Sharar drove down to Ontario, CA to meet for a late lunch.  It was really great seeing her again.  I was shocked by here spiked hair style, since she always has such curly hair, and Clarke was very friendly and outgoing.  I promised that I would return and bring Linda.

JoAnn and I                                                               JoAnn and Clarke Sharar

Only about three weeks later, Linda and I were able to travel to Santa Barbara again for some training.  Linda and I drove to Palm Desert and stayed two nights and spent one entire day with JoAnn and her family.  We had lunch with two of her daughters Tanya and Christina and their children, Nicholas and Mitchell (Tanya's) and  Sydney and Samantha (Christina's).

      

JoAnn, Christina,Samantha, Sydney, Linda Dennis Tanya      Tanya with Mitchell,(Nicholas was sleeping),Christina with Samantha and Sydney

I was overwhelmed by their openness and acceptance of an Uncle and Great Uncle they had met only once or less.  I felt totally guilty for being so self involved for  years.  They seemed  anxious to know family members.  I realized that there was a real hole in my life, and that we had left a hole in their life also.  For all of these years, they had a knowledge that they had family members out there, but had a large gap.  Visiting with them, made me realize that I missed years of loving these beautiful Nieces and Great Nieces and Nephews.  That my children had missed out on knowing and loving their wonderful cousins.  Likewise, Tanya and Christine had missed out as well. 

I will not make this mistake again.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet them once, and intend on getting to know them better.  I am starting by sharing this blog and those of our family (below) with JoAnn who can share it with her daughters.  This will give them an opportunity to get a glimpse in to the lives of their extended family.  I will a couple are open to invited members only, so I will ask them to invite JoAnn and as I get e-mail addresses Sonya, Tanya and Christina. 

I love my immediate family that has been extended with sons and daughters in law and grandchildren.  I also love my sister an her children and grandchildren that I am just beginning to know.  I am sorry I cheated us out of all of this time.

My Family and their Blogs

 

My oldest daughter - Emily Mcammon and her husband Shane - Adana Turkey

http://mccammonblog.blogspot.com/

  

My second daughter - Kelly Babcock and her husband Mike

http://thebabcockchronicals.blogspot.com/

 

My oldest son - Scott Barrett and his wife Jentry - Lincoln, Nebraska

http://cumulativerecord.blogspot.com/

 

My third daughter - Ellen Wheat and her husband Kevin

http://mini-wheats.blogspot.com/

 

My youngest - David Barrett - Nicaragua - It is hard to get a picture of him without him pulling a face.