Family Reunion Recap!

Last Thursday, July 14, Tate, Christian, Lindsey my parents and I flew to Hampton, Virginia for my family reunion.  This reunion celebrates my father's mother's maternal side with my great-grandmother Josephine Johnson as the matriarch.

Ready for take-off

Lindsey, Christian, Tate and I flew into Richmond, Virginia and rented a car while my parents flew into Baltimore, Maryland and rented a car as well.  We met up with them in Yorktown, Virginia at my Aunt Jean's house, my father's second sister.  Lindsey would be staying with them for the duration of the trip.  Christian, Tate and I then drove into Hampton to stay at the host hotel for the first 3 days of the reunion.  As always, travel causes everyone to have meltdowns and irrational moments, but surprisingly, they were few and far between for us.  Tate did great on the plane and I even got to sleep for about an hour while he napped for an hour and a half.  The nights in the hotel didn't go nearly as well.  He would sleep in the pack 'n' play for about 3-4 hours, then cry upon half waking and I would put him in the bed between Christian and I where upon we would be kicked and prodded for a good 60 minutes until he could re-settle.  As Tate has never been a great sleeper even at home this didn't surprise me in the least.  However, for Christian it was horrendous as he really values and 'needs' his sleep, but he persevered as well.

Friday morning, we had breakfast and ran into many, many family members checking in.  Tate and I then drove to Yorktown to meet my parents and Lindsey to go visit my mother's mother's grave in Newport News.  Oh how I loved my Grandma Lynch.  Just thinking about her right now brings tears to my eyes and how much I miss her.  She was the only family member, the only one, who ever routinely visited us here in Houston.  I think I can count on one hand maybe one and a half the number of times anyone else be it cousins, aunts or uncles visited us down here since we moved here in 1976.


My Aunt Alice, my mom's youngest sister, met us at the grave site and we laid flowers on the grave of my dear grandmother.  As we walked around and read the tombstones of the many buried at Denbigh Baptist Church, I saw a host of my ancestors.  Such an amazing sight.

My precious grandmother

Our Ancestors

Tate and his Papa!

My sweet mommy and my Aunt Alice

Lindsey and I

Tate and I returned to the hotel and picked up Christian, and we headed to Buckroe Beach in Hampton.  There was a fabulous playground that the three of us played on and then we let Tate have a blast in the water.  This child of mine loves loves loves any type of water!!

All he wanted to do was get down and swim!

Loving the water!

Once back at the hotel, we joined the family for the meet and greet after getting checked into the reunion.  Some of the family was participating in a Zumba class while the rest of us looked on in amazement at their stamina and energy.  My wonderful Aunt Brenda was the host of the entire reunion and led us through a wonderful evening of fellowship, fun, laughter, tears, hope and so much joy.  For the first time I allowed Tate to stay up past his bedtime and he ran around a bit with his cousins.  There are 5 them who are all within 9 months of age of each other.  Everyone called them the 2009 baby cousins.  They were so super sweet together.  Tate was a little unsure of running around without me right beside him, but once he saw the others playing around he did join in a bit.  Christian and I took him up to bed around 9pm, and being overtired he really fought going to sleep, but he finally did.  I ran back downstairs while Christian stayed with him to say good night to my family and enjoy some last minute festivities.

Those pants are killing me!

They did it!

Trying to convince the baby cousins to hold hands

Saturday morning we loaded up for a huge day of fun!  Our first stop though was to pay homage to my grandparents, Geneva and Willie Cunningham, my father's parents.  Geneva's mother was Josephine Johnson from whom all of the celebrants descended from.   Christian, Tate and I joined my parents, sister, a few aunts and cousins at their grave site.  Also there is my late Aunt Kathryn, my father's oldest sister.

Sleepy boy

 We then headed to the house where my father grew up with his 8 brothers and sisters...a 3 bedroom house.  5 girls in one room, 4 boys in the other!  Family photos were taken in front of the house.

My 2nd cousin Kim and me

In front of my grandparents' house.  I spent many a summer vacation in that wonderful house!

All the cousins (grands, great-grands and great-great grands)

My 2nd cousin Kisha's little boy Emmett and my sweet Tate (they're about 4 months apart in age)

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6 of the 7 remaining Cunningham children

From here, Tate, Christian and I ventured to Williamsburg for a couple of hours going back in time.  Colonial Williamsburg is fascinating, and I wish we had actually had time to really tour the area.  We had a bite to eat while Tate slept and then continued on to the family picnic.


In Toana, right near Williamsburg the picnic was in full swing.  Burgers were being eaten, volleyball was being played, swimming was done by the little ones and gossiping was in being done in earnest.  It was loud, raucous, festive, fun and love filled.  We had an amazing time!

Hanging in the pool with Aunt Lindsey

So much fun!

The 2009 baby cousins!!

We motored back towards Hampton around 7pm.  Surprisingly, Tate didn't fall asleep on the way home; this did not bode well for his sleep that evening.  He finally fell asleep around 830, but again had a restless night, but was up smiling bright and early Sunday morning.  Despite the fact that Christian and I were exhausted, we managed to hold up quite well and have learned that communication is definitely the key.  There were definitely moments where we could have really lost our tempers and once or twice feelings were actually hurt between the two of us.  But we are always able to come together and talk things through.  If we didn't both solidly believe that honesty was going to be the most important thing in our friendship/relationship second only to communication we would never have been able to get to where we are today or even have helped me have this beautiful baby boy.


Sunday morning we took our time checking out of the hotel.  We decided to forgo the 747am, yes you see that right, 747 am church service and hang out in the room.  We then grabbed some breakfast on the go and headed to Virginia Beach.  


Once in Virginia Beach, we were so excited.  It was a gorgeous day, we were all in great moods as the weekend had been so much fun, and we were thrilled to have some time to just be.  Tate had an absolute blast as did Christian and I.

Tate LOVED that huge slide!

Enjoying the sun!

My mom and her cousin Osteen!

We returned to Hampton that afternoon and picked up my mom to go have a cook-out with her extended family which mostly included cousins.  My father and Lindsey could not be torn away from the Women's World Cup Soccer match in which the USA ended losing in PKs to Japan, but they joined us later.    

Sunday evening, the 3 of us stayed with my Aunt Brenda and her husband, my Uncle Melville.  We ate leftovers, relaxed and enjoyed some down time.  As the evening wore on we convinced my Aunt Brenda to get some rest like her great-nephew who was asleep by 715.  Uncle Melville then took the opportunity to school the German Christian in the ways of Black American music...they listened to some great soul, awesome R&B, fabulous jazz and some amazing blues.  Christian's iPod is now full of some great music!!

Monday morning we headed over to my Aunt Jean and Uncle Chuck's.  Good-byes were said to them as well as my parents who were staying on for a few more days.  Lindsey, Christian, Tate and I returned to the Lone Star State satiated with amazing fellowship, familial love and support and happiness.  It was a blessed trip.  Though I always tell myself it's ok that my family is so far away and that I have nothing in common with them and that I don't know them I am always blown away by how much going back to a place where I have never lived feels like going home.  It's so true what is said about family...I am living proof.  Blood is thicker than water.  


Here's to all the Johnsons, Alfords, Hamiltons and Cunninghams who came before me.  Thank you for making my life possible.  Tate is truly a very lucky little boy.

Josephine Johnson - my great-grandmother from whom all who attended the reunion are descended from.  Much love Grandmother from me to you!