The Whole Fam-Damily!

 

These first few pictures are from Cub Scout Daycamp (family day). Rychen was super excited to go to this! He got to pack a lunch and everything, which is a pretty big deal when you're home-schooled.

Then the next week we were off to Park City to a Gremlich family reunion where we hung around a 3-floor house not doing much of anything. But I was glad we got to do a few group activities I have been waiting for.... Such as the 4-man Human Table (something we learned at Girls Camp when my sisters and I, as well as my parents during certain years, attended in the mountains near Las Vegas).

These two boys have a special relationship, and its fun to watch them interact!

 And this is just one cool uncle. Hey all you single ladies!! This one is available! and don't worry about gender roles, ASK HIM OUT!

This is my cute toothless girl. She lost 3 teeth in a matter of 2 weeks I think. She's not even six years old yet! Pretty crazy. My children have a way of defying all normal development patterns, both ahead and behind in a random pattern among the three of them.

Here's another shot of that single "family man," the most recent married man (2 years now!) and then the most recent available bachelor, fluent in both Chilean Spanish and funny faces, for those who care :)

and the whole fam-damily.... 

 ...some who can be silly and some who find it absolutely impossible. (My husband has a good fit as a Gremlich, in that sense)

 (p.s. Why is Andrew suddenly being sincere?)

Here is my favorite picture. We took one shot of the original family, my parents and 8 children. I felt something special in my heart during the few moments this photograph was being taken.... my roots. Although there was a very slimmer of a brief moment when the eight of us lived under the same roof, there is still a common blood, a common unity, a common Gremlich oomph. If you know what mean. (I'm not sure I do). I've had my years as the baby, my years as the big sister, my years as the defiant teenager wanting nothing to do with the Gremlich name. I've had my years at home, my years abroad, my years starting my own family, and my years yearning to be back at home as a child under the protective care of my parents. Family is something that goes full circle. And then it keeps going, because really it never ends. And I believe these phases never end--they continually press on, taking their turns in a circle of finding our identity.

 My parents currently have 8 grandchildren (and that includes fetuses, to my knowledge). Each is unique in their own way and it's been fun to see the various Gremlich genes, personalities, quirks, strengths and weaknesses express throughout the canvas of progeny. I had my own impressions of my uncles and aunts, gathered over years of occasional interactions; and I wonder how objective there are. And I wonder what their impressions have been of me. Now I wonder, what are my neices' and nephews' impressions of me? Have I spent enough moments with them to give them one at all? Do I make a positive impression of someone they might want to grow to be like? Good thing there is more time for that.

All in all, the Gremliches are a pretty cool fam-damily. (I will be pretty impressed if our soon-to-be exchange student can understand that joke! But she better get used to it, because I talk that way all the time. That's just how my wain brorks!)... Look forward to a post about THAT in a few weeks!)