It’s been a long time in coming and I admit to being a prodigal daughter (grand-daughter/niece/cousin etc.)
I’m not exactly sure how long it has been, but it has been more than 10 years at least…
That’s right– I haven’t managed to attend a family reunion or visit my home town in over 10 years! I think I was a teenager when I last visited, now I’m married, had a couple career changes, lived in a couple more countries and started and sold a business.
I was a bit worried that my blood ties weren’t strong enough and that I would be a stranger in my hometown…
I mean, some of my cousins I hadn’t even met yet, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t remember all my aunts and uncles names! At least I know I have 16 aunts and uncles on my dad’s side, and another 12 on my mum’s, and I won’t even try to count all of my cousins!!!
This picture is just from my dad’s side…do you sympathize with me yet???
But as soon as the hugs started, Stefan & I received the traditional blessing from Lola I felt at ease. I wasn’t too lost or too estranged and everyone still recognized me. As prodigal as I was they still remembered that I was the first Cortejos grand-baby and that somehow gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
And we are a wonderfully crazy family…like seriously! It seems like we’re always eating, drinking, dancing, singing, laughing and talking really loud!!!
Fortunately my Dutch side of the family (Hubby Stefan, Mum Alice and Sister Jolanda) loved the chaos and they jumped right in madness!
Here’s my favorite picture of my immediate family from our “gala ball” …too bad I can’t find the one with mum Alice and Jolanda…
And here’s another good pic of my brother Martin and his handsome kids (Chad and Kylie) ***I take MUA credit for Kylie LOL!
Wow..it’s quite a task to go through hundreds of pictures and edit videos from a family reunion with several cameras. It makes one miss the old cameras where every picture had to count because it was expense to develop them and the roll of film was only 12-24 pics long. I was a little girl when cameras still used film rolls, but still, 24 pictures to choose from does sound lovely no?
1 hour later >>> I have been trying to pick out good pictures and edit videos, but alas hunger makes me lose focus and I find myself giggling at the funny videos without actually doing anything “edit-wise” so…
I’m off for dinner and will have to make a part 2, 3 & perhaps 4 of my Big Fat Filipino Family Reunion…
😀 😀 😀