Grate Reunion~ part 2

Woohoo! After many attemps I finally got the pictures to upload. I had to go with the smaller size, but you can click on them to enlarge if you feel the need to see us all up close. :)

I would like to add that our family was also "on time" to the family reunion; arriving shortly after 12:00. This was the time posted on the invitation, but obviously the invitor didn't think any of us would actually show up till 2 or 3 in the afternoon. After we'd toured the whole campground, peed in a hole (my favorite part of camping, the ole hole in the ground toliets) and walked out on the dock to look at the dirty water and boats, we decided to take Jon a tour of "down-home!" So we drove through the hollars touring some Grate history. We saw where my dad was raised, where my grandma was raised, where my grandpa was raised, and the Fairplay chapel, a one room school house/church, where my grandpa went to school and where he was saved. We also stopped to visit Uncle Harvey, my grandma's brother who lives in Danville. By the time we got back to the campground, the reunion was underway and we looked late. Below are the rest of the pictures that I couldn't get to post last night. If you're reading this for the first time, the first part of this event was posted yesterday so keep scrolling down.


Here you have the George Grate clan.

Of course this is our family. We are the Robert Grate clan, but grandpa is no longer with us. Grandma was able to make the trip and we were all glad.

Next you have Georgene's butt! We are a sick family who enjoys the embarrassment of others. You can see the glee on my grandma's face as she held Georgene for an extra long hug so we could all get this great shot! Grandma hasn't lost her ornery side.

This is Uncle George and Uncle Herman, my grandpa's brothers with my grandma.

This is the Hersman clan. Aunt Eva is my granpa's sister.

Reunion is a sweet time, but it's also a little bitter-sweet. There were originally 8 brothers and sisters. We have lost 4 of them. As I look at the pictures, I wonder if we'll all be together next year or if someone will be missing. Our numbers seem to shrink each year. As each one passes, it seems their children and grandchildren quit attending the reunion. I cherish these times and the rich family history I've been blessed with. The Grates are special people.