Memorial Day tradition

Yesterday was the continuation of one of my favorite Memorial Day traditions.  For as long as I can remember...going back to when my age was in the single digits (yes, that LONG AGO)...my mother's family has gathered on Sunday mornings for a family cemetery tour.  We always meet in my hometown and caravan/car pool to two cemeteries where my ancestors are buried, including my great-great grandmother after whom I'm named.  Following that we travel to a local restaurant and have brunch together.  This restaurant is a favorite in our family, and many families meals have been eaten there.  We always joke that it isn't a real outing there until someone spills something (yesterday was no exception)!  I remember as a child it was always fun to hang out with my cousins and we usually swapped who was riding in what vehicle so that we had even more time to hang out together.  There were years of graduations or weddings on the weekend where we might have to switch things around a bit as to timing, and there were years, especially when most of us grandchildren were teenagers or in our 20's, where there might only be a handful of us attending.  Yesterday though, twenty one members of my family gathered together.  My cousin Philip and I have always been the ones who almost always attended, and we shared many laughs reminiscing about crazy experiences on past trips.  For the first time ever, all nine of my grandmother's great grandchildren were together, spanning in age from 10 months to Robert at 13.  We put most of the kids at their own table, and I loved watching the kids have so much fun with their cousins.  It brought back such great memories, and I'm so grateful that my kids have an opportunity to know their cousins as well.  I'm so grateful that everyone lives close enough to share these experiences, and I'm so grateful that my family values the tradition!