Traverse City Record-Eagle

Kathy Gibbons: Northern Living

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January 16, 2010

Kathy Gibbons: Home is where family is

By KATHY GIBBONS

A few months ago, my siblings and parents booked rooms at the same hotel when my nephew got married. We made sure one was a suite so we'd have space to gather.

While it was a reputable national chain, the hotel was seedy. If we'd been by ourselves, we would not have stayed. But moving the group would have been like moving the Titanic.

While the wedding and rehearsal were the focus, we were able to gather in between at the hotel. My dad, a.k.a. Have Cheese Will Travel, came with breads, knife, cutting board and antipasto makings. The rest of us brought snacks and beverages. We had some great times at the no-tell motel.

Flash forward to Christmas. Gathering at my parents' place at the lake Dec. 26, the scene is noisy and fun. One group is playing Scrabble, arguing over whether "qua" is a word. A new daughter-in-law has gone outside to start a fire.

My brother's 16-year-old decides to take his sister to the store, but the steep uphill driveway is icy and the car fishtails and dies in a snowbank. Then it's a Meeting of the Men with chains and sand and strategizing and shouts to get out from under the car or your head might end up as traction. I warn the younger ones observing to be ready to run if the car doesn't go in the direction their fathers think it will, then go in the house because I don't want to watch.

Back inside, there's food and wine and euchre. My nephew has a new camera and when the driveway victors return, we decide to take a family picture.

My parents started with five children. Now there are spouses and grandkids and a few of their spouses, and too many dogs to keep track of. While it's not a complete family picture -- one brother had to leave -- it's close.

We line up, nearly 25 of us, as my nephew tells us to get ready, presses a button and runs to get in the frame.

The thing is, this was Day 3 that some mix of us had been together. It started on Christmas Eve, at our house. The next day, we moved to my sister's. The day after that, we got up and did it all over again -- and the one after that, too.

How many people could you spend day after day with and still come back for more? I can only think of a few, and most were in that picture.

Since then, the crowd has shrunk. Nieces and nephews have gone back to California and Boston, Indiana and East Lansing, Chicago and Nevada.

Looking at the photo now, I think how my parents set the tone. They showed us all that no matter where we live, we all know where home is.

With each other.

Kathy Gibbons can be reached at gibbonskath@yahoo.com. For more of Kathy's columns, log on to record-eagle.com/kathygibbons.

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