Throwback Thursday | Cousins Re-connecting.

That's me in July 1968 (age 5) in my first and only appearance as a flower girl. My grandmother made my dress. Pale yellow dotted swiss with a yellow satin ribbon. with white patent leather shoes, gloves, and even a bow for my hair.

The bride was my dad's first cousin Becky (that makes her my first cousin once removed; she's the youngest daughter of my grandmother's youngest sister... these details are important for small-town Southern families). She married George, her high school sweetheart, shortly after he graduated from the University of Alabama. Becky's older sister Kay was her matron of honor.

The wedding took place in my dad's (and Becky's and George's) hometown church (those stained glass windows are stunning, aren't they?)

Fast forward a dozen or so years and I was in Atlanta, attending Georgia Tech. Becky and George and their two little boys lived here. I remember she came down to campus a few times to pick me up for a lunch/shopping date. No photos...but I'll bet we both looked 35 years younger than we do now!

Fast forward another 35(ish) years and Becky and George still live in Atlanta, and so do their sons, and a daughter-in-law & granddaughter. And of course now I'm here with my husband, a daughter & son-in-law & a grandson, a sister and her family and a brother and his family. At my parents' urging, I arranged a lunch (no shopping!) for us to re-connect. The five of us enjoyed a three hour lunch on Tuesday...and had a ball. I can't wait to see them again - and introduce them to the rest of my family! I think we're going to have some very good times.

Becky, me and George

my mom, Becky and me

George and my dad

my dad and mom and me 

all of us

I'm not much for regrets (35 years??!!), so I can only trust that the timing was finally just right. Becky and George have re-done the family home in that Southern small town and made it comfortable and welcoming for guests (even, George assures me, little dogs!) I'm hoping to visit this fall. I would love to have some good adult memories to add to the ones I made as a child - and I would love for my family to make some too!