flash back friday

HAPPY OCTOBER EVERYBODY!  

i freaking love this picture!  

as you can tell, i have a large family. i am assuming i am about 10 here (bottom left, long hair, white shirt), so we will say it was taken in 1992?

besides my cousin christine, this picture includes every living (at the time) member in my mother's immediate family and their children.  since this picture was taken, we have mourned 4 family members.  my grandfather and uncle don passed when i was in middle school and my grandmother and uncle al passed last year.

there is also something else here that makes me a little sad.  we are all sitting on the front steps of the house my grandfather built.  you see, we didnt always get together at this large home.  while visiting, we used to all sleep, eat and play in a single wide trailer waiting for this house to be finished ... ALL OF US :)  a few years ago, my grandmother finally downsized to a much smaller more manageable home before she passed.  i have such great memories in this house and with these people.

note: im pretty sure you readers will see this picture again.  i could write 3 pages of the thoughts and memories associated with it, but i shall save some for another day.  

have a great weekend!