Wow. What a wonderful weekend in Houston (and yes, Houston rose a few notches from its "Least Favorite City of Mine" due to the four days of GORGEOUS weather!). I not only got to be a guest at the beautiful wedding of Clayton and Elizabeth, but also spent some great time with my family and I FINALLY got to see some of the Labor Day Gang! The WHAT Gang? For those that don't know this story, let me explain, 'cause it's pretty darn cool....
So once upon a time, a looooong time ago (hee!), my mom was a wee college lass at Texas Tech University. It was there she met eight other fabulous women, and the whole lot of them became great friends. Starting Labor Day Weekend, on the tail end of the summer of '73, they decided to plan a camping trip together - no children at this point, but a few husbands and significant others. Well, fast-forward 36 years, and they're still camping....(albeit, a few less tents and more trailers involved).
Of all nine women and their spouses, six still attend regularly. There are sixteen children in all (yes, yes, once again I'm the oldest...), and now grandchildren are gracing the scenes. There have been years when not everyone could make it - life has interrupted, parents have passed, children have had crises. But there have always, always been folks there - even if just one member of a family could make it. The family representative, so to speak.
I have grown up with these people, literally, my entire life. I have more godparents than I can count. I have had to miss many a Labor Day, but I always hear the Labor Day Scoop, and if I'm lucky, I'll get to see a family here and there during a holiday pass-thru, or a beautiful wedding such as this one.
I can't think of a more inspiring example of true friendship than this story. I know that any one of these families could ask anything of each other. Through differences and distances, their friendships have remained a priority. I have seen these people laugh and cry together, argue and hug, pitch tents and throw horseshoes.
So to them ALL, I say thank you. What a delight to be there this past weekend. And to those I didn't get to see, here's to hoping it won't be long!
To Elizabeth and Clayton: Congratulations! I wish you both the very best!
To my family - the Kohouts and ALL the Labor Day Gang: I LOVE YOU!
