Missaukee County Park, Falmouth, McBain, and the Clam River

This past Saturday, Jeremy, Jacob, and I went to the Elenbaas family reunion at Missaukee County Park, near Cadillac. My brother, David, his wife, Jennifer, and their daughter, Brooke rode up with us.

To my sisters and my brother, those names above are very familiar, I remember little bits here and there. I really enjoy going up there with my brother, he's kept so much of my dad's history, all of the stuff that I missed, being so far behind everyone when dad was sick. David took us to Eble's grocery store in Falmouth, the beef jerky was fantastic, not to mention the savoriness of the aromas coming from their smokehouse out back - and they sell bacon there - by the slab! He took us by the trailer dad's siblings owned, where they'd play cards for what seemed forever. We went past the golf course that an uncle managed for many years. My brother telling about the time he deposited a golf cart into the pond. I too, remember that pond but, by that time we weren't allowed anywhere near a golf cart. We spent many an afternoon fishing golf balls out of that pond. We crossed the Clam River a few times, where dad loved to fish. He knew that river like the back of his hand - except for the time he fell in a hole and was stabbed in the behind with a stick. We passed many of Houston's fields, where dad taught my brother the art of trespassing. Dad was caught on Houston's property so many times, that Mr. Houston once took his boots and my Grandpa Elenbaas had to take dad back to get them from Mr. Houston. We drove by the house where dad lived, the house that Grandpa moved to when he married Grandma Ann in McBain, we drove by the smallest chapel - it might seat 6 (where I dreamed I would marry Jason L.), though the rolling green hills, that smelled like cow pooh. Somehow, this tour never gets old.

Jacob got to swim in Missaukee Lake with his Momma and Daddy, Aunt Jen, cousins, Matt and Brooke, just as I did when I was little, with my own cousins. My Aunt Edith, dad's oldest sister, told us that when they were kids, they went swimming once a year, and when they did, they came to Missaukee Lake. Of course, we forgot the camera but, Jacob had a great time in the water. The first time he didn't cry.

A cousin of my dad's was there from Wisconsin. They took one look at Jacob and said "That one is Wilbur's. He looks so much like Wilbur!" I smiled, tried to hold back tears, and thanked them. Of course, all of the Aunts and Uncles agreed and I heard the same phrase many, many, times, that day. Another chapter in my book - This was Meant to Be.

We saw my Aunt Edith, Uncle Art & Aunt Mae, Uncle Harold & Aunt Pat, Aunt Dorothy, Uncle Ray and Aunt Angie and I hope to see them again next year. I have a picture of all 9 of them together when dad was at Orchard Hill. I'll add it to this post soon (I have some others to share too). I know, as most of them get older and pass on, the tradition of this reunion will end. It makes me sad to know that but, our generation doesn't make the same effort they do. Jacob is the only one of our kids, who won't have met his Grandpa Web but, his momma didn't really know him either. I rely on my big brother (sisters too) to teach my son and I about the Grandpa he never knew and the father I never knew. He got a pretty good start this Saturday and his momma got a pretty good refresher.