Who Invited Them?

Thursday was the annual Hadlock Family Reunion. This is the "Be Seen At" event of the year. Mountains are moved and miracles are created to be at this party. One person showed up five (5!) days after giving birth a few years ago. Short of death or a freak summer BYU football game, there are no other excuses as to why you can't be there. Trust me. I know. Because we drove all the way home from our honeymoon without stopping so we could catch the end of the reunion eight (8!) years ago. Unfortunately, we couldn't find where it was, so we didn't make it afterall. And another year, a concert I desperately wanted to attended was scheduled for the same night. We didn't have Josh yet, it is Wade's family, I thought I'd be okay with just a one hour appearance at the reunion, but I was nearly shunned for the entire year for picking the concert over the reunion. I have come to accept the family reunion as a yearly must-do event.

The actual planning stage begins in January when a family member treks, barefoot, in the snow, uphill both ways to the Parks and Recreation Department to schedule the exact pavillion we need for our familial needs. Then, beginning in March, Wade's dad reminds us nearly every time he sees us of the date for the reunion. Sometimes, I like to play dumb:

"June 25? What's going on then?" or:

"Hey, did you hear we're going on vacation from June 24 to June 26?"

It's great to see his eyes widen in disbelief that we would schedule something over an event so spectacular and amazing as the family reunion.

On Memorial Day, we have a precursor reunion at Wade's parents house. A sort of trial run after visiting grandpa at the cemetary. This sets the stage for our actual family reunion a month later. Warms us all up for the upcoming festivities. It's not advised to come into this reunion cold.

So comes June 25 (though the date changes, it's always in the later part of June and on a Thursday). We make our way to the park pavillion that is rightfully ours, thanks to our fearless family member that risked life and limb on their hike to the Parks and Recreation Department six months prior.

There's not a lot that's organized about the event--we sit around and talk quite a bit, have a few pick up games--but over the years we've added a few staples. Every family is responsible for their own lunch. Then we have a snow cone station set up.

It should be noted that I LOVE snow cones and sometimes wonder if this is the whole reason I show up year after year. Well, that and good company, of course, because I could just buy my own snow cone machine for $20 at Wal-mart. I try to keep myself to four or five snowcones, but I have, in years past, been known to top out at eight or nine. I wasn't feeling so hot this year, so I stopped at two.

Other stations include the game station and the sleeping station.

Over the years we've added activities to our reunion. There's a horseshoe pit where the guys (and a few girls) take turns throwing crescent shaped metal objects at big sticks stuck in the ground. It looks to me to be a very difficult game given how far the stick is and the accuracy in which you have to throw the object, but there is a core group of relatives that really enjoy this game and are surprisingly good at it.

There's water balloon volleyball that has taken on a whole new level of competitiveness over the years. What was once a nice, friendly game has turned into a death match. I opted to stay out this year. This event is usually followed by a water fight instigated by Wade or his brothers--all of whom are 30 or older (well, almost 30, but still...). I don't think it happened this year. If it did, Wade made it out pretty unscathed.

Wade's sister rents a cotton candy machine and we all pig out on even more sugar. (I try to make half of my snow cones using the sugar free syrup to lessen the sugar poisioning that always befalls me after the reunion). Then someone cooks "Tuffies", which is a homage to Grandma's meager upbringing where they ate fried bread a lot.

Every year, we have a few unsuspecting souls try to barge in on our gathering. They figure since it's such a big lawn and there's so many people, four more won't make a difference. But we Hadlocks, we know our kind and we can sniff out imposters. So, our designated bouncer will amble over to the offenders and scoot them off our land.

This year was no different. I saw four people casually walk over to our area. At first glance, they were an odd collection of souls. They could've been a family out for a nice picnic on a Thursday afternoon, but they didn't really look like that's what they were doing. For starters, they were all wearing badges. Is it necessary to have name tags when there's only four of you? So I thought maybe they were co-workers out for a nice lunch hour. But why the pavillion at the park that's tucked away? I watched our "bouncer" talk to them and they turned around and walked back the way they came. I returned to my conversation and then noticed the group reappearing with a small folding table and an ice chest. I was very interested in this turn of events because in years prior we've never allowed anyone to infringe on our reunion space.

Out in the open land, they set up shop. Such a bizarre collection of items they brought. I was intrigued. It was after Wade's uncle called over everyone who was blood related that I realized two things: (a) in the 15 minutes since I'd shown up, I already had a blog entry, which allowed me to relax and enjoy the event without having to fabricate a story and (b) we now have a new activity to add to our annual repertoire.

Genetic Testing.

That's right. Just when I thought the family couldn't get any weirder someone invites phlebotomists to the reunion. Wade's uncle, who has pulmonary fibrosis, invited a group from the U of U who was researching the condition and if it was hereditary to come to our family reunion to test the relations. Grandpa and Grandpa's brother both had it as well.

I have been to many a family reunion in my time. I have been to some very strange family reunions. But never have I been to a reunion where people were giving blood. There are few things more awesome than having phlebotomists show up at your family reunion to draw blood. It was like our own little tribute to Twilight. I can't wait until next year to see what testing we (by "we" I mean, those blood related. Since I married in, I'm exempt, but it's fun to watch everyone else) will endure. I'm all for seeing who REALLY is a Hadlock.