My family

Let me introduce you to my family, kind of.  Several pictures have come my way over the last few days, and I thought I'd share them with you.  This is, by no means, comprehensive.  Just kinda interesting, at least to me.

First, we have my great-great grandfather.  I think I have the right number of "greats" in there.

 
This is August Kautz.  He was born in Germany in 1828.  He also married into the Nisqually tribe up here in the Pacific Northwest, hence my passing ties to local Native Americans. 

My cousin, Matt, took this photograph, which is pretty darned cool.

 
And here's a shot where it's easier to read the inscription:

 
August is buried in Arlington, in what Matt calls "prime real estate". 

Oh, speaking of Matt, here he is with his lovely wife, Molly.

 
Cute couple, no?

Actually, I guess, Matt is my second cousin, since his mom, Rae (not to be confused with the Rae of Bouchercon), is my direct/first cousin.

 

That's Matt and his mom, Rae, along with Matt's kids.

Speaking of Cousin Rae, here she is at a somewhat younger age.

 
Rae's the blonde.  The dark-haired baby was my cousin, Susie.  Remember me talking about my Aunt Helen (not Lillian's Aunt Helen, who's still with us, but my Aunt Helen who recently passed away) and my cousin Linda, Auntie Helen's daughter, who now lives in Spokane?  Well Susie was Linda's older sister, Auntie Helen's older daughter. 

Well, here's a picture that might help a bit.  Cousin Linda sent it to me.

 

From left to right we have my mom, Doris, her mother whom we all call "Big Grandma" or "Gram", cousin Susie, hiding in the back looking very prim is Auntie Helen.  Oh, yeah, and there's that pesky blonde kid who's kinda smiling.  Pay no attention to her.  She will go on to lose several small turtles in that yard behind the group.  The house, incidentally, was Pepto-Bismol pink.  Not. My.  Fault.

Anyway, cousin Susie died years ago in a car wreck.  I still miss her.

But we're going to skip way way way ahead to yesterday.  As you know, we've been living up here for some time, partly so I could reconnect with my Nisqually roots, and partly for Lillian's brother, who was missing having family up here.

And you know that Lillian and I are married, so her family is my family.

Well, yesterday our family got bigger, in a tiny way.

 
Welcome Lilah Ann Watson, 7 lb 15 oz, 19+ inches, and competely wonderful!

 

 

Comments

[Cara]

"Actually, I guess, Matt is my second cousin, since his mom, Rae (not to be confused with the Rae of Bouchercon), is my direct/first cousin." Not quite. Matt is your first cousin once removed. Ty and Matt are second cousins.

[Lil]

Congratulations on the new additional, little ones make life so much more fun! Wishing Mom & Dad, as well as all the family all the joyous blessings a baby can bring!

[Laurie]

Great photos, Fran. Lilah Ann is beautiful. Thank you to Cara for clarifying the second/removed status of cousins--I never get that straight.