First, I want to save my stories about the "best day" of the visit for the last part of this series. Then most importantly I want to use the fact that today is "Throwback Thursday" all across social media today to lessen the "bitter" portion of this bittersweet" event I'm writing about today.
Friday Farewell Breakfast
Over the years they've been coming to visit us here in Kentucky we have been saying "good-bye" to the members of my family from Pennsylvania by going to breakfast with them the morning of the day they depart on their journey back home.
A couple of those morning breakfast farewells have taken place at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Cave City, just north of Smiths Grove. There were a couple of years that were not.
Since 2011, at the conclusion of each breakfast I always try to make sure we take a group picture. So before giving details about this year's traditional farewell I thought I'd take this Throwback Thursday to reminisce through some of the group photos from the past.
The first PA/KY family group picture I have was taken on a very special day: Michael & Heather's wedding day in October 2008. It was taken outside the wedding chapel in Nashville where they were married. Ironically the bride and groom are not in this shot. Although it's not a "farewell" picture this one started the tradition of a group photo during future PA family's visits.
The next year, 2009, our family picture was taken on the steps of the cabin where we all stayed during the weekend of James & Brandi's wedding in the Smoky Mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Again, ironically the bride and groom are not in this shot.
Although we did have a farewell breakfast on that trip at the Apple Barn restaurant, this was the last group photo op we had.
The first "Cracker Barrel" family picture was taken at the end of July 2011. Taken at the Cave City restaurant it is the first family pic with all of us in it. If my calculations are right Brandi (standing in the center of this shot) was already pregnant with our granddaughter.
Perhaps the most memorable thing about this 2011 family picture is the shot that's below. I don't know who she was but this little old lady unintentionally "photo bombed" our group pic. The look of surprise on her face makes me laugh every time I see it. I promise you that this was totally spontaneous and not photoshopped.
Back at the Cave City Cracker Barrel again in June of 2012. The focal point of this picture and the entire PA family visit was the newest addition to the family, Aria Nicole Conner. James, Michael, and Theresa were not there with us that morning.
This is last year's family picture. Unfortunately some of us were not there. Heather and Michael both had to work. Because of a "family issue", my sister, Peggy and brother-in-law, Gene did not come down in 2013 or this year either.
There's nothing I would love more than to have them back in the picture the next time PA family come for a visit. I miss them a lot.
Also missing are Michael & Heather who couldn't be there that morning.
Finally here's the "Farewell Family Photo" from this past week. The Pearsons, and all of those of us from Kentucky are all together once again this year.
This time the location of our final get together was at the Cracker Barrel in Bowling Green. We met there at around 8 o'clock so that Heather and James could be with us. Heather had to go to work. James had just gotten off of work and needed to go home to sleep.
We sat and enjoyed our breakfast there were a lot of dishes with a lot of food to arrange on an already crowded group of tables.
Aria made the rounds among us wearing her pink tiara and scepter that her great aunt Theresa bought her from the country store.
The banter and enjoyment of being together was the same as it had been all week. It was just in a different place with some of us just a little tired due to the early hour.
When we were finished eating we all made our way out to the restaurant's front porch. We sat in the rocking chairs and on the benches for some last minute visiting.
Aria interacted with everyone while playing with the giant checkers with her Papa at the same time. After a few minutes we all knew it was time to go. There were farewells between the Conners, Griffins and Pearsons. Aria gave them "loves" which included hugs and kisses.
The "good-bye" for Paula, Theresa and I would be when Shari and Bobby came by our house one last time just before hitting the road around noon.
As I mentioned at the start of this post each time we meet for breakfast on the day our visitors from the north depart is always bittersweet.
This year it was just a little harder to say "good-bye" because of the way Aria quickly bonded with Shari and her family.
But when the day comes, as it does each time they're here, and it's time to say "good-bye" it's nice to know that the traditions of sharing breakfast together and taking a group picture is a great way to make sure the memories of their visit last for a long time.
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