Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Widick Family

Christmas Day has traditionally been spent with the Widick side of the family. Growing up, we would go and spend the day at my Grandma and Graddaddy's Widick's house. It was a time that I enjoyed very much because it was a day spent with my cousins and opening presents and eating. We would stay all day and have so much fun. We would play Bingo and win prizes. As the family got bigger, Grandma and Granddaddy's house got smaller and we moved around a bit. We eventually moved to my Aunt Mary Margaret and Uncle Lee's house and when Grandma and Granddaddy moved to Lebanon, we started having it at my Aunt Trisha and Uncle Reeds house.

This year we were at Reed and Trisha's house for Christmas. The whole family was there with the exception of Marty and Penny's family. Penny had just had surgery and there was no way she needed to get out and come into Lebanon when she needed to stay home and rest. We gather together to eat a yummy Christmas lunch of turkey and dressing and all the trimmings. My contribution every year is to bring my Grandmother Smith's macaroni and cheese casserole and I did and every bite was eaten. This year we did a Dirty Santa exchange among the adults and that was a lot of fun. This year, Kevin and I ended up with the "bottle" that has made its way back and forth between families over the year.

Before we ate dinner, we gathered together to bless the food with prayer and my aunt brought up something that I had always know but never thought about. Every person in that house including Marty and Penny are members of the Lord's church. There are 26 members of this family including the children. We all share a common belief and there is no tiptoeing around afraid to offend someone because they believe something different from you. There are 3 ministers of God's Word and there are deacons and an elder. We are all very different from each other but no matter we have the most important thing in common and that is our love for the Lord and his work. This is something that doesn't happen in all families but I am happy that I am part of this family.

Here is my Grandma and Granddaddy Widick. They are both in their eighties. Their health is not the best but they were able to be with us this year.


Here is Grandma and Granddaddy with their children. My dad, Joe Widick, is the oldest. Trisha is the middle child. She is married to Reed Thomas and they have two girls, Laura Beth and Kathryn. Mary Margaret is the youngest. She is married to Lee Whitfield and they have two boys, Drew and Jackson.
Here are the cousins unfortunately without Marty. From oldest to youngest it is me, Laura Beth, Lane, Kathryn, Drew and Jackson. Growing up, me and Lane and Laura Beth and Kathryn were very close. Whenever we were together we played. For the longest time, they lived in Nashville and we were in Lebanon. We only got together about once a month or so at our grandparents' house for Sunday dinner. I have wonderful memories of us playing together in their basement and in their backyard and not to mention the Christmases we spent together. Drew and Jackson came along when we were much older.

Here we are with our spouses. Laura Beth is married to Chad High and they have two children, Lawton and Carolina. Kathryn is married to Andrew Phillips and they have a little boy named Luke. Drew is a freshman in college and Jackson is a freshman in high school.John Derrick and Lawton had a lot of fun playing together once they warmed up to each other.


Faith had her DS with here and that attracted Lawton's attention and he spent some time watching her play her DS while we were doing Dirty Santa.

Here are the three "babies," Josie, Luke and Carolina. They were all born in 2008.

I wish we had gotten a picture of the whole family together because this is a special family.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree Mary Anne! We have a very special family. I always look so forward to Christmas Day because we all get together!
Kathryn

LB said...

It was so good to spend the day with you and the entire family. I look forward to it every year!! I'm also so glad that John Derrick and Lawton had such a good time together! :)