Darren comes to visit

Wednesday: My brother, Darren, was in town speaking at a conference this week and so we had a family dinner. It is always fun getting the Belnap's and Hitchcock's together. With two large families (most missing) together there is good food, good company, lots of laughs and many, many kids.

My parents will be here until after Shawna has her baby, sometime in March. So they are in the picture below too.

Jessica (Kay's oldest) invited a boy over for dinner. She was WAY brave to do this! Chad and Travis decided to carry on the tradition with the next generation and do "the interview". Poor guy. He really was a good sport. It is this dreaded thing that most of my generation had to experience with Uncle Ray and Uncle Delwyn. I'd admit that I think it was more Uncle Ray that started it, but Uncle Delwyn must have enjoyed going along. I used to dread this part of the family reunion, since I can remember, probably somewhere around 12. And yes, it happened every year and they usually lasted about an hour. How are you? What are you doing? What sports are you playing? How did you do? Dating any boys? What are you doing with your life? What do you want to do? Where are you going to college? Yada, yada, yada. You'd think I'd remember more of the questions, but I think I've blocked out most of those experiences, but still remember the feeling. When someonw brought a boyfriend, girlfriend, fiance, new spouse to the reunion, they got to have "the interview" too. It was some sort of "right of passage" into this truly amazing family. I think they gave up on me in my mid-twenties. I was about to move to Arizona and Uncle Ray asked me why I was moving. After telling him the experience that brought me to that decision...he was speechless. I actually enjoyed that moment very much. It takes a lot to catch him off guard and make him speechless. I think this is the only time in my life that I've had that privilege. Uncle Delwyn was somewhat different. I moved here and so my relationship with him changed and my weekly visits to his house kept him update on the happenings of my life. He is the one I thank for my love of hiking. I'd never really hiked much until I moved here. I did my first rim to rim with him. I loved it enough to go back and plan to do it many more times. Maybe one day doing rim to rim to rim (depending on weather and blisters). Whoa...back to the interview. Here are the pictures. Chad and Travis were worse though. Uncles asking the questions, yes, but very different questions. Like, can I shave your back? WHAT?! Seriously funny, but seriously...it probably freaked the guy out. I hope that he forgives them.