Family in the Hill Country

We have been traveling.  How many times have I typed that over the years?

Some trips are memorable than others.  This one is no exception.  One of the things that I loved about this trip, is that I got to see one of my cousins. 

He is actually my Grandma’s nephew.  He lives in Fredericksburg, Texas with his sweet wife.

I have loved him since I was little.  I told my kids he reminds me of a pirate.  He used to wear an eye patch and is not afraid to speak his mind.  (That is why I like him.)

He built his German style house in the hills and is my dream home. (I’ll show you that tomorrow. Gorgeous!!!) Plus, it is stocked with my family history.

This was a picture given to my Great Grandma.  (She is one of the reasons I write my blog.  I would love to had heard her thoughts on paper.)  She had 12 – 14 kids. Our family tree is quite public due to our Czech roots and there are discrepancies.  My grandma was the last one born and the last living.  She says since she was the baby – they didn’t talk of such things. She always thought she was the 12th child.  {She is so special to me (I was her first grandchild – thus a little spoiled).}

My Great Grandma had 7 daughters.  She is pictured at 12:00 and it goes in age order.  My grandma is at 11:00.  I have so many memories of my Great-Aunts and Uncles.  As a child, I spent a LOT of time with my Grandma and would go with her to every family function, including class reunions.

These were my Great Grandparents.  They were cotton farmers in Caldwell, Texas.  Do you ever want to go back in time and just interview someone?  This would be the couple!  They had tons of kids, lived in the depression, spoke English and Czech, lost a son in a war, and had so many stories – that were probably never told.

This was their farm house.  It was sold and I always wanted to visit but never got the chance.  It was 2 story and reminds me of something that was on The Waltons. 

I found this picture in my cousin’s stash.  It was my Great Grandma in her yard with her chickens.  She looked so solemn, I wonder what she was thinking.  I like to think we were kindred spirits.  She had chickens – I had chickens.  She had a lot of kids – I have well, I think a lot of kids.  She liked to garden – I like to shop for veggies.

This is my Grandma (the small one) and two of her sisters.  These 2 sisters were both special in my life.  The one in the middle called me when she found out I was with child number 4 and just encouraged me on my answering machine.  She passed away a few months later.  I saved her message for over a year until the machine gave in.  It was one of those messages you just couldn’t get rid of.  She had five children as well.

The other sister was also very special to me.  Another day, I’ll have to share when she wouldn’t answer her door, because she thought we were “religious” and she didn’t want our tracts.  My hubby actually preached at her funeral. 

Talk about a blessing to have known both of them. 

I have so many memories of all of these ladies.  I have to write about them in the future.  Some of them make me laugh so hard, I might pee.  (If you are still reading – that was just for effect…wait, I do have 5 kids, so maybe not.) 

So thankful – for such a neat heritage. 

One more story:

I was really close to my Grandpa.  At his funeral, my Grandma’s nephew (pictured above) told my cousin and me to come to his truck.

We did.

He was wearing an eye patch and was known to be quite the rascal.
He showed us a gun. Not just any gun, but an uzi.

I was young and naïve.  He told me that certain people in the Mob were after him.  I grew up believing he was a really- really- really bad guy.

Years later, my hubby and I went to Fredericksburg for our 10th year anniversary.   We stopped at their house for a little visit.

I pulled his sweet wife aside and asked her “Was he still in the mob?”  I thought she was going to have a stroke laughing so hard.

It turns out he is an engineer.  AN ENGINEER!!!!  He designs chemical plants! 

For 20 years, I thought he was in the mob!

Again, thankful for my heritage.

The gun was probably fake!  But, then again, who knows?

I just love them!  What a blessings it was to see them!

Blessings to you!  You are loved!