For the last 16 years our friends from across the US (including Alaska!) and from overseas (Denmark) have come together for what we call, The Gathering. These people are more family than friends and it really should just be called a Family Reunion. We have watched each other’s kids grow up, supported each other during illnesses, (unfortunately) the death of a friend, heartache, marriages, and getting together when someone travels through an area in which we live. (This isn’t even all of the people that come to the gathering either! We are missing quite a few that couldn’t make it for this trip.)

The Gathering has been held in Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Myrtle Beach. Due to Covid, we needed to postpone our Tennessee trip in 2020 for June 2021, and that means it’s coming soon! We all are so excited and the preparations for meals, activities, and the like are all being planned out. We pretty much do everything “family style” so we all chip in for food and we cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner and all eat together and hang out for 4 days.

All of the kids get along with each other and really enjoy playing no matter if it’s at the beach or if we’re hiking in the mountains. It’s really great for us parents that they can just run off and play while the rest of us catch up (even though we “see” each other on Facebook), and enjoy some drinks. The nice thing is, is that we trust each other enough with our kids that we can head out and do some things on our own and we know they will be cared for. All the kids are comfortable with all the adults there. It really is just one big family.

I took this photo of the most spectacular rainbow I have ever seen in 2018 when we were in Myrtle Beach. The photo doesn’t do it justice and the entire sky was pink. It was absolutely amazing.

I made everyone that was at the Myrtle Beach trip one of these little jars filled with sand from the beach. I am trying to figure out what I can make for this years trip. I am sure I will come up with something.

When we all get together at the end of June, we will be spending our 4 days in this cabin. (Unfortunately, our previous cabin was destroyed in the Tennessee fires back in 2016). The inside is amazing and I will take as many pictures as I can to show you all. I am on the dessert committee (imagine that lol), so I will be baking cookies and other treats to take for everyone to munch on.

We will be driving down (I hate flying) and staying overnight in Kentucky before making the rest of the trip. This allows us to have a full day with everyone on the first day. We have never been to Kentucky before, so that will be nice to see another state (even if we won’t be doing much there).

I will leave you with this picture of us in 2016 when we were in Tennessee last. Anytime I talk about The Gathering and this amazing group of friends, people are so shocked that we are able to pull it off. We couldn’t do it without Gina, who is the planner behind it all and keeps everyone on track with funds, reservations, etc. She truly is amazing. I can’t wait to see everyone in less than a month and I promise to share all my photos when I get back.

XOXO, Jules