The Gathering...

Another month has gone by and time to update already!!

We were all looking forward to this month as we would be meeting up again in New Zealand. I came down from Canada, and Temaeu and the kids came over from Rarotonga.

We celebrated the wedding of the eldest grandchild...

and my family completed our duty to our parents by having my Fathers Unveiling...

These events always lead to a gathering of the extended family, a time to meet again and catch up with what’s been happening in everyone’s lives and probably the most important thing...

seeing each other again… 

“Jason the Elder”, married a lovely girl by the name of Mayana.  She is of Samoan and Maori descent and all in all, the wedding was a big success.

It was great seeing extended family on both sides... took some time to visit Temaeus family in Hamilton and Whangarei...

Then up to Kawakawa to see the whanau and to visit her “bones” at Karetu Marae

The Unveiling was a time for the family... working together to get things ready, hanging out, long nights and long conversations...

Also, it was the first time that all the Grandchildren had been together in one place at the same time.  Not sure if that will ever happen again... so we enjoy what time we have together while we have it.

It was a time for meeting family again and some for the very first time, singing, laughing, reminiscing, fulfilling old promises, and all those things you do when you know you only have a short time together, and try to extract every bit of life from each moment...

The stone is from Jimi Hendrix's grave in Renton, Washington, the wood is

Miru from Pukapuka, Connor carved this for his Uncle.

Elana, My Grand-niece.

When my daughter was born I once told her;

“You should always have your friends on your left to travel the path with you, your family on your right to catch you when you fall, your ancestors behind you so you know where you come from and the path ahead should always be clear”

Sometimes, it’s good to look back on the path travelled...

'Nuff said.