My great grandmother is the beginning of my family’s story as far as I’m concerned. She was a single mother to 10 children and the source of comfort for numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. The homestead where she lived with her 10 children is still a place of gathering for numerous parties and celebrations. My mom likes to say that the homestead was a place for the children and grandchildren with broken wings to come and get back on their feet and that sense of village raised children continues to be an integral part of my family dynamic. The sentiment of celebrating all of our triumphs and offering comfort for our falls began with her and continues in what would have been her 98th year.
