I finally got to meet my family after 20 years!!!!

by FreedomFrog 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  FreedomFrog

  Today I got to go to the Stapleton family reunion. We as kids didn't get to go to these reunions because, as my parents would say "bad association". Most of my family (including uncles) I haven't seen in over 20 yrs.

  I almost didn't go because the fear (shy) almost took hold. My Uncle James called me this morning and was "ok, let's go."

  I am so glad I did!!! They had a huge book on our complete history of where our family came from and it was amazing. It was a big binder full of old pictures/death cert./birth cert./ love notes and other cool stuff. The family "tree" went as far back as they could go. Appearently (I didn't even know existed) most of the stuff was past down from generation to generation.

  I just found out that my ancestors started way back with King Edward II. There is a lot of "bad" history but also very good history. I HATED history when I was going to school but if I had known that King Edward II and King Edward III played a big role in our family, I would have been more interested in it as a child. I also found out that John of Gaunt was the main starting point in our Stapleton heritage. My great Uncle is going to send me the copies of the genealogy so I can pass it down to my kids.

  WOW!!! What an interesting day.
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  bikerchic

  That is so cool!

  I can't imagine your parents thinking their very own family reuinion would be bad association!! Who the heck raised THEM? Sorry but as a kid my mom the JW and my dad a non-believer we went to all our family reuinions both sides. It's the most fun a kid can have with their cousins and aunts, uncles, grand parents. I would hate to have missed out on all that fun, sorry you did.

  I hope you spend the next years of your life getting to know your family! Think of all the family history you've missed out on, now you can make some!
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  FreedomFrog

  Sorry but as a kid my mom the JW and my dad a non-believer we went to all our family reuinions both sides. It's the most fun a kid can have with their cousins and aunts, uncles, grand parents. I would hate to have missed out on all that fun, sorry you did.

  I agree. I remember as a kid wanting so bad to go to them. They have one every year (been happening ever since I can remember) last week in July.

  They (my parents) have a bad rep with my family. When they found out who I was, the comments I heard was "yeah, they decided we weren't good enough for them after they joined their religion". My thought was, and they are to set and example as being loving....Yeah right!!!

  I missed out on a lot...I agree, but my kids won't. And I can pick up from here. We had a wonderful time. They have a big pool and my kids got to play with their cousins...ALL of them.
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  JWdaughter

  Anyone else find it interesting that the first people who will tell you that JWs are NOT family friendly are also the people who are related to JWs? The JWs need to find a better way of showing love, do you think???
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  Quandry

  Wow!! So glad you got to find out about your family and had a great time. I think family reunions are wonderful. You are surrounded by people who love you-after all, you are all part of one another. It helps kids to have roots in family, and a connection with the past.
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  Open mind

  That is fantastic news Freedom Frog!!!
  
  Glad to hear it.
  
  Open Mind
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  ninja

  me too....the third series of lost has just finished and they are talking to me again
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  free2think

  Thats really great FF. And Happy Birthday.
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  TheListener

  Congratulations FF. Sounds like a whole new family chapter is beginning in your life. How great.
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  blondie

  Good for you, FF.

  I wonder if only being nonjws made them so evil or if they had residual grudges that they hid behind the jw name. Did your nonjw family know they were branded as such bad people?

  Blondie