"We start and end with family"

The majority of my family arrived in NC Friday afternoon. The coolers were full so we spent the evening catching up and blowing off some steam. Liam was introduced to his sweet cousin Sophie AND the word gentle, geeeentllllle. We ate and drank while "long train runnin" and "fool in the rain" played over the stereo. Before I knew it, it was 2 am! That tends to happen when we all get together. So everyone retired to their respective sleeping quarters and there wasn't a clear spot of floor to be found.
Because Kim wouldn't be released from the hospital on Saturday as hoped, everyone took shifts going to Rex to visit her. Despite the onslaught of twenty-plus family members she was in good spirits and had gotten her appetite back. She even had it in her to put a certain couple in the "hot seat" by asking what exactly was going on with them (which resulted in a non-answer if I've ever heard one). After our visit we headed back to the "borough". Later that night we narrowly avoided a trip to the ER when a sibling wrestling match on the front lawn ended with the competitors slamming into the porch.
Thankfully both Joel and Devon were able to shake it off. Sunday morning we got the news that Kim was on her way home so we all organized ourselves to head over to her house for a little welcome home/anniversary/birthday party. In September mom and dad made it to the wedded equivalent of summiting Everest. Because getting us all in the same place at the same time is like herding cats we hadn't been able to honor their 50th anniversary so we rolled that and Dillon's 2nd birthday into one big party.



Excluding his wedding photos there isn't a picture out there where my brother, Chris is acting normal. Keeps it interesting.
Actually, its surprising that he's in such a good mood because the Redskins had just lost, AGAIN.
Anyway, here we are, the Hodge 5 from left to right: Leslie, Lara, Chris, Kim and Joel.

Dillon managed to score some pretty cool birthday presents and then we all ate SpongeBob birthday cake, including Liam, thanks to his Aunt Kimmy who spoils him rotten!

Let me just say that my poor husband was a
trooper through it all. A long stressful week ending in a house full of crazies and he only snapped once. I think both big and little Joel will be careful not to push his buttons in the future.



This weekend was a hectic one, but the good kind of hectic. The kind where almost everyone you love in this world is gathered under one roof and despite the reason for the occasion, there is laughter and comfort in simply being together.

This incredible slide show not only represents hours of hard work on Rachel and Becky's behalf but also the last 50 years of our family.