Cousins et al

A large portion of my mother's family settled in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Grandpa Peterson got a job out there during WW II, so moved there with his wife and all the kids who still lived at home - and there were a bunch of them. Mom was already married and settled in ND. Therefore, I never knew my "out West" aunts and uncles and cousins very well. I went to Tacoma twice with my mom; once when I was a few months old and again when I was eight. That was the last time I saw most of them. When I started traveling for work around 2002-2003, my job took me to Tacoma and I took the time to start meeting my long-lost relatives. What a gold mine I found! Over the last 6-7 years I have been there several times and each time I get to know more and more of my blood relatives. My aunts and uncles are really great people and they have been so open and loving and happy to see me and various others who have started going there as well. This past weekend was one of the best gatherings ever. We had a whole bunch coming in from out of town who joined a whole bunch of locals. My cousin, Ralph, says there were 69 of us there. And to think that there are a lot more who were missing! If any of you locals read this - I want to tell you THANK YOU for making it such a wonderful day.