Tanta Christa's

After brunch we headed out to Wantagh to visit my Tanta Christa. She was so happy to see us. When my mom called to find out if she was available she was ecstatic and started to cry. I think she was worried that we weren't going to make it to see her during the trip, as it was almost the last day. I think it has been around 10 or more years since I last saw Tanta Christa, and it must have been about 20 years since I have been to her house.The kitchen and the living room and the stairs to the basement and the back yard all all just as I remembered them. I have fond memories of visiting with Tanta Christa and Uncle Jack, staying the weekend when I must have been around geeze, I don't even know. I guess it must have been 7th grade. I remember Tina's Canopy bed and staying the night with her, Jackie must have been in college then. I Particular I remember a night when Tina was going to a concert with friends, i so wanted to go, I remember looking up to her and idolizing her.In NY, I was really the oldest of our friends, our little neighborhood group, so it wasn't common for me to have an older cousin to look up to, I loved our visits to Tanta Christa's. I don't think I have actually seen Tina since that time, She grew up, went to college, got married, had a baby, all then while we were in Florida, and on this day, we met her Daughter Katherine (after my grandmother) for the first time, now already in college. That is a lifetime. I had to have been younger then 7th grade when we visited but the time we lived in NY before that I was in 2nd grade and that feels too young.Being back in the house was surreal, it was so amazing to meet Katie, she loved listening to stories about the family. There were three generations there on this day, Holly and Katie are actually in the same generation, which was weird. It was an amazing mini family reunion. We made plans for them to travel to Florida over the Christmas holiday, this of course put Tanta Christa in tears again, her imagining having the whole family together again. It had really been 20 years since a big family Christmas at my grandfather's house. I remember once when I was little, maybe 1st grade, we took a picture of many generations together, each sitting on the lap of the next. I was the baby, and the last to sit on the pile of loved ones, I wonder if my mom has that picture somewhere, I remember I think being on Tina's lap. I remembered helping my Opa make pizza with anchovies, and I remember Tina helping me open my gifts.While we were talking Katie referred to Tanta Christa as "Oma" and then later referred to my "Oma" as Tanta (really her Ur Tanta) which was so funny because we are just the opposites, but even stranger was when we referred to my mom as Holly's Oma. Its amazing that she is an Oma now. I know Tina would kill me for posting this picture of her. She has been really sick of late with allergies and breathing problems and she has had to take prednisone, which no one should ever be forced to take for more then a week. As a side effect it makes your cheeks puffy and you gain a lot of weight. But I could see behind it, and Tina, the Tina I remember is right there, so I had to post.This picture though is the scary part. While we were all sitting in the backyard talking and drinking orange juice "little" Jack came home. he walked into the back yard and i swore it was my "uncle jack" walking in. He is the spitting image, it was so freaky, a flash of the past. Jackie must be almost as old now as his father was the last time I saw him, or at least withing a ten year range. uncle Jack was a retired Cop, and Jackie is now a Chiropractor. It was amazing to see him. last time I did it was the 80's and I remember he was a "grown-up" in College, and he had one of those 80's style beards, now he is all "Jack"We had a wonderful visit, but alas it was time to go. This is a Picture of Tina's daughter Katie and there cute little puppy. When we were walking out Katie said to me, your mom called Oma and said she was coming over and the whole world stopped, we dropped what we were doing, "Lisa was on her way" I guess I know why the world stopped, she said, this little family reunion was amazing. and I agree. I can;t wait to see everyone again. Holy had fun, the bell of the ball. She found the little fountain in the garden, played in the grass, had some OJ and at a snack, then she was ready to go. I suppose I shouldn't tell you about the bump she got on her head falling under her Oma's watchful eye while trying to climb up the steps and go back into the house. it was gone in two days, but boy when it swelled up did my mom feel bad. (Shhhh)