The Gang's All Here

Every Sunday for as long as I can remember, my mom has cooked traditional Italian spaghetti and meatballs. You probably remember my quest to replicate this dish, met by not-quite-complete success. Anyway, for a large majority of my life, Sunday lunch has consisted of me and Matt, Lukas and Danielle, Tatum, and the other members of my immediate family sitting around, enjoying the food my mother's hands have prepared. We'll indulge in a rather animated discussion. Often we'll all be talking at once, each on our own subject, a merry-making din. After we eat and have lingered long enough around the table, we clear the dishes and adjourn to the living room, where we await the appearance of coffee and dessert (or fall into a food-induced coma, whichever comes first). This is a hallowed tradition and takes place in a sacred circle. Matt and Danielle were invited in by marriage. Tatum is related by love, if not blood, so he's in too. But rare is the occasion that others are brought into the circle, and those that have been there know the honor being bestowed upon them.

Then Lukas, Danielle and Tatum all took off for other parts of the world, breaking up the band. Oh, we try to carry on without them, but we all know it's just not quite the same. But yesterday, with the gang back home, we reunited for one more glorious Sunday lunch. And it was good indeed.

The Sunday Lunchers

 Violet meets Uncle Tatum for the first time. They are equally amazed with each other. Tatum's theory behind holding babies is that you should never assume you alone are enough to keep them happy. Shiny objects help with distraction.

 Violet seems to think Tatum is enough.

 The Tatum Pole. (Get it? Like Totem Pole, but with a Tatum.)

Violet and her godparents. (I can't get enough pictures of the three of them together. They have to last me until December!)