Rearranged: Hughes Ladies Retreat

Last weekend I went to our annual Hughes Ladies Retreat. This is my Dad's side of the family. We've been having this retreat for about 15 years now and I LOVE it! Basically all the women who are either blood related, married, or family by proxy (yes ex-wives are invited) get together to enjoy a weekend together. No kids are allowed (you have to be 18), so it's also a nice getaway for moms!

Here's the family history behind the weekend. My great-grandmother (who is still living and wears red lipstick every day) Nana is one of 11 kids in the Hughes family. Eight of those eleven kids lived full lives and five are still alive today. Three of them died either at birth or at a young age from pneumonia.

The kids that lived (in birth order) are:
-JD
-Burton
-Bernice (my Nana)
-LG
-Bob
-Harold
-Betty
-Martha

GrandDaddy Hughes, whose name was Jesse Alpha Clark, was married to Granny Hughes whose name was Vera Nin. He was a Baptist preacher in West Texas and he had his own radio show in Midland. I love to hear the Hughes kids tell stories of singing on the radio show, and I have memories of them gathering around a piano to sing at our family reunions. They have such beautiful harmony and even as they got older, they continued to try to sing. Bob has a bass voice that is unforgettable. Part of my musical talents definitely came from this side of my family!

The Hughes family left an amazing legacy of kids and grand kids and we all love to sit around and share stories of our families. Usually the ladies get together in a bed and breakfast town like Boerne, Salado, Gruene or Fredricksburg, but we have started a new tradition of gathering in remote location like a ranch to just get away and enjoy each other's company instead of shopping. I absolutely love this new tradition and I feel like I have gotten to know the women in my family even better.

This year we went to a ranch outside Blanco, TX and had an awesome time chatting, eating some yummy baked goods, making wreaths (thanks to some super-crafty cousins) and laughing together.

I'm so very thankful that I come from such a strong line of women on both sides of my family. They love the Lord and they value family over everything else. Quinn is a lucky girl and I can't wait for her to be a part of this special weekend.