Max Palmer

Big Families

This past weekend I was in Minnesota for my Nana's funeral. She was 89. She and my Pop-Pop had eight kids, one of them being my mom. I'm one of 25 grandchildren. They were together for 65 years.

It was a weekend filled with tears. But also laughter. After we laid her to rest we had dinner back at the hotel. My uncle wrote a speech to memorialize her. That led to family members chiming in with different stories about her. Most of them funny. She had a whit about her. Many of them about how thoughtful and kind she was. It was beautiful to be a part of.

When we were younger we would go on big family reunions every couple years. Usually to a Club Med in the Carribean. We were lucky. I remember the last one vividly. We celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. On the night of the celebration, all 40+ of us went to the hotel event space to watch a video my Aunt made of their life. We then watched them dance to Frank Sinatra. It was beautiful.

It was at that moment I knew I wanted a big family. What's possibly better than being married to the same person your whole life, surrounded by countless children and grandchildren? Nothing. Nothing could be better.

I remember thanking both of them that night. Thanking them for bringing all of us into the world.