Family Dinner

Sunday December 13, 1992

Prayer is answered. I awake feeling good. We're ready to go to Phil and Deb's about 10:00. We read the Sunday paper and leave about 11:00. We are first to arrive. We visit with Dee and Deb. Phil and Steve have gone to Pick up Frank's folks in L.A. They arrive about 1 p.m. Paul & Judy & Tayler arrive about 2 p.m.

We have a nice lasagna dinner about 3 p.m. We open gifts. Steve & Dee must leave early to pick up a friend at the airport from Australia. We stay until 5:30. Stop in Simi for a hamburger.

Donna and Bob arrive about 10 p.m. We talk until 12:30 a.m. I feel real good.

This is the first time I have heard of a Reina Family Reunion. It sounds like Frank's oldest son Philip and his wife Debbie hosted the early Christmas dinner in Palmdale. How nice! It must have been somewhat difficult to get everyone together as Frank's parents lived near Los Angeles Airport 70 miles away and needed a ride, and Delores (Dee), Frank's daughter, and her husband Steve, lived in San Diego, 170 miles away. For Mom and Frank to travel from Simi Valley was only 60 miles, about a one-hour drive. Frank's youngest son Paul and his wife Judy lived right there in Palmdale.

What a busy day for Mom. I am so glad she is feeling better. It sounds like Dr. Semrad was right about her tumors shrinking and the fluid in her abdomen being gone. For her to have such a long busy day and be up past midnight visiting with her best friend from Pollock Pines, she must have been feeling great. Praise God!

Family Reunion Day

Saturday September 21, 1991

FAMILY REUNION DAY!

It's a beautiful day! God has answered yet another prayer for me! What a wonderful God!

Chris and Ric take the boys to the Simi Valley Days Parade. Frank and I work feverishly to set up tables, chairs, games and food. It takes until 1 p.m. when folks start to arrive. By 4:30 everyone is finally here and we can eat. Everyone has brought something great to eat. There is plenty of food. Everyone seems to have a wonderful time, mostly visiting. They play some Bocce Ball and ping pong. The little children are in abundance. They are everywhere and so cute.

Frank and I are weary but very pleased when it's over about 8:30 p.m. We truly love doing this each year and will as long as we possibly can.

Mother looked great. So did Frank's folks and Aunt Betty and Al. Our special guests Marty and Cathy and Art and Dorothy enjoyed themselves too.

Mom and Frank were such wonderful hosts. It took a great deal of effort to put on family get-togethers for holidays and other reunions. They also hosted block parties for their cul-de-sac neighbors every year. The photo above was taken this day. Pictured are are Frank Reina, Guy Thomas with his children Alison and Patrick, Helen Richardson, Dolores Reina, Chris Reyes, Ric Roncancio, Perry and Cathy Thomas in the top row. In the middle row are Lisa Thomas, Cathy Thomas holding her granddaughters Lindsay and Brittany Thomas, Lynne Thomas, Gene Thomas, Joe Gapol, Justin Reyes, Junior (Gabe) Gapol, and in the front row are Gary and Maria Lucky.

Chemo #6

Wednesday September 4, 1991

Off to get my nails done this morning--feeling good.

Frank comes home from Lemona to take me to my chemo--my last chemo. I have it late today, we're not out of there til 5 p.m. Dr. Bix was pleased about my CAT scan. She says that it is not unusual to have such success with Stage 3 ovarian cancer patients. And I thought I was one in a million. Ha! Ha!

We shop our way home beginning to gather supplies for our family reunion in 2 weeks here. I'm calling it a "Celebration of Life". Hopefully all 43 family members can attend.

We eat light as we had a big lunch at Bob's Big Boy today. I'm not as drowsy as usual from my chemo. We're up til 11.

What a wonderful idea to hold a celebration of life. Let's see, 43 family members, who would that be?

Mom & Frank 2
Frank's parents John & Florence 2
Mom's mother Helen 1
Mom's brother Gene & his wife Cathy 2
Gene & Cathy's children Perry, Guy & Lynne 3
Perry's wife Cathy & 2 girls Lindsey & Brittany 3
Guy's wife Lisa & their children Allison & Patrick 3
Mom's children Chris & Gary 2
Chris' husband Ric & her son Justin (2 more boys now) 2
Gary's wife Maria & her sons Gabe & Joe (2 more boys now) 3
Frank's children Philip, Paul & Delores 3
Philip's wife Debbie & their children Joey & Sarah 3
Paul's wife Judy & their daughter Tayler (1 more son now) 2
Delores' husband Steve (a son & daughter now) 1

This adds up to 32. I'm not sure who the other 11 are, perhaps close family friends? Oh joy! Mom sent me 2 photos from the family reunion. In this photo starting top row left are: Frank, Guy holding Allison & Patrick, Grandma Helen, Mom, Chris, Ric, Perry, Cathy; in middle row are: Lisa, Aunt Cathy holding Brittany & Lindsey, Lynne, Uncle Gene, Joe, Justin & Gabe; in front are my brother Gary and his wife Maria.

In our immediate family pictured below are (top left) Maria, Grandma Helen, Dolores & Chris; middle row Gary, Frank and Ric; and front row Joe, Justin & Gabe.