Plymouth, Massachusetts, Lunenburg and Miles Pond, Vermont

On Friday, it was time to say goodbye to our little Villa in New Seabury, Massachusetts and set out for Vermont.  Friday, we were going to stop at Plymouth, Massachusetts to see Plymouth Rock and The Mayflower II before heading north, but I thought that it was so important for my Cousin Katherina to learn more about our family history.  My Cousin John had worked tirelessly to trace our Grammie Catherine’s family back to John and Priscilla Alden (take a virtual field trip http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/webcast.htm#) from the Mayflower, and watching Katherina take in all of the sights and sounds of Plymouth’s Pilgrims with such joy and curiosity overwhelmed me with emotion.  This trip to the United States was a pilgrimage for Cousin Katherina and Mia too.  It seems like this recurring theme of dreams came around yet again.  Our ancestors had gumption… courage, strength and audacity might still be characteristics seen in the family even up to this generation.  This wasn’t a vacation really;  it was a journey of our hearts, history and heritage.  And sixteen days were not enough!

After taking in the beautiful views in Plymouth Harbor (http://www.plymouth-ma.gov/Public_Documents/index) and agreeing that we need to spend more time here during Katherina’s next visit, we headed up the highway to Vermont and my sisters and niece who were eagerly waiting to see Katherina and Mia too.  We headed out to a spectacular neighborhood Bistro, Bailiwicks on Mill, and spent the next hours laughing, connecting and dreaming.  We watched the televisions spellbound as Nik Wallenda (http://news.discovery.com/adventure/wallenda-niagara-falls-120616.html) walked across Niagara Falls, which only served to remind me, once my sheer panic subsided,  about family traditions that fuel dreams and a heritage that gets passed down through the generations.  The Wallenda Family has been known for generations by their daring deeds, risking life and limb in pursuit of higher and more challenging feats.  Luckily for me, my heritage is much more down to earth.  Life is hard enough at times, we should never have to walk a tightrope for or with our families, literally or figuratively!

The next morning dawned brightly, and I swear it was the nicest day of the summer-  perfect for a couple of family gatherings.  First we drove to my Cousin Harold’s house to look over our Kenney family genealogy as narrated by our family historian Henrietta.  Her life’s work has been to collect the Kenney family history along with documentation.  We owe so much to her for all of the work that she has selflessly done through the years.  The most amazing part is that she knows it all off the top of her head.  My goal now is to take this information and put it into a book along with an updated directory, pictures, recipes and stories.  This is my mission.   This is my dream.   

In the afternoon, we went back to the Pond where I had reserved the Pavilion for part II of our family reunion day-  more cousins, additional food, new stories and just reconnecting for those who could come.  Katherina was so grateful for everyone who came out to meet her.  I am sure that her mind was swimming in the newfound layers of family, but so happy and very proud, I think.  Much like, I pray, all of our grandparents must have felt looking down on us there.