Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
1:03 pm Friday, March 21, 2008

Never too old for Kousin's Konvention

By Staff
Kim West
I think birthdays are even better than Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter, and those are my three favorite holidays.
I like everything about birthdays – everything from the corny candle-and-singing ritual to those yummy ice cream cakes from Dairy Queen.
And I have always loved sending and receiving birthday cards because it's always a pleasant surprise to open your mailbox and find a brightly-colored envelope with a handwritten address scrawled across the front instead of those pesky bills or junk mail circulars.
I think all birthdays, and not just the traditional passing-of-age milestones at 16, 21 or 50, should be equally recognized. It probably sounds hokey, but I believe birthdays show people how much their loved ones value them, and birthday parties have a special knack for bringing people together.
Last Saturday I drove to the Donnelly House in Birmingham for my grandfather's surprise 80th birthday party. Papaw said he had no idea that my grandmother had been planning this event for the past two months, and he seemed very surprised and happy that so many people came to see him.
I was also surprised because every one of my cousins came to his party, and this was the first time we had all been together since we were kids and Mamaw and Aunt Julie had gathered us at the lake house in Cullman for the last Kousins Konvention, which was basically a family reunion for all the cousins on my mom's side of the family.
For three straight summers we visited Smith Lake and spent a few days cooking out, playing video games and splashing in the lake. At Papaw's party, some of my cousins and I talked about how much fun it would be to get together again, but it will be a little different this time since most of them have kids of their own now.
Hopefully my cousins and I will figure out a way to bring those reunions back for the next generation.
After all, my aunt and grandmother relied mostly on land-line phone calls to organize these events, and we now have e-mails, cell phones and text messaging at our disposal, so there's really no excuse for us. And since my mom's birthday is in June, I think that would be a great time to have the fourth annual Kousins Konvention.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025