The city of Bismarck deserves a big hug and thank you for hosting our Mittelstaedt family reunion on June 20. The facilities, food and staff at the Comfort Inn were fabulous. Both the mayor and the governor sent letters of welcome. Five brothers came over from the Odessa area of the Ukraine around 1900. Because of the confusion and congestion at entry points such as Ellis Island, the name ended up being spelled seven different ways. The governor, however, spelled it right - the proper German way. Hooray!

The featured speaker for our program was a third or fourth cousin from Australia who has been doing research for the last seven or eight years on the resettlement of our family from Germany to Russia since about 1800. Her presentation was utterly fascinating, informative and inspiring.

The highlight for me, however, was the ceremony to honor those who were with us only in spirit now. Cousin Herbie handed out red roses to family representatives as he told how we are all fragrances to each other, how special each person is to everybody else. This was so healing for me because of several deaths in my immediate family recently.

The family surrounded my sister and me with their love and caring. So many of the relatives offered kind words of tribute to my mother, who had been the leading historian of her generation.

I left the weekend refreshed and renewed with perfumed balm for my scars and remaining wounds. Not only did Ireceive sympathy, compassion, comfort and understanding, I also had a great time. We had music and stories, a silent auction and raffle displays, pictures, maps and graphs, and games.