There Once Was A Family Named Dorin

What was my favorite Christmas gift this year? A framed family photo from my uncle of my mom's side of the family which, over the years, has gotten very small. Both my grandparents died, as well as great Aunts and Uncles. It's just our small little family and even though we don't have the chance to see each other very often (they live in Virginia, we live in Georgia), we love each other very much!

We took a picture together at my cousin's wedding this summer and it includes my uncle and his family and my mom and our family.

Attached to the photo was a poem about how the family name was lost when my Uncle and my Mom had 2 daughters each. Instead of carrying on the "Dorin" family name, some of our family members have "Dorin" as our middle names.

In the beginning was a family named Dorin
Created by Margaret and Allen
Who begat Diane and Junior
With the chance of perpetuation
Alas, four beautiful daughters
All eventually losing their surnames,
On the growing family tree.
Although destined to fade as the Mohicans,
at the end nevermore to be,
May the name survive before first and last,
For generations so all may see,
That there once was a family named Dorin,
Whose creators are at rest in the sea.

Thanks to all who truly made possible a rare photographic opportunity
from the Last of the Dorin's
Christmas 2008

We started sobbing when my mom finished reading it. My grandparents, as you may recall, are at the bottom of Virginia Beach (their ashes were spread there). On Christmas morning, my mom told me a story that I had not heard, about how they did it. Several months after my grandparent's died, my uncle told my mom to meet him at this bar. When he got there, he plopped down two urns. He said "Well, here's mom and dad, I got a six pack - let's go to the beach and spread their ashes". So went to the beach in the middle of winter, said their goodbye's and scattered their ashes in the water. Then they sat down and drank their beer.

Virginia Beach was where my mom and her family spent many summers and was the perfect spot for Grandma and Papa!

Here is the list of all the Dorin's

Margaret and Allen Dorin (my grandparents)

Martha Diane Dorin Clark, Allen Dorin Jr. (my mom and Uncle)

Ashley Dorin Clark Fordonski (me), Sarah Whitney Hope Dorin Carlton (my cousin), Sarah Kathleen Benjamin Dorin Carlton (my other cousin).

Margaret Dorin Hyser (my sister's daughter Meg and my Godchild)

I will never forget the Christmas we received the most beautiful gift I have ever seen, from my sweet Uncle Lolly (Allen)!

You have not heard the last of "The Dorin's" - just you WAIT!