Ruth Jones celebrated her 80th birthday with family on Friday. They gathered together at a local Olive Garden.
Jones’s age in and of itself isn’t an unusual feat. People are living longer and longer these days. The people who attended the celebration are the ones that made it truly special.
Jones sat next to her daughter, who sat across the table from her daughter, who sat next to her daughter, who was holding her newborn daughter.
You see, not often does a single party have have generation of women in attendance.
The full family roster is:
Matriarch: Ruth Jones, 80, “Queen G” of Bonney Lake, WA.
Daughter: Julie Olson, 58, now known as “GG” or “Great Grandma” of Parkland, WA.
Granddaughter: Kim Peterson, 38, known as “Nana” of Graham, WA.
Great-granddaughter: Camery Wentz, 20, of Tacoma, WA.
Great-great granddaughter: Kali Nava, born July 7.
Prior to the birth of Kali, Jones was known as “GG”. That title now been passed on to Olson. A new honorific, “Queen G,” was created for Jones.
This was first Jones had heard of it.
“I gave it up, huh?” Jones said.
“Yes, you did, mom,” Olson replied. “I’m the GG. I’m sorry, it’s what happens.”
“Apparently, I don’t have a choice,” Jones said.
Kali is Jones’ first great-great grandchild.
“It just kind of hit me,” Jones said. “And then it hit me with 80 years old. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I never thought I’d live this long.”
Jones has suffered from several health issues.
She has four children, 16 grandchildren, 11 great-grand children and one great-great grandchildren.
“Every one is special,” Jones said. “They are all different.”
Kali was a happy baby Friday as she was held buy all of the women in attendance.
“I will never have to take her to day care or a babysitter,” said her mother, Wentz. The women were quick to add that the men in the family also help with childcare.
The older women of the family serve as an incredible resource for questions about raising children.
“They don’t come with a book,” Wentz said.
So how did this unusual circumstance happen? Each woman is the oldest in her family and had her first child between the ages of 18 and 20.
A quick search of the internet shoes that six generations alive at once seems to be the record.
Peterson is still getting used to being called “Nana”. She’s just 38.
“I never thought I’d be a grandma. But I don’t mind it. Call me what you want,” Peterson said.
Five generations doesn’t seem like such a big deal to Peterson.
“I don’t give it much thought until I mention it to people,” Peterson said.
Wentz hopes her daughter will inherit the family’s goofy sense of humor.
“We’re goofy people,” Wentz said. “We’re not serious people. I hope she’s good at interacting with other kids and not a little bully.”
She also hopes her new daughter will be able to learn from her older family members.
“Having all these women from all these generations bringing in all their characteristics and the things they know. … It’s something not a lot of people get to experience,” Wentz said.
Peterson hopes that young Kali will also get to experience another important trait of the family.
“The love,” Peterson said. “It’s endless.”
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