I have a lot of cousins. a LOT!
Growing up - I don't have one memory without at least one of my cousins in it. I was brought up with the emphasis on family. And, I love that. Although...family is kind of a "loose" word. There are a lot of people that I consider family...but, are really family friends...and they're just as special as family.
Our family relationship is very strong. We fight, we laugh, we yell, we cry, we smile...we're all so different...but, then we're all even more the same. No matter what, we are always there for each other. Such a special bond.
My family gets together for every event. You are never alone. Holidays are huge. We all celebrate them together. All of us. All gazillion of us. We know it's strange. But to us...its normal. I would not have it any other way.
I love that every family event finds us reminiscing back to the good 'ole days...mostly talking about the same stories and then always including a new one. I love listening to my mom and her sisters talk about their childhood...and my childhood. I love hearing stories about my grandparents. I love hearing about what the adults were doing as we were playing colored eggs or hide and seek...or even sneaking off with our own ice chest. So may memories. So much history. So awesome.
Us cousins have only become closer. It's a different kind of closeness. We're not really playing games...well, sometimes :), but the chatting and crying and joking and teasing and just plain old belly-aching laughter is just...so...much more special.
There is a new cousin generation. And...oh boy...do I see so much of the same type of closeness that feels like just yesterday I was experiencing. I love watching it from this side...while at the same time I'm now one of the adults (well, if that's what you would call us). It's like the best of both worlds...watching the new cousin generation unfold, growing stronger with my cousin generation (go BCF Misty!) and learn so much from the generation above me.
Family...isn't it wonderful?
Growing up - I don't have one memory without at least one of my cousins in it. I was brought up with the emphasis on family. And, I love that. Although...family is kind of a "loose" word. There are a lot of people that I consider family...but, are really family friends...and they're just as special as family.
Our family relationship is very strong. We fight, we laugh, we yell, we cry, we smile...we're all so different...but, then we're all even more the same. No matter what, we are always there for each other. Such a special bond.
My family gets together for every event. You are never alone. Holidays are huge. We all celebrate them together. All of us. All gazillion of us. We know it's strange. But to us...its normal. I would not have it any other way.
I love that every family event finds us reminiscing back to the good 'ole days...mostly talking about the same stories and then always including a new one. I love listening to my mom and her sisters talk about their childhood...and my childhood. I love hearing stories about my grandparents. I love hearing about what the adults were doing as we were playing colored eggs or hide and seek...or even sneaking off with our own ice chest. So may memories. So much history. So awesome.
Us cousins have only become closer. It's a different kind of closeness. We're not really playing games...well, sometimes :), but the chatting and crying and joking and teasing and just plain old belly-aching laughter is just...so...much more special.
There is a new cousin generation. And...oh boy...do I see so much of the same type of closeness that feels like just yesterday I was experiencing. I love watching it from this side...while at the same time I'm now one of the adults (well, if that's what you would call us). It's like the best of both worlds...watching the new cousin generation unfold, growing stronger with my cousin generation (go BCF Misty!) and learn so much from the generation above me.
Family...isn't it wonderful?
No, this isn't the best picture...but, some of the new cousin generation are playing red light, green light.
Here the new generation is setting up chairs to watch the lightning storm.
i had 17 cousins that all lived within 100 yards from me and went to church with me. i feel so far away, but i'm also glad to have the space. i'm thinking i like them more when i'm not living right below them!
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