Cousins

I have approximately thirty-six 1st cousins--give or take.  I have to say give or take because well, you know--secrets.  So let's just call it 36, and then I also have many 2nd and 3rd cousins.  I've been blessed with a large extended bigger than life family.  However, I want to write about just 3 of my cousins. There is the one I grew up with, the one that became my sister/friend, and the one that took my place.

The cousin I grew up with was my age.  For many years I'd go to her house for a couple of weeks during our summer break from school.  She was the oldest of 7 kids and to me, this large family was a little slice of heaven.  There was always lots of commotion, noise, food, and tons of fun.  There was never a quiet moment and that was OK with me.  My house was too quiet, with both of my parents working and a surly little sister--well, I was ready for summer and to get going.  Fortunately, I was able to spend some time with my cousin--we loved going to the lake and laying in the sun, we loved going to the local county fair and checking out the boys, and I loved watching TV with her siblings in the evenings.  It didn't hurt that my aunt was an awesome cook and what I loved most were her homemade french fries.  Oh my gosh, I can smell them now.  I had so much fun during those summers.  It was wonderful having a female cousin my own age.  And every summer her and I would also meet up for a couple of weeks at my grandmother's house.  We used to walk to the public pool and swim and we used to pick berries for cobblers, and then bake later that evening.  And yes, it's true that over time we've grown apart, but I still have those summertime memories and I cherish them.  I love seeing her and her siblings every few years and reminiscing.  Those were the days!

The cousin that has become my sister/friend is a cousin that I didn't particularly like when I was growing up.  She was my sister's age and they hung out together and they were tattletales.  Yes, they really were. I caught on about age 8 or 9 and that's when I began to set them up.  Man, was I a little devil or what?  I'd say a bad word, they'd run screaming into the house to tell on me and later when questioned by my mother I would bat my little brown eyes and say--no mom, I would never say that.  Hopefully, I've changed a bit.  Although my husband might beg to differ.
Eventually, we both grew up and got married and began to have our babies.  And then my cousin moved to the little town where I lived.  I couldn't really ignore her now could I?  So, I began to invite her to come over, to go places with me, and to attend our church, pretty much anything I did I invited her.
And, within just a few short months we became besties, cousin/friends, she was one of my peeps--my people.  It turned out I liked her.  She was sweet, kind, honest and best of all she loved her kids deeply.  We started doing everything together.  We'd go camping and shopping and take the kids to the library and go shopping and we'd go to lunch and have family game night and go shopping and generally just have fun.  She's now one of my closest friends.  It's hard living so far away, but she comes to visit and I go out and visit her.  We laugh and eat and shop and our husbands think we're so crazy, which makes us laugh even more.  I'm so thankful for her and her friendship and I'm so grateful that she's my cousin.

And then there is the one that I call--the one who took my place.  My mother's sister, my aunt, had 3 boys.  One boy was my age, one a year older and one 2 years older.  They weren't so bad.  We'd play all sorts of games, we'd have a lot of fun--hunting for tree frogs mostly.  I loved going to my aunt's house.  She didn't have a little girl, so I proudly stepped in.  She'd brush my hair and put little bows in it.  She'd let me help out in the kitchen and stir the cookie batter, and she generally just made me feel special--the only girl.  But then one day it all changed.  She had an unexpected surprise.  A little baby girl.  I didn't want to like her--not at all.  The minute my aunt was done feeding, changing her and putting her down for a nap I'd run into the room with brush and bows in hand, and thankfully she was always patient with me.  She reassured me in her own way.  I guess she knew--I was jealous--very jealous.  I was only 7 years old and was very afraid of being displaced.
But, this little baby girl eventually won my heart.  I don't remember her ever crying or fussing.  No, she was all smiles and giggles--always laughing, and as she grew up, always very special.  To me, she became like another little sister.
Looking back now she really became her mother.  She looks like her, acts like her and has a heart like her.  My aunt is gone now.  I think of her often and I am thankful for my cousin who took my place--where would I be without her?

My cousins-I love them.