Cousins

Just like I was, Luke and Nate are blessed with many cousins. On Scott's side of the family we are a very blended bunch. Recently we all got together at the Ballards house, because Scott's step-brother, Steve, and his family were in town from Alaska.

In 2007 we all had a great time cruising together, and we are looking forward to vacationing again together in Cabo this June. These family vacations are so much fun for all of us, but the highlight is watching the kids play together, find their places with each other and assume their roles, and discover the joy that is cousins.

This picture of the cousins all gathered around the Wii makes me smile, in part because it brings back so many memories of my own cousins. I am most close to my cousins Jenny and Julie, and in the end they are more like sisters to me than cousins. I can hardly think of a significant event in my life that they are not connected to- visits to San Jose, camping trips, laughing at George's stuff, Tepee Town, taking the green bug out for a ride, Knott's Scary Farm, creating shows and songs, Me and My Boyfriend Were Walking Through the Park One Day, teaching CCD, drives through SJC donning Groucho glasses, the dead deer at the swamp, swimming lessons, the summer we went to every Bible Camp in Mission Viejo, the long walk from 10th St. Beach, me being a prissy narc on Halloween, Dominos, not going to Youth Group...

Oh no... cousins... now that I am strolling down memory lane, I am realizing that we were all mischief. As they grow, I'm gonna have to keep a closer eye on these kids ;) Even so, I wish my kids may have the same closeness with their cousins that I have had with mine.