Closer Than Cousins

Even though I always say that I would love for Vicki and her family to live next door, or at least in the same town, I don't know if I mean it. I say this because living close together would mean that we would have no excuse to spend nights with each other. Yes, the children could still do overnight visits, but Vicki and I wouldn't. Day visits are great, but everything seems to change after darkness chases everyone into the house and the weariness that comes from playing hard all day turns into silliness. Time spent together during the day has to compete with other things that need to be done, but after the last meal has been served and cleaned up, and everyone has had baths and all other everyday needs are met, then time together enters a whole new realm.

For our children, spending days at a time together has made their relationships closer to that of siblings than cousins. At times, they all get along perfectly, other times they argue about insignificant things...no grudges are held for too long. They have such a neat way of relating to one another and their age differences. Kaylyn, who is the oldest girl, is a role model for Kinley and Madison. They love for her to hang out with them and model themselves after her in so many ways. At the same time, Madison and Kinley bring out the child in Kaylyn, who turned into a teenager when we weren't looking!

The same thing happens with the boys. The three younger ones all look up to Stephen, Vicki's seventeen year old son. At the same time, Patrick and Carter are also role models for Landon. I've watched Landon go from a baby that was set apart from everyone else to a playmate for Patrick and Carter.

Growing up, I can remember a couple of families that we were really close to....families that we were with so much that memories of them are woven into the fabric of my past. When I think of these families and our relationship with them, I realize that it is how my children will feel about Vicki and her family. Even more so because of all of the days AND nights that we spend together. I'm so happy that they will share so many memories.....that my house feels like home to her children and hers feels like home to mine. I don't think we even realize the significance of the relationships that we are helping them build. I believe that years from now they will all continue to share a bond that, while may not be considered as strong as siblings, will definitely surpass that of most cousins!