Awesome Cousins

One of my cousins had a birthday today.  Late -- as always (but still on the day!) -- I texted to tell her Happy Birthday!...

She responded with "We need another cousin vacation."  And I concur.

And so, I reminisced about memories shared with this particular cousin.  Memories of making cheese olivettes with our moms.  Memories of riding the train from New Jersey to New York City.  Of eating cheese-steaks at one of the authentic places in Philly.  Memories of sleeping on the pull-out bed in the living room of our grandparents' house right before our family reunion in 2008.  Memories of laughing about the dog.  And laughing about Dwight-isms.

And then I start to remember memories shared with my other awesome cousins (of which I have many...).  Memories of chocolate lovers' dreams and climbing on the Fine Arts building at a certain Southern Georgia university.  Memories of macaroni and butter and Jerry Springer and How Bizarre.  And maybe even the smell of fritos after a perm...

Or that stupid little feather in Forrest Gump and sitting up late into the night around the dinner table telling stories and laughing.  But trying really hard to keep it down so we don't get in trouble -- but my brother can't help himself when he hears the stupid little feather comment and, I believe, manages to almost choke on the soda he is drinking...

Or the cockroach that fell out of the sugar -- and the cousin who, in the middle of the night while our moms were asleep and all us cousins were sneaking spoonfuls of sugar (hey, they help the medicine go down, so they can't be all that bad, right ;)?) in the kitchen when someone just had to have white sugar and just couldn't settle for the brown sugar (which was better anyway...), when the cockroach fell out of the sugar, declared, "Oh darn!  the cockroach fell out of the sugar."  (It wasn't a real one, by the way...).

I have cousins with a variety of talents (like cake decorating and crocheting and game programming and amazing musical talent...).  I have cousins who are amazing examples of motherhood.  Cousins who are amazing examples of strength.  Cousins who have endured hardships I don't know if I'd have the strength to endure. 

I have been abundantly blessed with amazing family -- and my cousins are definitely in the top ranks of that list.  And for that, I am grateful.

What are you grateful for today?