Cousins

I wrote this post once already, had it published, but then the technology failed me and it was deleted.  I hate that.  Let me try again.

My grandmother's memorial service was this past Saturday, and it was such a beautiful bittersweet time.  Many aspects of the service were an encouragement to me, but my favorite by far, and the one I think would make Grandma smile, was the time the cousins spent reconnecting with each other.  I'm not sure what it is about cousins, but there certainly can be a bond that goes deeper than most.  Perhaps it is the shared family experiences.  Perhaps it is the shared DNA.  Who knows.  I just know that when I spent time with my cousin Angie especially my heart is filled and my face hurts from smiling and laughing so much.

The original post had memories of my time spent with Angie.  Although it feels trite to me to type them again, I will because I want to re-read them in my 90th year and remember.

Angie and I spent sweet days together while we were growing up.  We would meet each other on the walk between our houses and then proceed to Liz's Pantry, a tiny mom and pop store that still sold nickel and dime candy in the early 1980's.  We would walk in with one quarter each, buy the exact same candy and then eat it at the exact same time as we walked back to her house.  We spent hours playing monopoly on the floor of her bedroom, roller skating in Grandma's one-car garage, and dancing to the soundtracks of Greece and American Graffiti on her soft, brown, ultra plush living room carpet.  Later, when we were past our dancing phase and no longer ate nickel candy, our time was spent talking about boys and making plans for the future.  Oh, the stories I could tell.  Out of respect for both of our fabulous husbands, I will refrain from giving any further details from our boy-crazed, teenage days.  ;-)

Time passes and life moves so fast.  Angie and I don't get to see each other nearly as often as we once did.  But it is my joy and delight to always discover that our bond is still there whenever we do spend time together.  Some things never change.  And that's a good thing.

Craig, Clarey, Nicole, Erik, Amy, Angie, Bobby

I love this woman.