Such a tragedy.


My cousin Kathryn Joy was born on September 5th, 2009.

She is such a gift to our family. She is my 10th cousin, and my Grandpa and Grandma's 15th grandchild.


But, still, I can't help but feeling the teeniest bit sad.


You see, within 6 years, over half of us were born;

Two are 15. Two are 13. Two are 12. Two are 11. One is 10. One is 9. That's 10 of us.


We all grew up together. Around each other. We share special memories. Moments that made us laugh till our stomachs hurt. Playing basket ball in the driveway. Camping twice or more a year. Bowling. Board games. Sleep overs. Concerts. The family band called Temp5. Doing stand up in each others basements. Running 5k races together. Loving and helping care for the beach house. We had it all.


But, when my cousin Lauren Elizabeth [Kathryn's older sister] was born a year ago, the nearest cousin was five.


It was a shock to me at first when I realized, that, when Lauren is 11, and Kathryn is 10, that Kevin & I [the oldest] will be 25. And Colette [the next youngest] will be 16.


What about the camping trips? The pickup games? The singing at the top of our lungs?

The endless games of hide-and-go-seek? What if our grandparents sell the cottage? What then?

Will we be around to give them the kind of cousinhood that we've had?


I honestly hope so.

I was concerned about it, and so I happened to mention it to my Aunt Victoria, [my mom's adopted sister. my mom was an only] that I was concerned.

And she told me, ever so gently, that I could create it for them. I could offer to go camping with them. Have them over for dinner and play board games. I could keep the candle burning, so to speak. And it has given me hope.


Hope, that someday, I will have a relationship with these wonderful cousins, who are so beautiful and amazing.


{Thank you all you beautiful people who commented about the last paragraph in my last post. You all made me feel a lot better. I love you guys _J}

6 comments:

  1. That is a really cool picture. I mean really really cool. I mean... you know. I guess I must be kinda weird to like it but, hey that's me =) You and your cousins are so close! When I was allot younger my cousins and I used to do tons of stuff together but now we can't see each other very often. I guess we just live too far apart. But when we do get to see each other, we usually spend at least a month staying weeks at our different cousins' houses. It's really fun and it's almost worth not seeing them for a long time. Jesus loves you! =)

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  2. Awww! That made my heart melt! :)

    <3333.

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  3. I know what you mean. My cousins are already adults. Some even have kids, which makes me a cousin once removed. The age difference is kinda weird if you think about it, but it's kinda nice, too. You're still young enough to have fun with her, and when you're an adult, you'll be able to do even more stuff with her. You'll be able to be the adult on the camping trips. She'll be well loved.
    BTW, Kathryn and I have the same birthday, only sixteen years apart.

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  4. that was really beautiful, Jillian! so precious! i hope you can help those cousins have the same kind of priceless childhood you did with your cousins! :]

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  5. awwww so cutee i have 15 couins and my grandparents have 19 grand kids (:
    My family is BIG :L
    I wish i had a cousin my age :(
    Thankss for your comment too XD Much appreciated and aawww im teeny too its okay there are some advantages :D

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  6. Do you know how amazing it is to have older cousins/younger aunts, who take time to create joy for you?

    I have just one cousin who is much older than me, and let me tell you, it blessed my socks off when he would take time to be with me.

    I think you will have a blessed time!

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"Sometimes the world seems like a big hole. You spend all your life shouting down it and all you hear are echoes of some idiot yelling nonsense down a hole"
_Adam Duritz

I love hearing things that aren't my own pathetic echoes.