Growing up, my grandparents sliding door going into the basement storage turned into a growth chart for all of us cousins. While we were on the farm, Jack was fiddling around next to it and it caught my attention. Now the shortest line on the door, Jack's life will also be documented with the rest of us.
I took a moment to inspect each of our many lines and found myself standing there, very grateful, of the close family I had growing up. There, on the door, were 7 names - Alyson, Derich, Alycia, Chauncy, Brandon, myself and Mikey (Little Mike, Mike ... Mikey) - a group of kids that were more like siblings than cousins. Close in age and location (somewhat) we were able to spend summers, weekends and weekdays together... years of memories rushed through my head: spending time at Lake Mary, building forts in the corn crib when it wasn't in use (leaving it for my grandfather to clean up ... ) - but most of all, the innocence of childhood and letting our imagination help us explore our backyards - and the world.
Unfortunately, we got older, moved around and now we catch up with each other by reading our blogs or facebook posts - and phone calls here or there - but we're spread across the nation tackling the real world, some of us raising our own children. Even though we usually only see each other on the holidays - I wouldn't say we've grown apart. We've all blossomed into the people we were supposed to be and I know I could count on them should I ever need anything. And sometimes, in the end, knowing your family has your back makes you a little bit stronger.
I know that I am fortunate to have the relationships I do with my family. I hope I can teach Jack the importance of family, as mine has taught me. I also hope he will be able to build and maintain relationships with his cousins, too.
(some photographs I stole out of my G'ma albums, took back to Georgia, scanned,
and replaced the next time I was up there - she still has no clue - ha.)
I took a moment to inspect each of our many lines and found myself standing there, very grateful, of the close family I had growing up. There, on the door, were 7 names - Alyson, Derich, Alycia, Chauncy, Brandon, myself and Mikey (Little Mike, Mike ... Mikey) - a group of kids that were more like siblings than cousins. Close in age and location (somewhat) we were able to spend summers, weekends and weekdays together... years of memories rushed through my head: spending time at Lake Mary, building forts in the corn crib when it wasn't in use (leaving it for my grandfather to clean up ... ) - but most of all, the innocence of childhood and letting our imagination help us explore our backyards - and the world.
Unfortunately, we got older, moved around and now we catch up with each other by reading our blogs or facebook posts - and phone calls here or there - but we're spread across the nation tackling the real world, some of us raising our own children. Even though we usually only see each other on the holidays - I wouldn't say we've grown apart. We've all blossomed into the people we were supposed to be and I know I could count on them should I ever need anything. And sometimes, in the end, knowing your family has your back makes you a little bit stronger.
I know that I am fortunate to have the relationships I do with my family. I hope I can teach Jack the importance of family, as mine has taught me. I also hope he will be able to build and maintain relationships with his cousins, too.
(some photographs I stole out of my G'ma albums, took back to Georgia, scanned,and replaced the next time I was up there - she still has no clue - ha.)
3 comments:
Make a girl tear up! Great post, all true. For the record, I was too claustrophobic (scared) to go in the corn crib and crawl through the tunnel. I'm sure I claimed I was too cool for that!
Too funny, just at Christmas I was telling B how amazin it is that the cousins always feel more like brothers and sisters than "just" cousins. (This is from an "out law":)
I didn't have either growing up. I just pray that we set the foundation (as your parents and aunts and uncles did) that Matthew, Taylor, Elizabeth, Gracen And Jack can always be as close!
love ya!
Great post Steph, you are a very lucky girl to have such an amazing family. Your whole family has always made me feel like I was a part of them as well.
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