Creating Cousins

Our kids have a number of “real” cousins.  And they are very close to many of them. Very close. They have cousins their age and cousins quite a bit older too. The highlight of their year is when they get to spend time with them..and we make it a big priority.

Besides their family cousins we also have other “cousins”. Friends and their kids so close to them that they are considered cousins. I love this.

Right now our two boys are with Sister Savvy’s 5 kids for the week in Toronto. Took the train there and everything alone for the first time. Mornings to relax and afternoons at tennis camp. Evening hanging out, going to soccer and baseball, dinners. It all just makes me so happy. It is so nice of our friends to invite them into their lives and home. I am purposefully not calling the kids this week (and only texting them once a day) to give them that space to be with our friends and their family. To live among them.

Last night I got the sweetest text from Bear letting me know how he was and what they were doing. It sounded all so grown up. And independent. And without me. He sounded so happy and safe and secure. I loved reading his texts.

This trip away for the boys is so much. Means so much.Is such a blessing. In so many hundreds of ways that words could not even begin to articulate. For me it said it all last night when Rob wrote me and said ”We are having a great time and hopefully the start of a tradition” Those words touched me so much. On so many levels

These are our people.

My kid’s people.

We have built a village together and made it grow (with 8 kid’s total it truly is a village) I am looking forward to family reunions and PG weekends for many many years.

This visit..the pictures…the meaning..the texts everything about it kept me smiling for many hours in bed. There is just something about it that felt like home. Right. Good. Beautiful. A whole new chapter of our lives together.

And then this weekend we had the Sweethearts and Holidays all weekend at Trent. As usual it was sooo much fun. We calculated that these kids
(and we) have been spending about 5 major events per year (New Year, Trent summer winter, regatta, fall dinners) for most of their lives. More than 9 years now and never missed an occasion. They have all grown up with each other and range in age from 4-16 yrs. old.

We realized that the three couples and all the kids have been there for everything. We have truly witnessed each other’s lives. No secrets ever needed  and everything shared. Living alongside each other.

We all attended this INCREDIBLE  party our family was invited to on the lake because of Beauty’s ski team. All 4 ski teams were invited (that is more than 300 people!)  Clearly it is a mansion and when I say mansion. ..You can honestly not even imagine. They told us to bring all our friends... so 15 of us showed up in our boat and docked! After getting off the boat the property is sooo big we literally never saw each other for many many hours or had any clue where any of the kids were.

Huge go cart track, arabraska, zip lining, 14 boats, jet skis, surfing (many boats kids size to drive alone) Huge staff, counselor, sport counselors, massive catered meals, open bar…anything and everything. IT WAS COMPELTELY SURREAL. Honestly after we all left it was silent in the boat and we all just kept looking at each other and nodding our heads in shock that some people live like that…..OMG!!!!!

It was an amazing experience and day to remember and one more thing that this crowd experienced together…we were blown away.

So between this crowd and the two beautiful friends taking care of my boys this week …the phrase “creating cousins” comes to mind.

It is not only family that can hold that title is it? It is the relationships we nurture be that be blood relations or non-blood relations. It is what we water, and groom, and take care of that grow…It is the people who are there always, and consistently and forever that get the privilege of being in that growing garden. They get to have sun and rain on them depending on the weather and God's will that day..

Others may be sprinkled with water, get little drops, be in partial bloom, have slants of sun on their faces.. but they don’t get to be part of the real garden alas. How could they when they did not grow it?

My garden feels bountiful today. I feel blessed. By my own strength and the strength of others.

For the storms I have survived and the rainbows that have followed.

Blessed for my life and the way I am choosing to live it. In the wonderful company of those who truly love us.