COUSINS

William and Josh getting ready for Story Time

Ty and Naomi look like twins...and cuties

..and this one. The reason for the title of my post. And the reason for my post in the first place.

My brother Dave and his wife Kristine live within three hours of us. This is the closest we have been to family in over four years.
As a result of our not being able to go back to Utah in December and see ALL of our cousins...Dave and Kristine's visit in January was that much more sweet.
I realized again...and again, just how important cousins can be in our lives. I have been thinking about my family and the relationships that I share with each and all of my cousins...on both sides of my family.
This was not something that came easily. My parents, along with all of my aunts and uncles, made our family and cousin relationships a priority. It took sacrifice, work, money and planning to seal the bonds that we now share today.
I look at this picture of Jake and Maddie. I remember how much fun they had together. I remember the smiles, laughter and overwhelming love that they share for each other.
To sum it up...I love cousins. I love my cousins. I pray every day that my children will love and cherish the relationships that come only through the bonds of cousinhood that make them lift each other, love each other, and most importantly, watch out for each other every step of the journey.