In praise of cousins--and aunts and uncles

We wouldn't give up any of the experiences we've had living so many different places with our children. But there are always costs, even for good things, and living close to cousins is the thing we most miss in our wandering lives.

When our oldest kids were little, we lived a few blocks away from David's brother's family. Our children were in church Primary classes together, they played on Little League teams together, and they went to preschool together. Pretty much best friends. Thank goodness those relationships endure.

The cousins and aunt and uncle did nothing to make us glad we live far away from them. We loved going to church again with them and playing with them and hanging out with them. We loved seeing Uncle Jay and Aunt Colleen in action as mission president.

We were amazed that, after they heard about Santa's gifts going missing along with Ruth's luggage (still not found) they somehow, magically, found stacks of presents that Santa had left at their house for Isaac and Eleanor (without a shopping day in which to make this magic happen).

I wish we could always live a short bike ride away, but I'll take a seventeen hour drive through a Czechoslovakian snowstorm if I have to.

I write about some of the things dearest to me--like my family--at mormon.org.