Monday, August 20, 2007

Is there an echo in here???

Well today I woke up and don't know what to do with myself! Oh don't get me wrong...there is lots to do....I really need to get busy and clean up the aftermath of maaany children!! I just feel at loose ends because there are only two children left here. Janelle and Amanda...who are also feeling at loose ends too....and lonely. They told me last night that they really miss their cousins....and "even my sisters, Mom!!" So I will tackle things around here and get the place clean and in order.
My brother and sister in law used to do "cousin's camp". ALL the cousins that were old enough - out of diapers and able to talk/walk-would be dropped off at their home on thursday night. We would all come back for them on Sunday afternoon. We'd have a BBQ and then head home.
So how many cousins were there? Well including their kids...I think there were about 15 kids for the first couple of years, then add my two younger and one more and there were 18!! They wouldn't just sit at home either! They rented a huge van and took them to someplace fun. I now have a bit of an understanding of what they went through. That sounds negative but I don't mean it that way at all.. I don't think Connie made the kids do any cleanup at all...I think her and Paul did all that. They must have been exhausted by the end of the weekend! But man do the kids ever have wonderful memories of those times with them! They did that every summer for about 7 summers in a row! WOW!
My time with the kids this summer has given me a bit of an appreciation of what they did every summer for all those years. I felt privileged to have them all though. It was really great to be trusted enough to be able to have the kids. I think they all had a great time...I know our kids did! It really makes me want to move closer to them. The closest ones live about 5 or 6 hours away...and the rest live about 8 hours from here.....Oh I almost forgot...My youngest brother and family just moved to a town about an hour from here..so that is going to be really nice! It will be nice to get to know their little boy, Silas. He's just about 18 months old-and so cute. I'm also anticipating spending time with his Daddy and Mommy too.
Well I'd better get the coffee pot on and get busy!
You all have a wonderful week! (c: