Anya and Dylan

Day 83.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009.

I came down to Champaign last night visit with family - my sister flew in from Colorado and is at my mom and dad's for 9 days before coming to stay with us in Chicago for a few days next week. So, the kids and I headed down to join the party.

I am grateful for cousins.

Anya and Dylan are so cute together.
They spend so much time hugging, telling each other they love each other, and just enjoying each other's company. It's hard not to want to listen in to everything they are saying and doing - but it's also important to give them time to themselves, to develop their relationship.

I remember fondly my childhood spent with cousins, on both sides of our family. These memories are some of my fondest and strongest...time with extended family is so special. I never had cousins who lived close by, and unfortunately, neither do my kids. Well, that's not entirely true - they do have their wonderful cousin CJ who now lives in the city and comes over every week. But, he's not really a cousin to them being 20 years older - more of a fun uncle. :) So, time with cousins on both sides of the Rhodes/Breeze families is precious and unfortunately rare.

It's sad to know they have only these few days at a time and then have to go months in between not seeing each other at all. I long for us to live closer and be able to spend these fun days together on a regular basis.

Watching Dylan and Anya together only solidifies my feelings...Lara, Steve, Anya, Evan: please oh please, move back to the midwest.