Cousins dinner!

Some of our cousins who are, apparently, braver than those of us who still live here in farm country because they live in fun, exotic places, are here in town to visit for just a few days. Tonight as many of us as were able got together for dinner at Monical's. We were missing a few, but those of us who were there ate pizza, laughed, and generally caught up on the current happenings of our lives, our children's lives, and yes, for some of us, even our children's children's lives! We visited for a couple hours, then all went our separate ways, promising to see each other again soon when it hit me - these are the people who know me. They know where I've been as we all grew up getting together for family dinners or school clothes shopping or corn freezing or later on at church gatherings. These are the people who share my heritage and my history. These people were around when my dad was alive, when our grandparents were alive. These are the people who make up who I am. I see most of them very rarely - yet these are the people who are biologically and historically connected to me. I made myself a promise this evening - somehow, some way, these are the people I don't want to lose touch with. These are the people I want to be a part of upcoming important events in my life and my children's lives, and yes, someday even my children's children's lives, because we are family and somehow as I get older, that's where I keep wanting to go back to - my family.