Family Ties

NBO have a total of twenty-five first cousins. And several others who aren't technically first cousins but who are, to them, just cousins. I love that they think of all of their cousins this way, without needing to make a distinction about just how closely related they actually are. I love that the labels don't matter to them. I love that I don't have to try to explain the difference between a first cousin, and a second cousin, and a third cousin twice removed. Because I would fail miserably.

Most of their first cousins are much older. Many are in Ireland. A few they have never met. In the summer, they typically get to see some of their Irish cousins. They see their American cousins here and there throughout the year, and though they don't get to see any of their cousins as much as any of us would like, when they do, neither the age difference nor geographical distance gets in the way of them having a good time. NBO are incredibly lucky that way, because their cousins rock.

Recently, NBO got to spend time with some of their cousins who go to college a few hours away, where they post a lot of facebook pictures of themselves at parties with red solo cups study really hard. I don't want to name names, because I know they value their privacy--I mean, it's not like they WANTED to be in my blog or anything, so we'll just called them The Smithsburg Trio (or TST).

TST were house sitting recently for their second favorite aunt, Caca. They asked if they could come visit, and I said Hell Yes, Free Babysitters!!! please do, we would love to see you any time. I also said that I had to work for a couple hours that night, and Jimmy would personally perform an Irish jig for them if they happened to be here while I was at work. I didn't hear back, but I figured it was because they had found a party and were taking pictures of themselves with red solo cups decided to spend the day in prayer and meditation.

As I left for work, I informed Jimmy that TST might be by, but I wasn't sure. I thought that maybe the red solo cups prayer and mediation had won out, and I was totally OK with that. But as I approached our house after work, I saw that not only was TST's car in front of our house, but they had organized a soccer game in the front yard, complete with orange cones for goal posts. (I thought they had even brought the cones with them, but apparently we already had them. Who knew? I'm guessing Jimmy brought them home one night after a few too many red solo cups tall green bottles). And they even brought back-up-- a friend who I won't name since she also did NOT ask to be in the blog. B is now convinced she is his twenty-sixth cousin. Hey, what's one more?

I used to wish that NBO had more cousins closer in age, and while that would no doubt be nice in its own way, older cousins certainly have their perks, too. In fact, my own siblings and most of my own cousins are much, much older than I am, and they're pretty amazing, too.

TST are not the first cousins to come to our aid, and I pray-really, really hard-that they won't be the last. NBO's Irish cousins have come through for us more than once-on both sides of the pond. And I was never so happy to hear that one of my nieces hadn't yet landed a job, as when I desperately needed a babysitter. Many of their cousins have made a point to be here for birthday parties and Baptisms, even when I'm sure they had other offers that included red solo cups  more important things. TST are just the latest reminder that NBO have some amazing cousins. 

As I said, it's not like TST WANTED to make the blog, but they did happen to mention that if they DID want to make the blog, they had a sure fire way to do it.

They were going to kidnap our children.

They're right that this would have guaranteed that they made the blog. Which I would have written from the Bahamas, as I sipped on a colorful drink with an umbrella in it, knowing that my children were in the very capable hands of their older cousins.

Who would probably teach them to drink milk from red solo cups.

Of course, they didn't have to do anything that drastic to make the blog. They just had to be themselves.

Because, like all of NBO's cousins, they rock.