Cousins

Ah, cousins! Four in all. As an only child, sharing space with a lively family was a joy and, admittedly, sometimes a challenge; three of those cousins were boys! We shared joys, challenges, hopes and dreams as we prayed, ate, shopped and played together. We cooled down in a small blow-up pool, made potholders and ate homemade strawberry shortcake ... as if we didn’t have a care in the world. We just celebrated being together. Then and now, God blesses me with opportunities to make joyful noises with cousins. Last July, my husband and I traveled to Virginia for the first time since pre-COVID. What a joy to see my cousins and their families and renew connections with them! While social media helps connect us, there’s nothing like in-person time as we celebrated, once again, our Schini roots.