This picture was taken around Christmas, but it's a regular occurence. Gabe, Abbie and Lizzie, in various stages of dress-up and accessories, toting any number of dolls, guns or other items, sharing and fighting about where to sit and who sits where. The past few months have been filled with many days at the greenhouse... some of which Aaron has joined them. Just this morning Abbie met Lizzie with, "Hi, cousin."
These three seem to always travel together. When Gabe is on the lawn mower belting out "All Aboard!" ... you can be assured that Lizzie and Abbie are nearby with a boarding pass. At lunchtime, they have assigned seats at on their stools, with boy plates and girl plates.
Someday, these events will be replaced with car rides to the movies, trips to sporting events, double/triple dates and countless other outings. They will indeed be harassing Aaron for a ride long before they have their own permits.
I grew up 1/2 a mile from four of my cousins, the Wollbergs (Brandon, Chris, Ryan and Heidi). At the time, we may have taken for granted the luxury of each other's friendship. My Dad and his sister were close, so we spent many days and evenings together. I can remember summer nights of basketball games near the machine shed, days jumping on the trampoline (with the sprinkler running on the underside), showing livestock at the county fair together, taking turns on the Atari, fishing with Grandpa and Grandma Schlueter and numerous other fond memories.
Living close to family was always a plan for Ann and I. We grew up close to our cousins, and wanted our children to have the same experience. I hope our kids treasure the memories they make with their cousins, just as we did when we were young.
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