Cousins and Friends

My youngest niece turns 11 today!  WOW!  It is so true what everyone always said when I was pregnant with my first, "the time goes by way too fast"!  It does.  My sister has two beautiful girls, both pictures below with my daughter.  I can remember as if it were yesterday. She called me so many miles away to tell me she was pregnant!  I remember the birth of both of them and can still picture them in their nursery beds.  Here they are now...."big cousins" to my children.  Over the years, between then and now, I always felt a bit of sadness when it came to her children and my "future" children.  While she  is younger than I am, she found her soulmate and had children much before I did.  I was sad in my own way because I had always envisioned our children growing up together, playing together, learning together.  I wanted them to be close since my sister and I are so close.  I had wanted our children to share in that love and joy.   I feared that if there was a big gap in their age they would miss out on that.  I really couldn't have been more wrong.  God is awesome and knows what is best for all of us!    Her oldest is over 10 years older than my daughter - and they are unbelievably close.  Both girls have such a special relationship with my children.   They are awesome.  Unlike most kids I know their age, they are always so willing to get out there and play with Sophia at her level. They are selfless when it comes to her - and in return, they are Sophia's most favorite people in the world. Mine too!  Everything is always more fun if "the girls" are there with us.  I couldn't agree more! So, today's little post is just a "thank you" to them...and a Happy Birthday, of course!