Is There Anything Better in the World?

Is there anything on this earth better than happy, healthy sun drenched children? Little hands grimy with sand, and small faces sticky with kool aid? Maybe when the faces of your children are joined by their cousins. I am so happy my kids are being given the chance to grow up with their cousins. I think cousins are a special kind of sibling. Just like brothers and sisters, but sometimes, even better! The sweet camaradarie that belongs to children is deepened by a shared history. Brothers and sisters are often friends, or grow up to be. Quite often it takes the growing up part, but cousins seem to just love one another. Most of the rivalry seems to dissipate when it comes to cousins, with the possible exception of toddler age-mates. Then it is fierce!

We have just a few of the cousins staying here for most of the week to attend VBS with my kids. It's been a little hectic, but the kids are loving being together. My big boys are wishing for the other big boy cousins, who are at home, but the littles are having a great time!
Soon, most of us will be off on another adventure, with even more cousins, when we go to Assateague next week for our annual Karcher family camping trip. I love seeing my cousins, and watching my children bond with them, and their children. It's a special place, and a really special time. I can't wait, and I know the kids can't either!

A Short Trip

My husband and I are going on a short trip this weekend. I am pretty sure it will be our first night away without any kids since our honeymoon, almost 15 years ago. I am sort of excited, and I think it will be so great to have a break, but at the same time, I am leaving my baby behind. My baby. My Yebster. My Mr. Yummypants. I can't think about it too much because it makes me not want to go! He's still nursing, after all. He's just a wee, little lad who needs me.I have never, ever spent the night away from one of my babies before.

On one hand, my Douglas and I will be able to dance the
night away without worrying about rushing home to the
short people. Could be very romantic - especially since it's a wedding - I totally love weddings. That's a whole other post, but weddings really are so much fun, and the perfect reason to take a night away "by going of for a weekend special... at the Holiday Inn!"

My Benjamin isn't going to like this idea, either. My little Boodle likes his mom and dad. He loves to be held, and he'll kiss me over and over and tell me "I Love you so much, too, Mom. I Love you so much, too." How do you walk away from that, even for one night? Especially knowing that he'll have a hard time. He's full of "Don't weave me!" every time I head for the door, even if it's only to the store.

Who knows, maybe I'll be totally fine, and maybe the babies will be totally fine, too. I really hope so. I think we've earned one night away in almost 15 years, don't you?

A Wedding

We are going to a family wedding this weekend. Ahh, I love family weddings. I love getting to see all those faces. It's a family reunion. All those aunts and uncles and cousins. It's a plus that it is a wedding, and not a funeral, which is pretty much the only other time we see all the family.

This particular wedding is that of my beautiful cousin, Emily. Emily is a good deal younger than I am, I was already a very awkward teen when we traveled to Maryland for her baptism. For some reason I was out and about with my Uncle Mike on that trip and had my first and best ever cannoli, which began a quest to find another as good. It still hasn't happened.

Anyway, back to my cousin's wedding and our generational gap.  Emily is a good deal younger than I am, which made it so I didn't get to know her as well as I have some of my other cousins. I think it's probably likely that my own daughters know her better than I do. I remember that she was the prettiest baby I have ever seen. Remarkable beauty that has only increased with time. I remember that as a little girl she was sweet, athletic and friendly. (picture stolen from Aunt Carla's FB page) . I pray that her wedding day is all that she wants it to be, leading into a life that is full of love and  LIFE.

Though I haven't gotten to know Emily as well as I would have liked, I am excited to see her get married this weekend. I can't wait to see my cousins, hug the babies and see the faces of my uncles that seem to be almost a mirror of my dad's.  I am getting ready to make the most of the next day or so, and soak them all up. We'll eat and drink and dance (some will sing, and others will probably do something horrifying and hysterical - it's the Karcher way), and party away the night until the last song of the night, which, if tradition stands, will be American Pie. Then, in the Foster and adopted Karcher tradition, those left standing will wrap our arms around one another in a circle and dance like crazy until we all fall in a sweaty pile at the end - FAMILY. I can't wait.