My immediate family is a pretty typical family of four. But extended beyond that, I think I have a uniquely small extended family. Being that my mom is an only child and my dad's brother passed when I was only a year old, I have zero aunts and uncles. My one uncle did have children before his passing and so I have exactly TWO first cousins. Lori is one of these two cousins.
Lori is (I think) 8 years older than me. She was a flower girl in my parents' wedding. We didn't spend a ton of time together, growing up, but I remember being a little girl and really looking up to her. (Her brother, on the other hand, would always pick me up and drop me in the rain barrel!) There are photos of us together, on my grandparents' farm, making mud pies. She was clearly a very good sport! Lori's is the only wedding I have ever been a bridesmaid in - back when I was 17. (I still have the bottle of wine, with the commemorative wedding label, they gave us....wonder if it's extra delicious or valuable now?!) And in common, today, is the fact we are both educators. She teaches Kindergarten and is married to a Principal. We might only see each other once a year now if our schedules coincide during the times she comes to Calgary to visit our Grandma Glen. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. But travel to another country and then maybe we can connect!...
Lori and her family (of 5) have a condo in Scottsdale, only a few blocks from where my parents' new condo is and where Derek and I are staying this week. The five of them invited us over for dinner tonight. Together we enjoyed a wonderful home cooked meal, told lots of stories and just generally had a nice evening. Their three adult "kids" are each successful and well-spoken people. Truth be told, I would have just as much liked to have been on the couches watching football with Ben and Matt but, seeing as I'm married to an "untraditional" sports fan, I stayed at the adult table!
It was great to have this intentional opportunity to connect with family, something I don't often get to do given there are so few members to do it with!
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