The Blessing of Family!

   My cousin Jeremy Ricker came for a visit with his sweet dog Mya last Friday and stayed with us over the weekend.  We had not seen each other since he was 1 and I was 2 1/2.  We had reconnected through Facebook and had been building a relationship as adults through that vehicle.  When Jeremy arrived here on Friday, we greeted each other with a big hug and it just seemed so easy, relaxed and comfortable.  

   Jeremy fit right in with the rest of us and everyone loved him.  He was even subjected to the full on Bradley treatment.  ;)  I was amazed at how my grandkids took to him so quickly since they usually are a bit weary of strangers.  Maybe it was because we had been talking about "Uncle" Jeremy coming and he also came bearing treats for them.  Smart man that cousin of mine!

   I am the keeper of the family genealogy and Jeremy brought up boxes of documents, pictures, photo albums, scrap books, old family china, a beautiful tapa cloth, an old family bible and our great grandfather's flag that was draped over his coffin and given military honors when he passed away.  We combed through so much of it together and that was just the tip of the iceberg.  I have hours and hours of reading to do and am looking forward to that.  It was fun to share memories of our great grandparents,  grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins and to put some pieces of "puzzles" together. 

   One of the things that really struck me was how we share some of the same quirks and even say some of the same things even though we were raised apart.  The strange thing is that the things that I found him saying like "what doing" to his dog are the same things I say but yet my mother and our grandmother never said those things that I can remember.  We both also stick our foot out from under the covers when we are hot at night and so does one of my sons...there has got to be a genetic component in there somewhere because not many people I know do that either.  We have even lived in the same town in Oregon at different times and he worked for the same company my husband used to.  His brother, Andy, also lived in Chang Mai, Thailand and so did my brother Fritz at one point.  We were not all in contact with each other at that time and it does kind of boggle my mind!

    It hit me while he was here that he is the first cousin that I have ever had come and visit me here in my home.  It was just so special to me to have him here with us.  We are hoping that he will move closer and that we can share many, many more wonderful times together.  What a blessing it is to have him back in my life again...I love you Jeremy and am so happy that we reconnected!