Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Sweet Friendships

This weekend we had the chance to have a visit from my cousin Amber's family! It was SO wonderful! It was such a good weekend and so great to see them and get to know their kids better. The last time Nels and I got to see them (other than very brief meetings where neither of us have had our entire families) was when we went to Washington to visit them when their oldest boy, Jacob, was only 6 months old and I was pregnant with Hazel. Since then, we've each produced many more children. We each have 3 with all of them being born within a year of one another. Let me clarify that: Hazel and Jacob are 9 months apart, Lilie and Hannah are 9 months apart, and Elsie and Kaitlyn are 4 months apart.

It was such a GREAT weekend! I'm so thankful for families - for cousins. The kids just couldn't get enough of one another. It was really fun to play with children that are so similar to them in SO many ways. And I can genuinely understand their feelings! Amber and I lived across the street from one another until we were about 8 years old. I think it was the saddest day of my little life the day my best friend moved away. We've been able to stay close our whole lives and I feel as close to her now as my own sisters. I love her so much and I'm so thankful that we've been able to maintain that friendship through so many years and miles. Her friendship is such a blessing to me and I really felt that this weekend as we were able to talk and spend time with our families together. I'm so glad that she married such a great guy that genuinely seems to enjoy being with us as well! :) I hope that we can continue to get together occasionally throughout the years as time and money permits.

Getting 6 kids to sit still and look at the camera all at once is nearly impossible. Hopefully Amber had better luck with her camera.

Hazel keeps asking if Hannah and Jacob can come to her birthday party. I don't think she understands that Washington is a long ways away . . . as is September! :)


Jacob had a hard time leaving and the girls had a hard time seeing them leave. Hazel asked me, "Can you ask them to stay for 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 . . . " All the way up to 20 more days. Sorry Hazel. I'd like that too! :)

5 comments:

ClancyPants said...

Anytime there are kids who'll play well with my kids and I can have great adult conversations, is a good time! Lucky you that you got that for a whole weekend! :) That's so fun to have someone you are so close to.

ClancyPants said...

Rachel! I just read your other comment that commented on my comments! I love it!! I love all the comments going back and forth! I probably just really like to type the word comment... it's starting to look weird, like its spelled wrong, ya know? Anyway, just for the record, a high five would be fine, but I'll take the piece of cake! I keep scrolling down to your picture of that Caroline Ingalls cake, and if I do that any more, I'm going to have to wipe the drool off my keyboard! It looks so yummy and moist...the sprinkles.... ahhhh!!! It's pretty much killing me! So... I'll take the piece of cake, if you don't mind! :) (But with a cake that good, it's probably all gobbled up!) ;)

Amber said...

Oh, Rachel. What would I do without you!?! Seriously, I could use at least a weekly phone conversation with you so that I can realize that I how completely and totally ridicules I am. Thanks for listening and laughing with me about my crazy thoughts. You’re awesome.
I am so grateful for you. It brings tears to my eyes *snif* *snif*. You are like a sister to me. I am grateful that I can call you and rant, laugh, and cry about anything. I love you!!!

Amber said...

Oh, one more thing, I really hope that we always stay in close contact forever and ever. Maybe someday we will be able to spend 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or....days together. The best would be to be neighbors! Someday.

Lisa said...

How fun! Cute kids.