Always Family

With the approaching holidays I have been thinking often of two of my nephews that I haven't seen in almost five years.  Actually, I think of them very often as Rehm and Ruby have similar mannerisms, expressions and personalities to them.

The oldest, Justin is now in college.  I haven't seen him since he was a freshman in high school I can only imagine how he has changed.  Every time I play a board game with Rehm I am reminded of Justin.  Justin always jabbered 90 miles a minute the entire time you were playing a game with him.  Rehm does the same exact thing.  When he does it I always tell him he is just like his cousin and think fondly of all the times I played games with him. Justin and Benjamin were both very interested in robotics and now so is Rehm.  I wish next week he was going to get to visit with them and get to talk shop.  I wish Justin and Benjamin were going to have to endure playing a board game with Rehm and be annoyed by the incessant jabbering so we could remind Justin that we endured plenty of that from him when he was nine.

Benjamin is now a junior in high school.  He was just starting middle school the last time I saw him.  I especially remember Benjamin when he was the age the twins are now.  He had curly brown hair and the most mischievous smile you've ever seen.  He was always full of energy and just adorable.  Ruby has several expressions and mannerisms and just a level of exuberance that reminds me of Benjamin when he was her age.  I've remarked several times lately about how much things she does reminds me of Benjamin.  I wish she could meet him so that she would know who I am talking about when I say this.

When I was thinking about them today, it made me sad.  I miss them.  I miss watching them grow up and seeing the people they have turned into.  I know we didn't see each other that often - maybe three or four times a year, but they are family and even though we don't get to see them these days they are still connected to us in ways I can't put on paper.  In expressions on my four year old's face and in my nine year old's interests.   My older two children remember them but the twins obviously do not.  I hope they don't think we don't care about who they are and what they are doing these days.  We do and we miss them and would love to have the opportunity to let them know.

I'll be writing something similar to this in their Christmas cards this year.  Given their current ages they will probably roll their eyes while thinking I'm a crazy, wacky, old aunt, and they'll be right.  But, I hope at some point they will understand that they are and always will be family and that we miss them very much.

Jenn