I grew up near lots of family. Some of my dearest friends were cousins and some of my greatest heroes were aunts, uncles and grandparents. I spent most of my summers working for my grandpa who was a small town vet. This gave me the opportunity to build unique relationships with my cousins and grandparents. I had two aunts in particular whom I knew loved me and would do anything they could to help me in a bind. Not long after high school I moved away from the small town I had grown up in and life took all of us in different directions.

Nearly twenty years after I had first moved away my grandparents passed away. I was humbled as I attended the funeral to see how many of their posterity had traveled significant distance to pay their respects to these two amazing people who had loved all of us so unconditionally. As we prayed together as a family I had the thought that each of us in that room had been strengthened by their love and example. Not only had we been loved by them but they had created an environment where we had the opportunity as an extended family to know one another, love one another and serve one another. I would never be able to repay them for the gift of family and love they had given to me.

One cousin in particular was my bestie while growing up. She chose to serve a mission for our church and left just shortly before my wedding. When she returned home from her mission I was married and moved out of state shortly after she returned home. Over the next twenty years she would make multiple moves to various states across the country, finish graduate school and pursue a career in health-care. I was busy figuring out marriage, completing college and tackling motherhood. We were on different paths and rarely did our visits back home align so we could see each other.

Until years later when we were both back in town for our grandparents funeral. We were both in a place in life where we needed a friend and it seemed we picked up right where we had left off years ago. At first glance our lives could not be more opposite. She was living in New York City working in downtown Manhattan. I was in a much less glamorous city homeschooling a house full of kids. She passed the Statue of Liberty each day on her way to work while my big outing was a walk to the park. But none of these differences seemed to matter. In our hearts we were still two young girls who loved each other and wanted the best for each other.

Since my grandparents funeral four years ago this cousin has been a source of strength and comfort in my life. She has been there to listen to my ranting and to suggest a calmer response to a situation. She has taken my daughter under her wing and shown her a tremendous amount of love and support. Our lives our very different but she has shown so much respect for my concerns and struggles. She has been there when I needed someone to validate my concerns and struggles.

I think my grandparents are watching from heaven and that they smile each time we call to check on one another, ask about other family members, send a text or laugh about days at the clinic with Grandpa. I hope all the crazy family get-togethers were worth it when they see two cousins watching out for each other.