because my cousins are lovely

It had been a long four hour drive, and my sisters had not only gotten on my nerves, but they were jumping on them as well.

It was the relief when we saw the legendary gazebo, passed through Time, and turned on that gravel road.

It was the excitement when the car in front of us (other cousins) started playing "We Are Family" so loud we could hear it, and I rolled down the window and stuck my head out waving to my crazed Aunt:) standing in the sunroof screaming the lyrics and dancing to the beat.

It was the bliss when we unloaded the car and we went inside to smell that smell and carry our luggage down the stairs to our temporary bedroom.

It was the happiness when we sat in the "bus" to listen to the list of rules called common sense.

It was the laughter when we reminded each other of the "old times" and the "old houses".

It was jumping in the pool with my clothes on just to see the little punk's shocked face;).

It was crouching to reach blackberries hiding under the leaves, checking them for bugs before swallowing them and being dared to eat a huge one while dodging the thorns on the other side.

It was bouncing on the trampoline right after eating dinner, then thinking better of it and sitting down and talking about the future.

It was being pushed on the tire swing after the fight I didn't want to happen, and being reminded that there are people out there who are there for you called family.

It was getting up earlier than some of the other kids to walk out to the pond where there were fish and crawdads and frogs that squeaked.

It was driving to the park where the merry-go-round was, and spinning so much I thought I'd see my lunch a second time.

It was trying not to laugh when he kept changing the strumming pattern and I was struggling to keep up to our theme song.

It was the late night when the wimps and the wounded didn't get in the pool because the frogs had taken over, but me and the two others started to catch them and toss them on the deck.

It was dressing up as a glitzy girl and feeling ridiculously stupid as I strutted in high heels and pink hoop earrings, walking like a diva up the stairs.

It was making our first promise as a band on the trampoline, and making it official by putting our hands in the center.

It was hearing the three most wonderful sounding syllables in the English language: cho-co-late.

It was feeling powerful with my face behind the camera and telling them what to do.

It was seeing my Worldview roommate again and swing dancing to no music in the gymnasium.

It was pouring water on my sister and cousin from up in the tree house, even if they did know it was coming.

It was the last night at "camp" when we all got to sleep together in the living room, trying not to think about the next morning and instead talking about nothing in particular at all.

It was those little things.