Kissin' "Cousins"

In keeping with the theme this week of an attitude of gratitude, I wanted to focus on being grateful to those closest to us; our family including those people in our lives who may not be blood related, but whom we consider family anyway (you know who you are!).

All 4 of my siblings are brothers, and I live with my 2 sons and husband as the lone female in a house of odd smells and noises.  The only female I have ever lived with (besides a couple of years of room-mates in my college dorm) was my Mom over half my life time ago.

For that reason, I’m SO GRATEFUL for the women in my life.  I have the GREATEST female cousins that I had the privilege to grow up around and who are blessedly, still the sanest voices in my head today.  All I need to do is to call or text them and they give me all the strength and/or counsel and/or humor I need to carry on.  I have an incredible Mom, and MANY very, very supportive and encouraging aunts (again, some not even blood related but who still refer to me or treat me as their “niece”). There are also those women who have come into my life through my many male relatives, an ever joyful step-mom, awesome and smart cousins-in-law, and a talented sister-n-law.   And I can’t forget my nieces!  I get to love those girls as if they were my own, but then they’re considerate enough to go live in their own homes so that I can be the only “princess” in mine.  Thanks, girls!!

I know you have women in your life that you appreciate, and I also know that you are a person whom your relatives appreciate.  So let’s spend a few moments today in honoring the women in your life by calling/emailing/texting 4 or 5 of them” just because”.  Let them know you’re thinking of them and how grateful you are to have them in your life.  Then in the next few days, contact a few more.  Trust me, you will make their day.  And who knows, you may get a call/email/text yourself! 

And don't worry, the next blog will be about those gentlemen!  Have a great day!

-Tessa L. Charles