Thinking of Family

I have been thinking about and missing my Florida family so much lately. I don't really know why. I feel in such a rut here I guess.

I didn't know much of my mom's siblings growing up. My mom is the oldest of five children. She has 3 sisters and one brother. And they ALL live in FL. How did we end up here in CT? Well, that's where they all are from originally. After my mom was grown and out of the house her father (her parents had split up by that time) moved with my mom's youngest sister to Florida. And eventually everyone followed. My grandparents have both since passed away so it's all aunts and uncles and tons of cousins that I have living in FL, but I miss them terribly right now.

The only aunt I really knew growing up was my mom's sister who was closest in age to her. She is the mom of two of my cousins. Her oldest is a year older than my brother and her youngest is two years younger than me. Oh the holidays and birthdays we used to have visiting with them. That made up a huge part of my childhood. We loved going over Aunt Lynn and Uncle Ray's house. They spoiled us so. And we loved playing with our two cousins. When I was about 8 years old though I think they had moved down to FL. That was difficult. Everyone was in FL and here we were the only ones left in CT. We began getting closer to my dad's side of the family at that time I guess. I have a cousin the same age as me so it was nice going through my teen years with her and she's still a huge part of my life. The godmother of Natalie and the maid of honor at my wedding and I was just the maid of honor at hers.

But I always had this draw to FL. I went to college there. I got to spend time with my other two aunts who I never really knew growing up. And I got to meet cousins I hadn't met before. And now those cousins who I will forever remember as 3, 8, 10, 10, 12, and 14 years old are all grown up.

And the cousin who I remember playing with for most of my childhood just turned 30 yesterday. She has a son who's just a few months younger than Natalie, another son a year older than CJ, and a new baby girl. I still feel such a bond and connection with her even after all of these years.

Then there are my aunts. You know growing up I always wished my parents would make that move to FL. When I went down there for college and spent time with my aunts I found out something about the "baby" of the family. The sister who was 10 years younger than my mom was just like my mom. I loved going to visit her. Not only looks wise does she bear the most resemblance to my own mom, but just everything about her was so much like my mom. Now don't get my wrong, my other two aunts are great too. They are tons of fun to be around, but I think I felt most connected to my Aunt Tammy. Still do. We've had some nice talks even recently thanks to modern technology and facebook. But like my mom she loves to bake and she loves to bowl. Never really understood why they weren't closer. I guess that 10 year age gap really made it tough.

I am just really missing each and everyone of them. My aunts, my uncles, and my cousins. I'm sure I'd miss a lot here in CT too if I left. Sometimes I wish things were like they were way back when everyone lived in the same town, same neighborhood, and same house. I hate being so far apart from family and really could use that closeness we used to have.