Growing up in my family despite the typical problems most families deal with was an amazing experience. I was blessed with built in friends in the form of my cousins on both side of my family. While everything hasn't always been perfect between us they have given me many memories over the years that I cherish dearly.
I remember being young and going to watch my older cousin Jon in his wrestling matches. He was and always will be one of the most impressive and amazing men I will ever know. He has always acted like the big brother I have never had. We don't talk often now that we are grown and have our own lives but when we do the exchange of information is incredible. Jon has a sense of pride in everything he does. He is passionate about life and living it for all it's worth. His passion and zest for life is only rivaled by his heart. To most I am sure he seems stern and stubborn but it is because he knows the difference between right and wrong and he cares that the people in his life will make good choices. Of all my relatives he reminds me most of our grandfather.
His sister Janel was like my big sister during our youth. I spent many young teen years following her around the Jersey shore like a puppy dog when she invited me to go out with her friends. I remember as children we rode horses together, swam and played to our hearts content. We didn't see each other often during the school year because of the distance we lived from one another, so Summer was our season. Janel would write me letters and send me pictures during the winter months. I remember the first time I ever regretted losing my temper. Janel was supposed to come see me and she couldn't. I was probably about 7 years old. I remember being so mad that I ripped up one of her letters. I was so sad afterward because my mother explained to me that it wasn't Janel's fault and I wished I never had ripped it up. Seems trivial I know but Janel was and always has been one of my idols in life. Even though she isn't perfect (she tells every one that, I have picked up that habit also), she has a huge heart that she wears on her sleeve. She is the kind of person who takes her time to do things right and makes sure other people's feels are taken into consideration before taking action. The world would be a much better place if more people ascribed to being like Janel.
Growing up I was afforded some other really amazing friends in my cousins Tim and Cory. Tim and I have similar tastes in humor. I remember looking forward to hiding in his room and watching Ren & Stimpy during family gatherings. Cory and I loved video games (I think secretly we both still do). He was the first to get Sega Master System. Him, my brother Al, our other cousin John and I used to rock the Master System hard core when we were little. I also remember going on walks in the woods behind their home. Tim and Cory knew every inch of those woods and knew where all the different animals lived. It was so much fun seeing the local wild life with them. If there is one thing I would change it would be that both Tim and Cory are shy and they have so much knowledge and such great personalities to share with people. I am blessed to be able to see it as their cousin but they are both truly a gift to the world that shouldn't be hidden.
On my mother's side of the family I have two more cousins. John and Christine. John and I have kept in touch through out our adult lives via emails. He is an exceptional man. He served is country and he is living an earnest life. During our childhood days we played and argued like most cousins do. Over all I think we took comfort in each other during our childhood because we both felt like odd ducks. I loved having Christine around during my adolescence. She let my play with her hair and treated me like a big sister. Now that she has grown, she has grown distant from the family and I am sad about that. She has had a lot of struggles in her life as we all do, some of them self inflicted. But over all in her heart I know she is a good person.
On my father's side of the family I have younger cousins that amaze me every day of my life. The oldest Adriana is brilliant. She graduated in the top fifteen of her class in high school. She is the first woman in on that side of the family to graduate college. I am so impressed by her. I still remember the day she was born. I can not believe she is an adult. We had so much fun when she was little. She used to let me braid her hair and do make up, we played with her dolls. I used to love picking out a new porcelain doll for her each year. Her brother Joseph will some day be famous. If he keeps up with writing lyrics I can see him being bigger then P-Diddy. Him and I spend a lot of time joking around. He is such a funny sweet man now that he is grown. Olivia, their younger sister reminds me so much of my sister Jennifer. She is shy and sensitive and an amazing artist. I still have pictures she made for me when my daughter was born. I have all the Christmas ornaments she made for me as a small child. She is the heart of my Aunt Laura's home. Despite all of the problems the family faces Olivia loves every one and makes sure they feel it. My fondest memories of Livy I think are yet to come. She is just now becoming a young adult and I can not wait to see how our friendship as well as her life unfolds. Mikey my aunt's last child is combustible energy incarnate. I love Mikey so much because he is so much fun. He plays with my daughter Guinevere more then me, but he gives me something I have never had. A little man to play rough and tumble games with. Mikey has a wild and vivid imagination. He reminds me very much of Max from Where the Wild Things Are. Mikey understands that God gave him a big playground, he intends on using it and no one is going to steal his thunder! Best part of this group of cousins is that as adults we all get together to kick our parents' asses at Trival Pursuit. I personally think it's quite unfair. We really should allow them a handicap considering the level of brain power we all have together.
My last group of cousins and I have had a tumultuous relationship at best. My oldest cousin Alisa and I shared some good memories in our youth. I remember sleeping over her house as a child. One night she taught me how to sneak snacks up to her room in my under wear, under our night gowns so her mom wouldn't see.
Note to self: ice pops are a bad choice for this kind of debauchery. She was the one person that I would let see me sing into a hair brush to Madonna's, Poppa Don't Preach. In adulthood she has had some very rough times. We don't talk much any more. Her brothers Donny and Gary were the bane of my existence as a young girl. While we loved playing video games, if there was nothing to preoccupy our time it became pick on Jayme time. Although I know they never meant to do any real harm to me it took a long time for us to learn how to be friends as adults. We haven't spoken much in years but I understand they are both well and happy.
Over all while I have not remained close with all my cousins, the ones I have kept in touch with are still to this day some of my best friends. Now that we are all grown Tim, Janel and I share the bond of becoming parents within a few years of each other. It is amazing to watch our children all play together as we once did. In addition to that I am now blessed with Juan, Nicole, Angie and Sammy as part of my family. They are the spouses to my cousins. I recently noted that I was so fortunate to have such wonderful cousins because through marriage they have have given me people whom I not only call family but can call my friends as well.
I think my greatest wish is that some day our children will look back have the similar feelings as well as memories of their cousins. While we never get to choose our family, I couldn't imagine that I could have done a better job then God of picking this one for me.
