Sisters and Cousins

So...one of my recent life resolutions has been to get to know my cousins better. 

I have a total of 30 first cousins- 28 on my mom's side and 2 on my dads. 

2 of them I have never actually met. 

Most I haven't talked to in more than a cursory fashion in years 

It's always seemed so strange to me to have this group of people out there who I am so closely related to but don't know at all. 

So..over the last little while I have been trying to get to know them. 

And yesterday was awesome in that regard!

My cousin Maddy (my Aunt Sharon's daughter) and I (and her beautiful baby Elijah) went to see our favorite sister missionaries!

Maddy really got to know Sister Ricks (who baptized our cousin Lacey) while she was serving in Cape May. 

I got back into missionary work because of Sister Simmons, when she served here in Milford.

Now the two of them are companions in Broomall. 

Sister Ricks goes home to Arizona in two weeks and so Maddy wanted to say goodbye, I wanted to meet this incredible sister who has been so good to my family, and get a chance to meet up with my favorite Philly sister, Sister Simmons!

So, we drove up, had lunch, gave Sister Ricks weird going away gifts, and had a festive time. 

I loved getting to hear more about Maddy's life and her dreams for the future and her love of the Gospel. 

She is my only cousin who is also a strong member of the church.

And she totally inspires me to share my love of the Gospel with others- especially in our family. 

So, here is to the Year of the Cousin.

It's going to be the BEST. YEAR. EVER. 

 I now have jump shots of Sister Simmons with every one of her companions! 

 Poor Sister Simmons! She has always dreamed of serving in the city and all three of her areas have been fairly rural PA towns. :) 

 Which I love...I take like 100 pictures whenever I am driving home at sunset! 

 Maddy and Sister Ricks. These are two strong, beautiful Mormon girls! 

Sister Ricks is the first missionary ever to be photographed with two Wilson cousins! I told her there were 26 others and she should say "Don't make me mad, or I will replace you with one of the 26 others!" (Of course, the best part of this picture is the handsome younger man we are all standing with!)

I hope that this blog will contain many more posts like this. 

I'm sad for the years that I have missed but hopeful for an amazing future with these cool people I am lucky enough to call family. 

Lori Ann

(# 7 of the 28)