Cousins

Today, the biggest thing that happened to me had nothing to do with the giant slug outside my classroom that was kicked onto a girl's shoe, or watching kids run around picking up cubes representing carbon dioxide and oxygen as they ran through the "body" pretending to be blood or even watching the baby dove fly onto the flower pot as he knocked his mother off her spot.  No, the biggest thing that happened to me today happened thousands of miles across the Atlantic.  This morning, around 7:30 central time, Watkins Alexander was born.

Ann Wright and Elizabeth

I am fortunate to be an only child and reap the benefits that come from my parents attention, but also fortunate enough to have people I can call as brothers and sisters when I choose.  My family has always been very close, not just by mileage.  We grew up getting together for every holiday and birthday, celebrating accomplishments both big and small of we, the  seven cousins.  During our growing up years, as I was the youngest, there were times that those five years or so apart seemed unreachable, but since we have all found ourselves as young adults, we've become even closer.  Four cousins, their spouses, and now eight cousins in the next generation live within five miles of my home in Birmingham.  I can walk to the park to meet a few of them, I'm close enough to go watch soccer games, dance recitals or even just watch as they discover their toes!

I'm the youngest in the generation of cousins, and it was over 23 years before there was another baby in the family.  I remember vividly when we heard Ann Wright had arrived.  It was two days after Christmas, and I was home, spending time with my parents.  A member of our church had passed away and we had just gone to a visitation.  We were in the alley between the funeral parlor and the church when my mom received a phone call saying, "She's here!"  It was a beautiful moment, realizing that life really is full circle.  Just a year later, we welcomed into our lives, Jack, who began his life in Fairhope, but thankfully soon moved home to Birmingham so we could see him more often!

Then came the flurry of little ones - Elizabeth, Webb, Alice, Marlen, Boyd and Mils - all of whom have their own unique personalities, amazing energy and great laughs that they share with all those lucky enough to get to spend time with them.  Most of this next generation was born in Birmingham and I was able to hold each of them just hours, or even minutes after their arrival into this world.  When Mils made his grand entrance, I even took a day off of work to make sure I could hear those first cries.  Mils decided to take his time, and it wasn't until the following morning, at 2:34 that I heard some cries coming from the room, and although I went to school just a few hours later, it was well worth it!

Trying to get a photo of six kids all five and under is quite the challenge!

Mils, just moments after his arrival!

It's a little bittersweet as I welcome Watkins into this world.  I'm so very thankful he's here and that he and his mom are doing so well, but I'm so sorry it will be so long before I can squeeze him myself.  I'm sure I'll make up for the time I'm missing though!  And once again, I must admit how thankful I am technology.  Because of technology, I was able to talk to Ann Wright on her first day of kindergarten, I was able to hear from Jack and Elizabeth about Jack's soccer game and how their mother's belly kept growing, I was able to watch Mils crawl just days after he had figured out how to do it, I am able to see photos of each of them as they grow and change so rapidly, and I was able to hear of Watkins birth just moments after he arrived!

Proud big brother and sister - Jack and Elizabeth

Watkins

I have so many things in my life to be thankful for!  I'm especially thankful to have such a wonderful family - one that grew a little bigger and a little brighter today!