Megan's Getting Hitched

In just a few months, on June 8th to be exact, my only niece will be getting married.  For several years, before Ren came along and ruined everything for her, Megan seemed as much like John's and my daughter as she did her own parents.   Nieces and nephews aren often the best kinds of kids to have around.  You can dote on them, spoil them rotten and then send them back home. 

When Megan was born I had already twice been made an aunt - each time to a boy.  Shane, my first nephew, was only eighteen months or so younger than me so he felt more like a brother.  And we could sure fight like siblings, too, at times.  Then Jonathan came along when I was seven.  Now, he also felt like a brother, but there was enough of an age difference that I really babied him...even when he was older (which, I'm sure, could be kinda embarrassing at times).

I was almost eighteen when Megan was born and ohhhhh how I was so happy she was a girl!  She pretty much ruled the roost and lived a little life of bliss as the only granddaughter and niece for seven years...until one day in September of '95, when a new girl came to town.  Ren. 

Things were pretty dark for Megan those first few weeks and she even contemplated running away from home (at least as far as the outside storage building).  None of us will ever forget her little seven-year-old self stomping into the living room, where we had all gathered to oooh and ahhh over the newest member of the family, and blurting out I've got my phone and some clean panties and I'm going to the building!!!

Well, despite their rocky beginning as cousins, they've grown pretty fond of each other over the years and Megan even asked Ren to stand with her as the maid of honor on her special day.

What is it they say...cousins are friends that will love you forever.  Of course, they also say God made us cousins because he knew one mom couldn't handle us as sisters.  Both are applicable in this case.