avuncular

That is how I am feeling these days, based on the exciting news from up north that my brother and sister-in-law are expecting. It is an exciting time for the family.

I have a nephew on Becky's side of the family, 14 months older than Katie. But this will be the first cousin of Katie's I can expect to be in her life a month down the road. Katie adores her cousin the two times a year or so she gets to see him even though he lives just across town. But I have never felt close to him. Perhaps it is because his parents were such a miserable couple; each of them alone nice people, but together absolutely horrible. Throw in the fact that Becky's family simply isn't close, that they don't put in any kind of effort to actually see each other, and I think I always just knew that this was not a child that would be much a part of our lives, as sad as that is to admit.

And even more sad is what a relief that is to me. After the disaster that was our trip to Austin in September for Becky's brother's wedding reception, I am glad that they are a marginal part of our lives.

But that is all the negative, when the overwhelming positive is that there is a new cousin on the way.