via: (genealogy.com)

"I haven't seen you since you were THIS BIG," says the woman who is 'supposedly' my cousin as she motions her hand toward the ground.

Family reunions are mostly a day filled with smiling and hugging people you barely know, having to pretend to be comfortable with them. But it is kind of fun to meet your family and learn about your background (or you just go for the free food, like me).

So let's sum up the day's events!

You're on the way there in the back of your family's mini van, nervous and wondering if someone from school could POSSIBLY be your cousin!....or is that just me? I always wanted to meet someone that I knew, but didn't know they were my cousin at a family reunion! Yeah, probably just me.

So you arrive and your mom introduces you to her cousins and aunts, and everyone she grew up with, and they all look at you in amazement like they've never heard of 'growing,' because you were totally suppose to stay the baby that they remember you as, duh.

You're then told to go mingle with your family that is 'your age' over on the playground, even though you're in college and most of them just entered middle school. (But oops, you forgot, you're still that little baby they remember all those years ago.)

So you go in a corner and play games on your phone until it's time to eat or talk to one of your immediate cousins (one of the only people you recognize) whom you have suddenly bonded with over this shared awkward event.

FINALLY, the food is ready! Why can people never have things ready on time? So you have your plate but, uh oh, who do you sit by? Your perverted old uncle who you can obviously see checking you out, or by your super family-oriented cousin who organized the whole event and will pester you with questions about your life progress during the whole meal? Perverted uncle it is.

Oh, and the day is not over until at least 10 people have asked you, "Do you remember me?!"

Once the free food is all gone, and your battery is on 5 percent, it is finally time to make up an excuse to leave.

You are able to tear your mom and dad away from their old friends after an hour of complaining about a fake headache, and then you are finally home safe. Free to wash away all the hugs of people that you love unconditionally but have no idea who they were. But don't worry, you have a whole year to learn about them before next year's reunion. Then when they ask you, "Do you remember me?" you can finally reply with a "Yes!" (from last year).

See ya next year with another recap!