Cousins: for a lot of people, these are the relatives you see at Christmas, weddings or whenever your attendance is required. For me, cousins are those people that were there for you growing up. They were like another sibling. My cousins are now some of my best friends and people I know I can call if I ever needed anything.

Cousins for me are my old babysitters, the ones that taught me how to play "Strike-A-Pose," how to surf down the stairs, used me to plot against their siblings and as bait when they were about to get in trouble for something.

I cherish the simple memories of visiting my cousins in Texas, driving around teaching us how to bop are heads to music, endless summer days spent in the neighborhood pool playing the "color game" or "Marco Polo," playing "Murder in the Dark" and the nights spent playing card games like Spoons, Spit and Egyptian Rat Screw, throwing cards across the table as we played.I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I couldn’t imagine someone’s childhood without cousins.

When people tell me they aren’t close with their cousins or don’t even know them, it makes me sad, like I want to give them some of my childhood and binge watch every home movie I can find!

We used to do monthly birthday celebrations at my grandparents. The sleepovers were endless, as parents were easily convinced. The annual family caravans to Gulf Shores, Alabama were never dull, changing cars to watch a movie, sleep or listen to something else besides "MMMBop" on repeat. I now thank those long car rides for all the memorized lyrics to songs and the ability to sleep in the car, but most of all, the memories and the people.

Being part of a huge fan club always guaranteed you would have the biggest crowd support. I remember when my cousins made it to state for football and part of our family went to go see them play. Whether cheering on each other at plays, games or even "Rockem’ Sockem’ Robots," there’s always someone rooting for you to succeed.

Why those who have a large family are not close to their cousins is beside me. Those who don’t have a lot of cousins, I hope you have someone in your life that will share theirs. There is a unique bond between close cousins, whether it is because of being raised together or always being with one another through the ups and downs in life. Now I get to go out and see my cousins in California and go on adventures with them. I would never have those adventures without them. I look back at different opportunities in life and many times my cousins are part of those, whether it is a new babysitting gig or letting me use their kids as models, they have always been up for what ever. Cousins are the people you can count on.