My cousin Cheri

This vibrant and beatufiul woman is my cousin Cheri. I had just finished 8th grade when Cheri was born. I came to spend a week at my Aunt Carla and Uncle Earl's home, as I did each summer, and was thrilled to be able to hold, cuddle, and play with the adorable baby Cheri. Each year when I came back to visit, I delighted in spending time with the growing girl, as she grew from baby to toddler to preschooler. When Cheri was three, she was quite articulate and precocious. My cousin Beth and I used to dream up little plays to perfrom and bribe Cheri to take on speaking parts in them, along with her sister Wendy. When Beth was studying the famous Lady MacBeth monologue at her summer theater program, Cheri learned it by heart as well. We loved hearing her proclain in her solemn little voice, "Out, Out damn spot, Out I say." Cheri was like a little sister to me, and I adored her, becuase I had no little sister of my own, just annoying little brothers.

I remember taking Cheri to summer camp with her older sisters, talking with her about the frustrations of junior high school, and admiring her efforts to learn and play viola.

Many years later, when I was married, the mother of young twins, and living in our newly purchased house, Cheri came to visit. She was applyingfor summer law internships. She was an attractive and poised young woman, and I wondered when and how she had managed to grow up into this impressive young ault. In my mind, she was still the little cousin I loved to play with.

Now Cheri is a lawyer, a wife, and a mother. She wears many hats and is invovled in a variety of important activites, yet still finds time to do the creative hobbies that are important to her. In addition, she is running for her local school board, being willing to generouslyy give her time and talents to the important cause of improving public schools in Indianapolis. Over the past five years I have enjoyed several visits to Cheri's home, as we carted our daughter to and from college in nearby Richnond, Indiana. We have enjoyed some wonderful cousins gatherings and have comforted each other at family funerals. I feel that I have known Cheri all of her life, but I know I will get to know her on a deeper and more personal level when we travel to Paris together next month. I look forward to long walks in this beatiful city, long talks over cups of tea or coffee, or over evening glasses of wine at a sidewalk cafe. I know that the experience of living in Paris with Cheri will be a special one, and one that I will treasure forever.