In many different Polynesian languages there is no word for cousin. There is a word for mother, father, sibling (not gender-specific), grandmother, grandfather... but no word for cousin. I explain that only to say that so many of my cousins I consider to be my brother or sister. On top of that, my parents helped raise a lot of 'other-peoples-kids'. There is so much behind that bit of information of which I do not wish to discuss at this point in time... but maybe someday.
There's my birth brother... three years my senior. Me. Then there's Kilifi and Siaosi who moved in with us during their high school years, up until my parents sent them off to serve LDS missions. Both are a year younger than me. Then there's Michelle. She moved in with us when she was 10 or 11 and stayed until she turned 18 then she was off to conquer the world. She is four years younger than me. Then there's Tory who is turning 17 in a few weeks. Keith, who just turned 13... and that does it. Those are my siblings.
That's really all I have to say about siblings. Writing the tribute to my parents a couple days ago really drained me. In an effort to avoid that kind of exhaustion, I decline to write a highly emotional post. I can say that I love all of them dearly.
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