“The Cousins Club, GIRLS EDITION!”
Biography
I awoke to a 3:00 am wake up call from my dad, “Cass come on! You can sleep in the car. We have a long ride anyway. Get your stuff together, come on!”. My groggy self jumped to my feet as I remembered it was FINALLY time for my annual visit to New Jersey to see all my family. Until then, it was lights out for me.
This time it was rock n’ roll and my dad air guitar-ing while we were stuck in traffic when I woke up. It was about 12:30 pm and there were only 2 short hours to go until I not only got to see all my family, but surprise them! This year my dad and I decided to tell my whole family that my cheerleading schedule was busy and there wasn’t a week to visit. Little did they know one of my oldest cousins, Alicia, had been in contact with us for weeks planning our extravagant arrival!
2:30 pm. “Hi grandma!” — “Yes I know all the girl cousins are at the house for the pool party.. you told me last week.” — “Stop! you’re making me so sad! I wish I was on my way there instead of cheerleading practice!” — “Okay, well you do that. I’ll call you later this week and I hope I get to see you soon. I love you!”
Grandma couldn’t see I was just behind the wooden fence door that was too high for my 10 year old self to see over as I told her I was on my way to practice. I giggled to myself as I intentionally stole all the attention of my family members by shoving the fence gate open as loud and fast as I could to make my grand entrance. “SURPRISE I’M HERE!!!!!” came out as though I was yelling through a megaphone; followed by a *SPLASH* as I cannon-balled into the pool where I learned to swim.
From cannon-ball competitions, to diving board games my cousins and I swam the day away. My grandparents spoiled us with all sorts of treats, pool toys and endless kisses. Hours passed as our skin cripsed brown as our ears became full of the all too chlorinated pool water. The night ended in my grandparent’s living room while my grandpa infamously played his accordion (his proudest talent despite his athletic abilities) and we danced around him, mocking his big-foot self.
So there you go. What’s my story? Who am I? What did I come from? I come from a huge, loving, silly, full of surprises type family where we laugh until our stomachs hurt, have as much fun as our bodies can handle and love each other endlessly. My journey starts with stories like this one. I’m your average 18 year old that was born in New Jersey, raised by divorced yet loving parents in Georgia and now starting the next chapter of my life as a freshman at the University of Georgia. I live life loving my family and every moment of life as much as my heart will allow. I am, Cassie Koes.
