I love you, Jenny....

Many of you have read many posts about my cousins, Jenny and Kelly. Jenny and Kelly are my dad's brother's kids but my dad's brother passed away (3 months before I was born) so most people find it surprising we have remained so close. Jenny and Kelly moved to Ames when they were young, so we only got together for family functions, holidays and whenever our moms arranged for playdates and sleepovers. But, we always made the most of our time together: hiding from our moms in the cornfield (DID NOT go over well, by the way), playing hide and seek, staying up late talking, staying overnight at Grandma and Grandpa's, riding beans together, going to Spirit Lake, going to ISU basketball games, going to eachother's birthday parties...SO many good times. Jenny and Kelly know everything about me - and love me anyway. And, as we've grown older, we've grown even closer- going through a lot of milestones together, consoling eachother during hard breakups, taking part in each other's weddings, visiting eachother's homes, living together, crying together, and most of all- laughing together! I don't think I know anybody else who can laugh like we can...

That being said, we've been through some hard times lately - watching Grandpa battle cancer, and in the end, losing him. Those were hard days but we stuck by each other (with the help of my brother and my other cousin, Jon). And, we all became closer because of it.

When we went back to Lake City for the funeral, all of us girls were in the back bedroom (we call it the 'orange room' even though it's no longer orange) and it was one of those moments where we were all thinking of things to say to take our mind off the obvious. Who handles those moments the best? My cousin Jenny. She heads to her duffle bag and pulls out a sweater and shows it to us, and says, "I brought this back in case anyone wanted to borrow it for a while..." or something like that. To be honest, I can't remember her words, but I do remember my cousin's faces. Kim looked at me like, "Help! What do I say?". Heather laughed out loud. Kelly asked if she was serious. And, we all busted out laughing. We give Jenny a hard time a lot so maybe it was one of those moments, but I knew we were right on when Jenny's own mom looked at her and said, "I don't get it- for us to WEAR?? Why were you wearing it?" We laughed and we cried in those moments and I'm just thankful for that moment. Gpa loved it when we made fun of each other and he laughed at us all the time.

So, me being me: I couldn't let an opportunity like this go by. I knew what I had to do. I had to have that sweater. It would come in handy later- I just knew it. It would symbolize so many things: how far we've come, how laughter is still possible, how crazy Jenny is. You see, it's not surprising Jenny hung on to this sweater- she's THAT girl who can pull off a lot of looks. She's naturally pretty and she loves hanging on to old clothes. When we lived together, I had to convince her that the cut-off jean shorts with patches were no longer "in"- they had to go. I know that if you went to her closet now you would find Birkenstock sandals. For sure.

Well, I can't tell you all this without revealing the sweater, can I? With permission from my sister and Kelly, and at their urging and insistence that our sisterhood is strong, our ties are thick, that nothing can stand between us- not even a little ribbing about a sweater...I only thought it was fitting if I tried it on for you. You know...to get the full effect.

Let me just say this before starting: JENNY- BILL COSBY CALLED AND HE WANTS HIS SWEATER BACK!!!

I plan on using this photo should I ever need to rely on Match.com. Note the double-rolled socks and stylin' hair and lipstick. Awesome. Also a great sweater for the church photo directory or senior photos.

It's a sweater that looks great with leggings, as shown here. A GREAT "boyfriend" sweater....that is, if your boyfriend's name is EDDIE BAUER!Dear Diary....I bought a great sweater today. It's so versatile. I plan on pairing it with legwarmers, hoop earrings, bangle bracelets and a dickey to wear underneath. I love it and can't wait to wear it to the school dance tonight! XXOO- HollyPerfect for a senior photo with my tight-rolled jeans and flats. The side pony is a bonus. The sweater once made an appearance in "When Harry Met Sally."

Brrr...it's cold outside, let me grab my sweater! People who were found purchasing the sweater most often: dog sled drivers, church choir directors, AquaNet lovers, skiiers, loggers and festive truck drivers.Could not go skiing in Vermont in 1991 without it. A staple to any winter collection. Best part: it's versatile- your husband or boyfriend can wear it, too!And, enough room for two! Maternity stores worldwide have been missing out on a good thing!Maddox is reaching for me here and saying, "Help! Mommy's stuck in 1988 and she can't get out! Help her!"

God Bless My Cousin Jenny. And, God Bless Me. This may start a blog war. That's why I had to mention Heather and Kelly- they are clearly accomplices in this matter. And, someone had to take the photos...

Unfortunately, the sweater is in my hands now and it's not going anywhere. My husband Joe has grand plans for it, and my brother-in-law Guthrey has so many ideas his head is spinning.

Comedy is great relief. Laughter is the best medicine. And, as each of my cousins and I are finding ways to cope, we know we can always turn to each other. Thank God for family- and for this sweater!