A Little Less Lonely

I've always lived with in driving distance of my family.  Now that we've moved to a different state I was wondering how I would be able to handle being so far away from them.  I come from a very close nit family and I grew up with frequent "get togethers".  Isabel has also been very close with her cousin Nathan.  From the moment they were born they've seen each other almost every week for play time.  At this point they even have their own language.  

When we moved up here we learned that my hubby has family here.  It turns out that they're only twenty minutes away from where we live now.  We were able to spend Thanksgiving with them and it made living here less lonely knowing that there was family close by.  My hubby's cousin also has a son that is a bit older but is absolutely wonderful with Izzy.  He's patient and plays with her, even when she brings her tea set.  He doesn't push her away or bully her and she adores him.  It amazed me that she not only learned his name the first time she met him but she also was able to say it and call out for him.  What does family mean to you?