Guest Blog : Jill Raff, The Friendship Stone Team

My sister Cathy and I grew up sharing a bedroom until I was 13, when we moved to a new home. We continued to share activities, friends, and interests as we went through Jr. High, High School, and even into The University of Texas at Austin together.  After photography school, Cathy moved to Israel, which was very hard for me to be separated from her. I had always dreamed of us sharing our adult lives with our respective families, just as she and I had our childhood.

So, this summer is a dream.  We have just begun our 6 1/2 week time together: sister and cousin time has been great and non-stop already!  It started with a week in NYC. My kids were so excited to see their cousins they were counting “the sleeps” until they arrived. The reunion was filled with hugs, kisses and squeals of excitement!

It is really incredible and such a special thing that though thousands of miles separate us, my children are so close with my sister and her children…just as I had hoped!

This is the first night but unfortunately due to jet lag, one cousin was already fast asleep. It is pure sweetness for me to see my daughter cuddled up to her cousin she has missed so much, yet as if a day hasn’t skipped since they were together last.

Cousins Enjoying Spending Time together!       

Once over jet lag, the kids were stoked to have a sleep over at our house (my sister was staying at our Mom’s).  They curled up on the sofa together in the morning.

Below we are in Times Square after seeing Mamma Mia (Thank you GrandmaJ) & on our way down to Chinatown to explore & have dinner; yuuuuummy! 

Next stop…we’re all ready for vacay: beach house in MA. to Lauré’s (another Friendship Stone teammate). We’re all so happy to be together and being on the water, overlooking this gorgeous Bay is…breathtakingly beautiful! 

What a view from their living room window…take a peak:

Still ahead: Cape Cod with our Mom & other sister and her family, VT with Cathy’s sister-in-law’s family, a week in GA (where we have 2 high school reunions) reconnecting with our childhood & college friends, and a week at the Disney parks.

Just being together, reconnecting with each other and old friends…this is what life is about!