MY NEPHEW. A TRIBUTE.

My nephew Even is 18 years old today, and this evening the whole family is going to celebrate him. When he was born my youngest daughter Sophie had just turned four, and Even was the first cousin to arrive in our family. She came with us to the hospital to visit the new baby, took one look at him and said: "When can I start playing with him?"

To this day she and Even have a special bond, and it's not so long ago that she asked a similar kind of question: "When can I start inviting him to parties?" Well, Sophie - he's turned eighteen now, so feel free!

But there's another daughter of mine - Julie - who could have been his sister, judging by their looks!

Even & Julie

They both think it's a bit eerie that they look so much alike, but it's easy to see the particular family traits that run down the line, from my father to me, to my daughter, and from my father to my brother and to Even, though he's my sister's son! Where was my mother in all this, you might ask... well, take a look at my sister and you'll know!

When I first saw Even in that hospital crib I noticed his broad shoulders - he was already athletic at one day old! And so it turned out - he's successful at every sport he's ever tried. He has played soccer and tennis, he's good at skiing, both downhill and cross country. And he's an ardent football supporter - favourite teams are Barcelona FC http://www.fcbarcelona.com, which he has been to see play in Barcelona several times, and the Oslo club Lyn http://www.lyn.no, for which my Dad (Even's granddad) played. Lyn Football Club has a huge standing in our family - my parents met at a party arranged by Lyn, so we can all really be grateful to this club for even existing! 

Cousins: Johanne, Julie, Even, Ola and Axel

There are two special characteristics to Even that I adore most of all. One is his love of his family and the way he shows it, the way he is touchingly open about it. He really enjoys being with his cousins, with his aunts and uncles, at family gatherings and on holidays. He loves coming to our house, compliments me on my cooking, generally feels at home and truly wonders if our new apartment will be as cosy and inviting. 

Another typical side to Even is his sense of humour - which I share exactly! We only have to look at each other to start giggling, and many are the times we have burst out laughing when one of us utters just one word. Our mutual sense of humour is often a bit crazy and a bit black and improper. Laughing in the wrong places is another way of putting it. Once on holiday together in Bulgaria the whole resort had been without electricity for hours when Even suddenly made a dry comment: "There's a little kid stuck in the lift over in that building." It did take me a few seconds to realise this was his idea of a joke. Hahaha!!

When Even was a small kid himself, he was very eager to prove himself, which he is NOT now by the way. He had been on holiday in France, and he proudly told me that he could speak French after two weeks there. When I started talking to him in French he looked at me with big blue eyes and quickly corrected himself: "I meant Swedish."

More cousins: Ida, Jelena & Mira

I asked Even today if I could write about him in my blog, and he said yes. This is a small tribute to my favourite 18-year old - I hope he'll read it. Even is almost exactly forty years younger than me, and he has already promised me he'll sit next to me at my 80th birthday party, when he'll be a handsome gentleman of 40! Happy Birthday, Even!