Family Ties: Aunt & Uncle

Auntie in the hospital with the little man

I know I've said this before but... I am one lucky lady. I am blessed with the role of being an "aunt".

Currently my husband and I have a six year old niece and a five year old niece who love to imagine. We tell stories (typically of the "Princess Pirate Ninja" variety which entertains both the niece and uncle involved), play with plastic horses, make up songs, and we've been known to randomly be sucked under the ocean for an adventure. No joke. There we are just playing a game, watching a movie, or reading a story and all of a sudden the entire room fills with water. You would not believe what we see during this phenomenon - but most often our behavior makes the entire family either laugh aloud or shrug their shoulders. I am crazy about these girls.

Then there are the twins - our youngest niece and first nephew. Sweet babies. Only months old. I cannot put into words how much they make me smile. Every blink and smile makes me remember when our older nieces were just tiny too. I cannot wait to hear their little voices. I want to teach them all sorts of songs to sing and hum. I love to see my husband "be dudes" with that tiny man, and hold the littlest lady of our family close in his arms.

The aunt and uncle responsibilities are jobs that my husband and I take seriously. We want to be with our nieces and nephew whenever we can. We love to see them, talk to them, hold them, and be just plain crazy together. They are some of the many reasons we travel so often to see family all around the state.

We are so excited because this week our oldest niece is here for a visit! Maybe I'll have a few fun photos to share after her time here. She had promised her mom that us girls would "party all day while Uncle Joe has to go to work"!

Back when our oldest niece was a little one