I am grateful for nieces and nephews…

I have not been the best blogger over the last month.  It’s not that I haven’t been grateful.  I’ve been busy doing things like grading papers and preparing report cards, cleaning the house and doing laundry, being a work-a-holic and spending time on our callings. And probably more importantly I’ve been spending with the people I’m grateful for…Most recently that has been our niece Katie.

Katie has a special place in my heart.  Twelve years ago, my brother and his wife were extremely kind and generous and allowed me to go with my sister-in-law to pick Katie up in China.  Chip and I have no children – (a very, very, very epic of a long story, that we can save for another time when I can gather enough gratitude to share it) – so having this “gotcha day” with Katie and her mom is a priceless gem in my heart, just as Katie is in our life now.
Katie decided to come and spend Spring Break with us a few weeks ago.  Chip and I had a really fun week with her and look forward to more hangin’ out together
in the future.  From those seven multi-event packed days, we learned a lot more about what we have been missing out on.

If that wasn’t great enough, during the same week, our nephew Chris and his wife Mary, just had their third child, a handsome son, Maxwell which we can hardly wait to meet this weekend.  We need to warn Maxwell and his parents right now that Chip and I want our fair share of holding him time.

Yes this weekend, currently we are in the middle of a count down to the BIG wedding one Saturday, of one of our other special nieces, Ali, who is marrying this awesome guy Artie.  Ali, also has placed one of those rare special gems in my heart. Ali served a mission for our church several years ago and I was the lucking/blessed/honored person to take her to the MTC (Missionary Training Center for you non-LDS folks) when she left for her mission.  Normally, parents do the emotional drop-off honors, but Ali’s parents decided to say goodbye at their home in Washington state and afforded me a special sharing moment privilege with their youngest child.  And now this weekend, we get to be there when she gets sealed in the temple.  How lucky are we!!!!!!  Another jewel placed in the mine.

Ali’s parents have other wonderful children besides Chris, Cameron and Carly that both hold incredibly dear places in our hearts.  We love when they come and visit.  Cameron got married last year and still owes us a visit with his new wife Jacquie. Carly has this amazing heart of her own that she freely shares and we are looking forward to spending more time w
ith her when she moves to our neck of the woods to do an internship in the near future.

Wait, there have been birthday celebrations of late as well, since my last post – Logan, Katie, and Sarah.  Logan is Katie’s younger sister.  She’s the kind of niece that makes you laugh and laugh and laugh, the kind you want to tickle and snuggle and giggle with some more.  Sarah is the oldest of five kids that we love skiing with.  We’ve been skiing with Sarah, Anna, Alex, Andrew, and Spencer since they first learned to ski and each year we have even more fun with than the year before.  We’re lucky that we usually get to see them once in the summer and once in the winter each year.  They are ALL amazing athletes – their Smiths – and actually amazing scholars and pianists and fun and silly and always, always make us smile and feel lucky to be their “fun Uncle and Aunt.”  And as we always tell them, they are some of our favorite nieces and nephews too.

I would be neglect to not mention a few more of our favorites – there’s Brandon, who turned 20 just a few months ago.  One of my precious touchstones was deposited by Brandon the I held him in my arms.  He was the first grandchild on my side of the family, my sister’s son.  I just remember the tears running down my face holding this sweet little baby.  Now he looks down at me and thinks, “Oh look, it’s my sweet little aunt…” Very funny Brandon… 🙂  You’ve grown into a wonderful young man.

And wait, I could never forget about little Claire.  Claire is our youngest niece, she turned 2 recently, and has been such a sweet, loving addition to her immediate family as well as to bigger family.  It’s been so fun watching her grow from a wee baby to a toddler on skis.  Yes, another niece that skis!  It’s that Smith blood again.

Later this year, Chip and I get to go back to California for another special wedding.  It will be Tyler’s turn.  Tyler maybe an only child within his immediate family, but when you’re with him he feels the room with his amazing warmth.  He is one of the most genuinely nice people that we call family. We can hardly wait to meet his Ali and to welcome her into our special brood of nieces and nephews.

Now together, Chip and I have a combined total of 18 nieces and nephews, that’s not counting their children…nor our honorary nieces and nephews Philip (and Elizabeth), Hilary (and Taylor), and McKenzie (and Austin).  Philip, Hilary, and McKenzie and their parents taught us, even before Chip and I were married, a lot about how much we will always want to be, not just parents, but really awesome parents who raise really awesome children.

We love all of our nieces and nephews more than I could ever write in a simple blog.  Each one is unique and incredible in their own right.  They add to our lives in ways that can’t be described with any number of words. We feel so blessed that these children and their parents allow us priceless experiences.  I can’t even begin to tell you how honored we are to be called Uncle Chippie and Aunt Debbie (or Uncle Debbie and Aunt Chippie if your name is Logan).  You all fill our empty crevice with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, and more.  THANK YOU ALL, even the ones not in this picture!

I am grateful for amazing nieces and nephews who truly fill our lives with happiness and love.