Christmas time

[running_girl]

Today and tonight were wonderful.  Not just watching my nieces and nephew tear into their gifts ecstatically, but also going to the children's mass with the whole family, where my nieces were a part of the mass. One was an angel, and one sang in the choir. Plus, getting to watch my nephew during mass, and trying to keep him quiet and entertained. After mass when he was running around, I picked him up and he slimed me with a big wet sloppy kiss/lick on my chin. It was gross, but I didn't care cuz it came from him. Then he growled and said he was cookie monster, and ran off. ;) All of it was special. Everytime I am around those three kids I realize how much they mean to me, how much I love them. Ashtyn, my oldest niece, came into my life when I was only 18 and I can't remember what life was like without them. Every year that they get bigger, I feel proud and sad at the same time. They are growing up too fast. Brian and I have often talked about how we don't have a normal aunt/ uncle relationship with these kids. Its a deeper bond than that, so much so that their parents are thinking about making us their legal guardians, if something should happen to them. This is huge, you guys. Brian's parents are their guardians right now, but his parents are getting up there in years, so I think the kids parents are thinking of the future. Not that I would want anything to happen that would cause us to become their guardians, but what an honor!

Of course all this also makes me think about how things will change when Brian and I have kids. I don't want to lose the closeness I have with Ashtyn, Payton, and Gabe, but it will naturally happen. Or the relationship will change. And that's hard to think about. But I don't want to fret right now. I'm gonna go relax and enjoy the rest of Christmas eve!