6.06.2010

Nieces and Nephews

Before I had kids of my own, I used to blog a lot about my adorable nieces and nephews. It's been a while, but I'm so proud of them and so in love with each and every one of them. So this is a post in honor of those kids who aren't MY kids, but I love like my own kids. :)

I'll start with my sister Amber's kids.

Elijah: almost 4 years old. Thoughtful, smart, generous, plays well with girls, but is definitely all boy! Elijah has these big puppy dog eyes that always make me want to scoop him up and snuggle him.
Naomi: Two-and-a-half years old. Sweet, kind, sweet, helpful, sweet, compassionate and sweet. Naomi is a precious princess in every respect. She loves anything girly, especially barrettes and pretty dresses. I adore Naomi.Ruthie: One year old. Smiley and happy, as long as mommy is holding her! She loves her mama, and never wants to leave her side. When she smiles, her whole face lights up and you can't help but smile back. She's also talking a lot for how little she seems.
Amber & Pete are expecting another girl in July -- poor Elijah will be so outnumbered.

Thinking of my brother Micah's kids is always bittersweet for me now that they live so far away. With every picture we receive, I tear up thinking of how big they are all getting.

Malachi: 4-and-a-half. Just like his daddy, Malachi is genuinely one of the nicest boys you will ever meet. He cares about doing right and loving Jesus, and is a great big brother. We miss his smile and laugh so much! This is him with his first fish.Zachary: 3 years old. Zach comes across as the mellow one of the two brothers, but don't let his big chocolate eyes deceive you! His mind is full of adventure and creativity. He remains one of the cutest boys I think I'll ever know.Anna: 1-and-a-half. Anna left MN when she was so small that I feel like we are missing out on everything. I feel so sad that she doesn't know and remember us like the big boys do. Every time we have seen her, she's been shy, although when I watch videos and see photos of her at home, I can tell that she holds her own among those boys just fine! I love this photo of her and Micah -- the little princess he always dreamed of having!Micah and Missy are expecting another boy, Jeremiah, in August.

And finally, JP's sister Lisa's children.

Ava: 4 years old. Rae's best buddy, creative, artistic, caring, and beautiful. I love the way she pronounces her "R's" as "W's" (eg: Rae Rae sounds like "Wae Wae"). Ava is a great friend because she is thoughtful about other people's feelings and goes out of her way to care for others.Vincent: almost 2 years old. Cool, calm, mellow, cuddly and oh so handsome. To me, Vinnie is like a manly little man with a sensitive side. He seems happy just to sit back and soak life in.
Florence: almost 2 years old (Vinnie's twin). What Florie lacks in size, she makes up for in spunk and personality! The last I heard (correct me if I'm wrong, Lisa), although Florie will be 2 in July, she is still not legally big enough to sit in a forward facing car seat! But she is a firecracker, brave, energetic, and cute as a button.
And of course, you know these two darlings.

It's a joy and privilege to share the experience of raising children with our siblings, and sheer bliss for the cousins to have each other as the best of friends. Each smile makes our days brighter.

We love you, Elijah, Naomi, Ruthie, Malachi, Zach, Anna, Ava, Vinnie, Florie, and the little buns in the oven too!

2 comments:

The Petersons said...

Ahhh...so sweet! Thanks Audra!

Missy said...

Thanks Audra! We miss you guys too! We have not forgotten any of you. We speak about and pray for our family back in MN often! We also have all your pics on the boys' wall so we can see your faces everyday!