But I learned something new about that feeling a couple of weeks ago. It never occurred to me that I could feel that way about someone else's children, and yet there I was, feeling it for children who are not mine. Except that they are mine... sort of.
I have a sister. She's almost exactly 2 years younger than me. She is one of the most dear and special people in my life, and she currently lives 5,942 miles away from me. She has 3 young children of her own, and until last month, I'd not seen them for 19 1/2 months, and hadn't even met her youngest. I spent one wonderful week with them, and found myself loving those children in that way-- that I-love-you-so-much-it-hurts-and-please-don't-go-away-from-me way.
And now I understand what it means to be an Aunt. To my own Aunt Merril Lynn:: now I get it. Now I understand how you feel about us, because I feel it for Elizabeth's children. This was an incredibly valuable lesson for me to learn.
To Emeline, Jarom & Wesley :: Auntie Rachel loves you! And I can't wait to see you again soon. Big big hugs. xo.
It's been so entertaining to watch her develop a little personality and find her place in our family!
The eyelashes!
(07.28.10 @ 07:40 PM)The eyelashes!
(07.28.10 @ 07:40 PM)I can't wait to kiss your sweet little cheeks, beautiful baby! She is a doll Rach. Two more weeks... two more weeks...
(07.29.10 @ 12:13 AM)She is so precious! Your kids are stunning Rachel.
(07.29.10 @ 01:05 PM)I looked at your blog while feeding Benjamin lunch and the instant he saw Maura he smiled so big and started talking to her in a high pitched sound...so cute! She is adorable and I can't wait to meet her in person someday. Hope all is well!
(07.29.10 @ 02:13 PM)Love these! I forget that she's the same age as Marek - it's fun to see her "growing up" with mine! :)
(08.01.10 @ 07:27 PM)Rach, you make BEAUTIFUL kiddos!! Oh my goodness, she is such a doll!! I want to squeeze her : )
(08.03.10 @ 09:15 AM)what a gorgeous little punkin! SO fun to watch her grow through your images, my friend. :)
(08.07.10 @ 04:31 PM)I love that I have a 3 1/2 year old who still takes a long nap every afternoon.
I love that I found her in my bed today.
I love that there was a little stack of books right next to her.
I love those lips.
This is so cute! Gosh I miss you guys! :)
(07.21.10 @ 05:42 PM)Sweet pea. These are beautiful. Seriously the light in your room is so amazing. I knew it when I saw it. And the stack of books? Soooo precious. She is going to be a reader. Something I wish for all of my children.
(07.21.10 @ 05:43 PM)Darling :)
(07.21.10 @ 06:50 PM)I love this precious moment you've captured. Nothing better than clean white sheets and a sweet little sleeping beauty!!
(07.21.10 @ 09:48 PM)Rachel - that sleeping one is PRICELESS!!!! absolutely perfect.
(07.22.10 @ 05:54 AM)Oh my goodness I LOVE that last picture!! She's such a little beauty- and I love the white shirt and white sheets and gorgeous eyelashes. And those cute little lips!
(07.27.10 @ 01:01 PM)Your sweet sleeping beauty melts my heart!! These are some of the sweetest images I have ever seen. Gorgeous, Rach, simply gorgeous!!
(07.28.10 @ 02:29 PM)2. Bath & Body Works Sleep Lavender Vanilla Body Mist
3. So You Think You Can Dance.... I'm relatively obsessed. Mostly because I wish I had a dancer's body and a dancer's moves. Just don't peek in my windows on Wednesday nights, or you'll see that my contemporary routines aren't exactly ready for network TV......
4. Transformation.com - this is something I'm diggin' now, and I'll be diggin' forever. I feel so good when I live this way.
5. These pants
6. Purging! I'm in major give-away mode. Shoes, clothing, stuffed animals (shhhh!), a few books, bye-bye.
7. Fage Greek Yogurt (2%, Strawberry)
8. The pool. Yep, I've giving in and embracing (at least one aspect) of So. Cal's summer. We love our pool.
9. This song (turn it up loud and dance like no one is watching!)
10. The Island ... My sister gave it to me for my birthday, and it's such a great read!
I love that you're watching SYTYCD! It is one of my favorites, better than American Idol for sure! Maybe you'll have to teach us one of your contemporary routines next weekend ;)
(07.19.10 @ 11:36 PM)YESSSSSS! my girls and i will not miss that show either. too late for me, but perhaps i'll be able to live vicariously through my dancing daughters? a girl can dream... ;)
(07.20.10 @ 08:31 AM)fun reading these! Don't know what the song is though!- no longer available. I hate it when that happens.
Here's what we've done:
1. Elias "graduated" from Kindergarten! (With flying colors, I might add.) And while I've always thought that Kinder graduation was relatively ridiculous, it's hard not to get totally into it when your 6-yr-old is beside himself with excitement.
2. The very day that Elias finished school, we started off on another journey to my home in New Mexico, stopping at the Grand Canyon. It snowed! It snowed at the Grand Canyon in June. Needless to say, I was in HEAVEN.
3. We played with cousins! (Rowan and Owyn. Cute, right??)
4. We spent a few days at the family cabin outside of Durango, CO and enjoyed roasting marshmallows, playing horseshoes, lounging, and playing at "big rock".
5. We threw rocks in the lake.
6. We rented a barge.......
(I'm posting this and risking all dignity while doing so.... I have so very few images of myself with my children, that I figured it was worth it to post ...)
7. We found a fishing pole floating in the lake, complete with a lure, so we fished. And came up empty, but the children taught us that the fun part was the trolling, casting and reeling in.
8. We searched for, hiked to, and found a wonderful lost arch outside of Aztec, NM. My Mom stayed below with Maura, but she's anxious to go back and hike it as well. Thank you to my Dad for the photos.
9. At the begining of July, we flew (REDEYE WITH THREE KIDS, THANK YOU JT) to Ohio to see his parents, attend an impromptu 15-yr high school reunion, and enjoy the 4th in the heartland- there is NO PLACE that celebrates the 4th like Granville, OH does. Well, no place that I've ever been, anyway. We took part in lots of 4th of July activities, including sweating through a really fun, and very long parade. The kids had more candy than they got last year on Halloween. Thank you to my Mother-in-law, Ann, for throwing it all away after we left!
(did you know that each year in the Granville OH parade, there is a PORK PRINCESS?! And a Rabbit Queen and a Lamb Queen? .... There are.)
10. We visited with old friends. :)
11. We caught fireflies... a novelty to those of us on the west coast. Why is it that the idea of touching a cockroach or grasshopper makes me want to curl up and die, but it's cool to mess around with bugs whose butts glow??
12.This past weekend, my sweet friend Jen came to visit (see post below) with her children, and while they were here, Elias lost his first tooth. 'Bout time! It's been loose for like 5 months. Seriously. He's ecstatic, and "the toothfairy" (aka my Dad) gave him a silver dollar from 1921. Great. What am I supposed to do for the next one?!
13. And then, somewhere in the middle of all of this craziness, little Miss Maura turned 7 months old. She is such a gem, and I seriously can't get enough of her!
Happily, all is calm and we are home for a while now. *SIGH* I don't want to go anywhere else for a while!
Your kids are too darn cute! Looks like you all had a great (but busy!) time!!
(07.14.10 @ 04:03 PM)Lost a tooth?!!!!!!! I'm glad it finally cam out. It was hurting you something awful whenever you bit into something. Congratulations, E!!!!
(07.18.10 @ 07:53 AM)
Oh such a sweet post. And beautiful pictures... what an amazing location!
(09.03.10 @ 01:25 PM)Made me cry Rach. A lot. I miss you. And I get it too. I miss Elias. And sweet Row. And Maura Clare. Love you so much- and thanks for the great pictures. You're amazing.
(09.03.10 @ 02:01 PM)BEAUTIFUL!
(09.03.10 @ 03:06 PM)