Nieces and Nephews

     I do believe I have the cutest nieces and nephews. I will admit that I have a hard time remembering all of their birthdays and things like that, but it doesn't mean that I'm not keenly interested in how they are doing. Kevin just posted a little video of his one year old dancing while he played piano and it was about the cutest thing I have ever seen. Then last week, Becky called me a few times every day to tell me about how ridiculously happy her kids were because they got to play in the snow all day. It made me remember back when I loved the snow and it was a happy, magical occasion if it snowed. Now I absolutely dread the snow. It comes and is pretty for about 2 hours, then it turns into an ugly, slushy, icey mess that stays around for 3+ weeks. Plus, in Vancouver-- the whole world shuts down when it snows; people get to stay home from work, kids stay home from school, and it is pretty, magical, and fun for everyone (at least that's how I remember it). Here though, it just means dealing with ugly slush and ice for a month, having to chip the ice and snow off of your windshield before you can drive, it adds an extra 45 minutes to a commute that usually only takes 15, and it also means that I always have to walk like a penguin in order to avoid slipping on the ice in the parking lot and breaking my back or elbows. Bah humbug I say.
     So I have decided to live through my nieces' and nephews' eyes instead, since I have obviously become tainted and can't enjoy simple joys anymore. They all have such different personalities and are all just so cute! It helps me remember when I was young, or even how Garrett and Hailey used to act when they were that age. I am always happy when Becky calls me to tell me her cute kid stories, or when Kevin posts about his family on his blog or in his weekly letters, or even just seeing Chris' family pics when they get new ones. It's just fun to see everyone's young families and being able to look forward to starting our own.