Being Auntie

I am not a mother yet, but I am an aunt. I consider that to be one of my most important roles. It is a role of that is very dear to my heart and which I take very seriously.

They said they were "taking our temperatures"

I was just 16 when my older nephew was born and 18 when the younger came. I was also living abroad when they arrived. Whenever I was home between stints abroad, I made an effort to make sure I played my Auntie role. How special it is to be an Aunt?! I have seen some parents who limit the amount of time their children spend with aunts or other family members, sometimes going so far as to be jealous of the time or connection their child has with a relative.

My husband teaching my nephew how to shoot pool "like a man"

Personally, I believe that the more positive Christian people a child has in his/her life, the better. I strive to be one of those people for my nephews. They are now nearly 8 and 6, and they know that no matter what they can talk to me. They are always excited to see me and enjoy time with me. As they get older, they know they can talk to me about anything, and I will be there for them. Even now I get phone calls from them wanting to tell me all about life. I feel blessed to be in the position to be there for them.

I also take my role as a Christian role-model seriously. I want them to love the Lord with all of their hearts. I strive to show them what that looks like. It has been very good practice for when I have my own children!

Another thing I do as and Auntie is take them to do fun things! My husband and I scrape money together once or twice a year to take them on an outing to the zoo, the arcade, the aquarium, the children's museum, etc. Just spending time together having fun does so much to build a relationship with a child

Our outing with them to the zoo.

I have always wanted children, and until the Lord blesses me, I am so happy to be able to pour all my love on these boys. The funny thing is, I know I will continue to do so even when I have my own children. They will always know I'm there for them, no matter what. And when new nephews and nieces come along, I will be there for them too!

There are so many children out there who need positive role models. Going along with my theory that the more positive adults in a child's life, the better, my husband is seriously thinking about entering the Big Brother program. My nephews are so lucky to be a part of this big, loving family, but what about kids who have no one?