I know what you are thinking, those kids can't be related to you! And you'd be right. Do I love them any less? No.
Kerry has a niece and nephew that we don't see very often and they are teenagers, that says it all and there aren't any other kids on my side. If my cousins would get on that soon, a lot of Aunties would be happy. With our kids being older, it's not so cool to do what mom wants to do. So when my bff asks me if I want to hang out at the water park with her and her 2 kidlets, I go. And when they call me "Auntie Kelli" (or Ke-yee as the little ones says) I get a warm tingly feeling, and it's not because the big one wrapped her wet, warm self around my legs. It's my heart growing 3 sizes!
The kids had a great time, I got soaked and I got a few pictures. Sadly, I don't have pictures like this of my kids. Those poor kids grew up in the day of film and parents who more often than not forgot to bring the camera or forgot to put film in it. Case in point, a trip to the PNE. We took so many pictures only to find out the unlimited roll was also an invisible roll.
I do have pictures like this of my kids, with similar un-happy faces due to the fact the camera is pointed in their direction. Only this isn't un-happy...
It's pure joy!