Being an aunt is great!

On the way home from the UK, I got to stop in North Carolina for a few days to visit my older sister, Michal, and her family. I only got to be there for 3 days, but boy, was it a fun trip! So I love big family reunions, but I am a very selfish sister, sister-in-law, and aunt, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed having my sister's family all to myself for a few days! After you look at the pictures of these cute kids, you will probably agree with me...you wouldn't want to share them :)

My cute 3-year-old niece, Ashlyn

16-month-old, Corbin - just helpin' out in the kitchen ;)

Dylan and Ashlyn begged me to teach them how to use my stethoscope - future healers in the making :)

And its quite impossible to go to the Thompson household and NOT wrestle...
Don't worry...I got 'em good. And, I got to listen to one of my favorite sounds in the whole world as I tickled them silly: Dylan and Ashlyn's laughter. Oh, that is bliss! You can't help but be so happy inside! I told Michal that all she had to give me for my mission was a recording of my niece and nephews' laughter :)

We played at the park, went running and biking on the trail, got very sweaty in the humidity (whew!), got pizza and went to the nature reserve (got to see fireflies!), found a really big, bright orange and yellow mushroom, and had lots of fun just hanging out together! My sister even took me mission shopping for my late birthday present. She's so sweet!

This is how my first day there went: went to the park, played tag with Dylan til he wore me out, came home, went running on the trail while pushing Ashlyn in the running stroller, came back, went on a bike ride with Dylan on the trail, his chain came off his bike (which is covered by plastic and cannot be removed without tools), walked all the way back home, fixed the bike, had lunch, and at Dylan's insistence, went back out on the bikes to do the whole trail. I finished off the day very hot, and very sweaty, but had so much fun with my nieces and nephews!

One day it was raining but we decided to go out an play in it anyhow! We went out and made a [very small] dam in the gutter, jumped in puddles, then got out the turtle-shaped kiddy pool.
(Ashlyn, Corbin, Dylan)
I love these guys!! I don't think I've ever been so sad to leave them as I was when Wednesday night came around! Good thing Ashlyn is a good hug-giver... She really makes you feel loved when she hugs you tight at the airport for 5 minutes straight.

And I really appreciated talking to Connor (brother-in-law) about mission preparation: we now have a challenge of who can read the most of Jesus, the Christ before my farewell. Thanks, Connor!

And of course, I absolutely LOVED getting to hang out with my only sister again. Even though she was going through her tonsillectomy recovery, she was still the perfect host! Thank you, Michal, for being my fun, silly, beautiful, selfless, tough, motivational, kind, righteous, loving sister! You are an amazing mother, wife, and sister! Thank you for your example! I love you!