Time well spent...

Another visit with the Fantastic 4. No I am not crazy & believe the Fantastic 4 will just stop saving the world to spend time with me.... the 4 I am speaking of are my sister's kids. We were blessed to spend another weekend enjoying the sounds of chaos, calamity, laughter, love, & fun. I am ever amazed by my sister's ability to keep up with it all & not run around in her underwear screaming or even laughing hysterically. Those 4 kids are an adventure no matter what the daily agenda holds. They see so much fun in such different places & immediately see the yuck in many of the same things we adults do. I love that her youngest, Christian, immediately knows that with his dinner time he needs to take his medicine. He gets the bottle, the spoon and waits for mom to spoon some out. Also how Anna tends to sing or bounce every moment, the occasional moment of stillness comes only when the television captures her mind. There is Jessica who every night proclaims her royalty by wearing a princess night gown, complete with ribbons & sparkly areas. Then you have the oldest Jon, definitely able to spot a chore request & does it well, albeit a little begrudgingly; he recognizes the excitement of adventure whether it be on Television, in a book, a movie, or outside. The exuberance is infectious. They have so many beautiful quirks and idiosyncracies that are molding their personalities, I love being a part of the interactive audience of their lives.
Marcus really enjoyed the time with everyone. He was not expecting to be so relaxed once the weekend was over. He did exactly what he loves to do: slept,ate, played games, watched Avatar & laughed - a lot. My husband is such a big kid at heart that those 4 sometimes have to keep up with his imagination. (let's just say a couch can be a hot tub or castle or forrest in his mind) He loves watching the kids, how they interact not only with one another but how each bounces off their parents. Nina & Keith really handle situations with a great deal of patience & comfort. Though I must say getting ready to go anywhere can be a 3 ring circus complete with disappearing & reappearing shoes, animal herding, & tasty snacks. :)
Our dog Peanut watches over them like a little mother hen & loves the craziness of playtime. He sleeps so well at night after running circles with the kids :)
It is always a pleasure to be able to see family, but when I get to spend time with them & really see them it makes me remember how special & blessed we are. I would not trade a moment spent with them for anything in the world. Nina's kids are my Fantastic 4 - which are actually a portion of my Sensational 7: Coy, Colton, Jon, Anna, Jessica, Christian, David. I hope to always be included in their audience & hope they know that every showing is my favorite.