Day 10: My In-Laws

Whenever I think of my in-laws I am over come with gratitude!  I really could not have asked for a better family to marry into.  I was lucky enough to marry into a family and gain 3 big sisters and 3 big brothers (yes, I'm the youngest one in the family...well...other than the 9 grand-kids :) )

I mean really.  Nine cutest grandkids/cousins ever!

I'll be honest, when I first started dating Nate and learned that his 3 siblings were all sisters... I was nervous.  Sisters are sometimes vicious when it comes to the people their brothers date.  But my nerves were quickly calmed as I got to know them.  They are the 3 sweetest women ever.  They quickly welcomed me into the family (without trying to seem too excited about their brother actually dating someone haha).  And as the years have gone on, I have grown to love and look up to them more and more.  Especially since having Ames, theey have helped me more than they will know.  They are 3 moms who I strive to become like.  From helping me so much through pregnancy, to driving down (3 hours) and driving back in the same day when I had Ames, to answering my billion questions afterward they have been simply amazing. A couple weeks after I had Ames I cried to Nate (when was I not crying? haha) about how grateful I was for his sisters and Mom!  They were so comforting to me and made the transition into motherhood so much easier.

Not only are my big sisters amazing, they married 3 great guys.  All my big brothers get along really well and it's so fun to watch them play backyard basketball, online games, and all sorts of things together.  All three of them were also super great welcoming me into the family.  I've heard lots of people having problems with a brother-in-law or sister-in-law and I feel very privileged to feel the opposite!  I look up to all of them and have so much fun with them.

I also, became an insta Aunt to 8 of the cutest nieces and nephews you'll ever meet.  I am soooo excited for when Ames is a little older so he can actually interact with his cousins...he has the best ones!  They already are so cute with him.  They all come over and pat his head and give him big ol smiles.  And I especially love my little niece Addie who always says "Baby Aaaaaames1" in her highest, squeakiest voice haha.  It's so cute.  I was surprised how quickly I grew tto love all my nieces and nephews.  Nate and I almost daily quote them and the funny things they say. When everyone is all together there definitely is not a dull moment!  I'm so excited to see them all grow up :)

I gained amazing brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and, more than that, an incredible second set of parents.  I really feel like they love me like their daughter and they always remind me that I am their very favorite daughter-in-law (forget the fact that I am the only daughter-in-law).  My father-in-law will keep you company on long treks collecting rocks and attending track meets and my mother-in-law is an almost 50 year old that has the heart and a mind of a 25 year old.  She is one of the biggest advocates for all the activities we do and is always up for any kind of adventure.  She also is super smart and just recently became a nurse practitioner.  I look up to my Dad/Mom in-law so much and I hope that Nate and I can have as much as fun as they do when we are their age.

  

The Houles are a very active bunch and I love it. We have gone on tons of camping trips, to Lake Powell, Zion canyoneering trips, participated in the Summer Games, played indoor soccer leagues together, and play lots and lots of card/board games.  All of my bro/sis in-laws are super athletic...like, super athletic. All of them were collegiate athletes (Track/Cross Country....except one...Ashley didn't marry a runner...*gasp*...haha, not.  We love Rich even if he isn't a track athlete!) and they were all reallllly good.  It's funny to me though...their family is super competitive as well, but in a totally different way than mine.  Maybe it's because they are all older and realize that you can do things just for fun (most of the time haha).  I think a big part of it is they are definitely a calmer family and so things don't get quite as heated as they do in my family.  They definitely still want to win though so games are always fun.  Especially when Grandpa Cranney (my Mom-in-law's Dad) plays games with us...he hates to lose and I love to beat him! haha :)

I really, truly couldn't have asked for a more perfect family to move into.  Nate and I were just talking about how blessed we are to be apart of our families that really have no major issues.  Not only do we all get along, we all have so much fun together.  

Thank you to all my In-Laws for everything. I love you all tons!!