I have already written about how much I love my in-laws (http://www.makinglemonadebecauseican.com/in-laws/), but this week I am so overwhelmed with emotion that I need to revisit this topic. I have undoubtedly loved them from the day I met them, but my love for them has grown exponentially through the years. 

My brother-in-law and I have always shared an incredibly special relationship. When I first met him, he was just a teenager, and I have been lucky enough to watch him grow into a sensitive and sweet, but also a tenacious and centered guy. To me, he is my actual brother, even though the bloodline says otherwise. I have shared in his triumphs as well as his challenges in the same way that all siblings support each other. He has always been there for me too, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for him. I know for sure that he feels the same way. I have never questioned the strength of our sibling-hood, or our friendship for that matter. 

My husband and I love spending time with him and his (now) wife. All four of us bonded quickly, and see each other as often as we can. When he got married in June of 2014, I could not have been happier for him. My emotions on the day of his wedding were no different than on the day I watched my own sister get married. It was a special day, blending two very small families, and my husband wrote and officiated the ceremony. Many tears (of joy) were shed, and I was given a little sister of my very own.  

Soon after their honeymoon, my brother and sister-in-law announced that they were expecting a baby. I was over the moon with excitement. Often people misjudge how I feel about children because I have none of my own. I’ll spare you the details, but you can read more on my blog on this topic (http://www.makinglemonadebecauseican.com/?s=to+reproduce). Suffice it to say, that I love children, even though it was not a part of my plans. The best part about this baby is the growing of the Rankin family. I don’t have nieces or nephews that include me as a regular part of their lives, so this is the real deal. This isn’t the same as the many “nieces” and “nephews” I have, who are my friends’ children. I adore them all, but this is different. 

I have loved this baby since the first day I found out about him.  I started shopping for him immediately afterwards, and envisioning how he would change our lives. It would be impossible for him not to. He is the first of his generation in the Rankin family. 

It’s amazing how quickly our lives can change. One minute, we are going about our  business, wrapped up in the routine of every day life, and the next minute, life as we know it is transformed and priorities shift. We got the call that the baby was coming early, and off we went. My brother and sister-in-law went to the hospital as a newlywed couple, and within hours, they were a family of three. All of a sudden, they are parents: a mommy and a daddy. I have always been fascinated by that!   

Just when I thought I couldn’t love my in-laws any more, I sat in the family waiting room, feeling the anticipation grow, and I swear my heart swelled with even more love than I thought possible. I sat on the edge of my seat, all of us jumping up at the sound of any footsteps coming with news. First came the baby, surrounded by nurses. We asked if it was “ours” and at that moment we learned that the newest Rankin is a boy. I swore the whole time that it was a girl, but apparently women who marry Rankin men only make boys! But most important of all is that he is here and he is already loved by so many. 

When my brother-in-law finally came out to talk to us, I saw him in a whole different light. When I watched him talk about his wife and his son, he beamed with pride. Then I watched my mother-in-law watching him, also beaming with pride. At that moment, the family connection felt so incredibly genuine. Between all of us.  

Lucas Scott Rankin came into this world on March 23. 2015, on my mother-in-law’s 70th birthday. What a gift she got! Her first grandchild. But he’s my nephew! I can’t wait to get to know this little man, and to be actively involved in his life. I can’t wait to spoil him rotten and be the “cool” aunt. I can’t wait to hug him and kiss him, and to witness his milestones. I vow to love him unconditionally and forever, because we are family. Luke, weighing in at a whopping 4 lbs., 2 oz., has already made an impact on me. He has made me love my family even more than I already did before he got here. Thank you, sweet Luke.