Family Ties

This week one of my favorite aunts is visiting. She was married to my Mom's brother, but they have been divorced for approx. 17 years.  Almost 1/2 of my life.

So is she really still my aunt?

OF COURSE SHE IS!!!

I'd probably pick her over my uncle anyday!! Well not really, I'd just have to play Switzerland and remain neutral. He is my uncle and I do love him, I just don't know him as well as I do her.  He is one of those uber geniuses. As a bio-medical engineer he invented some stuff. Stuff thats way over my head or I'd tell you about it.  And to give props where they are due, it was his job and genius-ness that allowed her to be able to load the kids up and SPEND the entire summer here.

Anyway, it also means that he worked alot.  That kind of schedule is not very condusive for bonding with your niece, obviously.

But SHE did.

They always lived in Massachusetts, but every summer when school was out, she would load up her kids and come to the family farm here in KY. 

I spent every summer that I can remember, until thier divorce (which was also about the time I graduated H.S.), on that farm with her and her kids.  She took us water-skiing, let us sleep outside on an old hay trailer, have a camp fire and roast marshmallows nearly every night, she took us to horse shows and fed us funnel cakes. 

It is because of her that I developed a love for Early American History.  During the weeks that we would visit them, she would relentlessly drag us all over New England. (Salem was always my favorite. I STILL have to go there every time I visit.)  She exuberantly took us to experience as many places, and things as we could squeeze into our 7-10 day trips. I've seen Cheers (the real one), had my picture taken in the Pillory, saw Plymouth Rock, toured the Mayflower replica, took part in a Tea Party reinactment (no not this new polictical Tea Party, I mean tea being thrown over into the bay) and walked (yes walked) Paul Revere's Ride.

When her Mother was first diagnosed with Alzheimers; her daughter, my sister and myself were often put on what we lovingly referred to as "Gramsie Duty". We would stay with her, just to kind of check behind her. We made sure she remembered to turn things off and other small safety precautions.

It wasn't just the fun stuff, she wouldn't hesitate to discipline us either. She would put us in line just as fast as she would one of her own. The same as my parents would hers. (Although, we were such unbelievably well-behaved children that that wasn't much of an issue.)

She knows my birthday and still sends me a card every year.  Im 35, AND SHE STILL SENDS ME A CARD!! That takes commitment. I mean, I barely remember to get my mom and sister a card for thier birthdays.

I will never forget, when my ex and I first separated she sent me some flowers with a simple note. She had them delivered to my work. It meant so much because she KNEW, first hand, my hurt.

All of these things are only the tip of the iceberg of course.  They are just the ones that Floated to the top while I was writing. She was an immensely huge part of my childhood and adolesence.

I pray, that should God bless me with a niece or nephew, that I can follow in her footsteps as an aunt.  I would be proud to be that person. There are so many things that I want to be when I grow up (wink, wink). Yet, this goal, is very near the top of my bucket list. It's right under SuperMom and directly above independently wealthy.


Divorce Sucks. It is so often a loss to everyone involved.

I am glad I didn't lose this time. Not really. Cuz.....

She IS my family. She is (and always will be) my Aunt Sue Ann.

And I love her.