Sponsored by the letter.....

I've been inspired by the 10 seasons of Sesame Street, going for their second round in my home.  (We're obviously hooked on learning).  Every Thursday will be sponsored by a letter.  I'm as interested as anybody to see how this goes..... 

A is for Auntie

I am an auntie.  For the sake of record keeping, I thought I would write a few thoughts I had when each of my nieces and nephews arrived.

Marlie - I was living in Salt Lake City with Wendy.  On a Monday, after a long day of work and school, I got home to hear a voice mail from Cody asking where we were, the baby was here!  Snow storms and school kept me in Salt Lake for a couple of days.  She literally, was the first perfect baby I have ever seen.  She was so small with such a pretty head.  She loved to keep her arms in the air while she was all bundled up.  I got to stay at the hospital over night with her and Amber.  I loved, loved to be a new auntie.  Marlie has given me a lot of firsts ... barf on my front and back, sleepless nights, voice instant chats, etc.  When she was small, and her legs were shorter, she made up a game called "Jump the Aunties."  It was hilariously painful.

James - I was living in Logan, finishing my last semester of college.  Wednesdays were horribly long days for me but he made this one so much better because I was anxiously waiting for a message that he had arrived.  My dad sent me an email picture that afternoon.  He was so beautiful!  I got to see him a couple of days later.  Jimmy and I were trying to change his diaper in the hospital crib and I'm pretty sure James is the first boy to pee on me.  Even after that, I think he is the sweetest boy I know.  He likes me to play "Auntie Fanny" with him.  I chase the kids around and knock them over with my bum.

Jack - I was living in Layton but went to church at Weber State Institute.  I think he was born on a Sunday morning because I raced across the street to see him after church.  I loved seeing how Jimmy and Amber were just as excited to be new parents again as they were when Marlie was born.  Jack was such a miracle.  He had us all waiting on the edge of our seats for his arrival.  He gave me my first race to see if what he just bit into was toxic.  His teeth marks were in my deodorant.  I knew it was him that bit it because I smelled his breath.  Don't worry ... not toxic.  He loves "Auntie Kisses."  And by love I mean, it's an exciting chase!

Elizabeth - I was living in Roy when Elizabeth was born.  I think it was a Tuesday.  Tiffani had been in labor, pretty much forever, and so I was trying to patiently wait for the news of her arrival.  Jeremy was over hanging my Christmas lights when we found out she had come.  The next afternoon, Jimmy and I drove to the University Hospital on our lunch break to meet her.  I was in love with her.  I've been so lucky to have been able to cart her around and live so close to her.  Her hugs are the greatest.  I really loved watching Cody and Tiffani become such great parents.  They love her so, so much.

I have a load of aunts.  I'm grateful for each of them and appreciate their different personalities.  Since I was very young, they have played a very important role in my memories.  They have all made me feel special to them in a variety of ways.  I feel so lucky to have been blessed with so many aunts who care about me.

When I was smaller than I remember, up until now, my youngest aunt, Aunt Valerie, taught me this little bitty:  "Whose girl are you, Joey?"  "I'm Valerie's girl!"  When I say it now it still holds the same meaning.  I tried to go on a pity-binge for a while and say that she had replaced me with Lynsie or her little grandbaby, Hadley.  But I've learned that the truth really is that you can have more than one "girl."  And I still rank as the founding member, holding the greatest seniority in a very exclusive club.  When I was little, she would come steal me away for this or that and I even got to be her flower girl!

My aunts on my dad's side are crafty.  I'm always impressed by the things they can create.  In one cousin sleepover in Tremonton, my aunt made all the girls matching outfits.  That was awesome.  My other aunt makes beautiful cross-stitches and cute ornaments at Christmas.  I always see the cute things they come up with at Grandma's house.  

I love my mother's sisters and sister-in-laws especially for how they treat my mom.  She loves them so much.  I like to watch my mom on the phone with any of them.  She paces around the house, sometimes she talks quietly, and then there's an outburst of loud laughing.  They make her happy.  I love to be apart of the group when they are all together because they all are happy together even when things are tough.  I feel like I'm in an important crowd when I'm with them.

There was a special time (1983-2000), when I had one aunt at my daily disposal.  I really liked to play at her house because all of those cousins were there, but I liked to go even when I knew it was only her.  She was probably sad to see a kid coming when her's were all away.  I liked to help her wash her car in the driveway or sit at the counter and watch her old TV show re-run or anxiously wait for the m&m cookies to come out of the oven.  I really liked when she made me a peanut butter sandwich because it had butter, peanut butter, and her homemade jam.  I liked to ride with her in the car.  I could watch her, from my house, weeding her flowers, mowing the grass, washing the windows, watering the hanging basket outside the front door.  I loved when our family would walk over because their family was sitting on the porch.  I loved to see their family walking over to visit at our house.  She would walk around the grass while the rest of them cut across.  At the end, I was amazed at how she greeted her last guests and mimed behind their backs to tell me to offer them something to eat or drink, and even a napkin.  I loved how she, of all people, helped me prepare to lose her.  I know that sometimes people who leave us are idolized without faults.  But I dare say, I don't know anyone else with her graciousness, integrity, patience, and love.  It's probably from her dad, Grandpa Stone.  I like when I see her daughters twiddle their thumbs, roll their eyes, or keep their neat homes.  They all have her in them, too.

I think Heavenly Father must have thought up the idea of aunts.  They're too special to have been an accident.