a few special moments

I am blessed with wonderful nieces and nephews. I know most of them pretty well but I know the ones my kids age the best. I have had some very memorable moments with some of them.

To name a few:

DC- Gave me a book mark he made in grade school because he knew I read alot and thought I could use one and I was/am? his favorite aunt...... It is a beautiful pink flower between 2 pieces of contact paper. I still have it in my nightstand all these years later and everytime I see it, I smile.

D- who, in the middle of his parents divorce, wrapped his arms around me and told me he was glad he had an aunt who loved him as much as I did (that made me cry--we were at Michigania for the first time without his dad)

E-who had vacationed with me while recovering from surgery on her knee and was always VERY gracious when everyone took us for mother and daughter...but the most special was being invited to go with her and her mom to find a wedding gown for her.......how fun and fabulous and special.

T- my dad used to bring him and his brothers up to me while he(my dad) would do boy scout camping with one of my sons and his middle brother. This left him here with the younger cousins being the big helper and he HATED my cooking but ate it anyway....knowing that papaw would stop at McDonalds for him as soon as they were on their way home. He and E would also get together and play their violins for me.....Lovely. But the most special is when I played the piano for his wedding and I could see the faces of the bride and groom and when they pronounced them husband and wife, he looked at his bride and told her how much he loved her....I cried and was unable to play the recessional well because of my tears.

M-Has had to put up with looking the most like my oldest son and all the times they were together growing up, being mistaken for mine and having to listen to his aunt rant at him until I realized he really wasn't the kid I needed to be yelling at-not that mine needed that much yelling...... He would just smile and shake his head and go on and hope I wasn't cooking healthy for dinner.

J-My bowling buddy-not!!...but give me a few minutes alone with him to convince him I am really NOT that competitive (I did mention I was on the bowling honor roll at my bowling alley, didn't I )











---and we will then roll a few. He has taken the high road on this due to the advice of his dad......but I remember him with my dad going to the caves(mamouth cave in Kentucky) and him grasping my hand really hard and assuring me he really wasn't afraid to go in....really....

So I am lucky to have had these moments with all of them. Mostly they all agree that if there is information to be gotten, I am the one to do it. Of the 2 that are married.....and the one that is engaged.....I know they had a lot to say about me before I met any of them...

something about me being a bit intimidating...or was that BLUNT??


the "Aunt 20 questions" took me back a bit. ...but I have managed to live with that.

(I guess they really don't realize that if they love 'em, I love 'em; if they hate 'em, I hate 'em.)

Go figure.....I just thought I was being friendly....