Aunt #5

My mom is the middle of five girls.   When I was growing up, the fifth girl lived in New York State.  We only saw their family every other year or so.  

When we would show up, my aunt would greet us with sheer joy and a wide smile and have something for us, maybe a coloring book and crayons, just something to let us know she had thought of us and prepared for us.  She always served water at meals, "nature's medicine," she told us.

Until I was 10, there were four children in their family and four children in our family.  So, she would send their oldest's school picture to my oldest sister, and so on down the line.  When they had a school fundraiser, she would buy four ornaments and send them to us.  I had a whole collection of Hallmark holiday pins, thanks to my aunt!

Their family was also around the table(s) when we spent Thanksgiving in Florida in my college years, and after they moved to Florida, I visited them two or three times.  She always treated me as if I were the most special person in the world. But I think that's how everyone felt around her.  

When I spent a week with Jin's family in Florida when we were engaged, we stopped for supper.  My aunt pulled out all the stops.  She chose table linens, serving dishes, recipes, and a centerpiece that came from or reflected memories of my mom's family, saying, "When you go to J's parents' house, you will hear stories of J's father's family. Tonight you will learn of J's mother's family."  

My aunt was a woman of prayer and faith, full of the joy of the Lord.  I want to be like her when I grow up.