My cousin Sue and my Aunt Judy (my mom's sister) came to visit my mom, and I was fortunate to be able to hang out with them at my mom's house and then later at my house for dinner. My sister came and had Kate with her and Judy cuddled with her, as she has with all of our kids whenever possible. And Sue played with Max, and played with Max, and played with Max. It was so much fun just to watch them interact--it just cracked me up. And made me remember that sometimes, it IS fun to play with my kids!
But my admiration of the two of them goes further back than just their weekend here. I'm not sure I can capture it here, but of course I'll try! I'll start with Sue. Sue is one of my oldest cousins, and I'm one of the youngest, and so we really didn't grow up together or anything. When she got married, I was an altar server. Her kids were the first ones I'd ever seen as true newborns, and the first ones I ever babysat. Since all of that, Sue got divorced, is raising her girls largely on her own, and works with special needs students as a teachers aide. And her gorgeous girls, those newborns I babysat, are now 18 and 22. One graduated from college this year, one will be graduating from high school in May. One was a black belt, one is in symphony. Both are dancers and cheer squad. Both have been responsible for several jobs, for good grades, are good people. And not only did Sue raise these wonderful girls, but she's nice, and funny, and pretty, and skinny (I hate her! Just kidding. Mostly.). She's someone I'm happy to have as my cousin, no matter how little I get to see her.
And then there's her mom, my Aunt (and also my Godmother) Judy. It's funny how we don't see stuff when we're little, or don't understand. I feel like Judy has always been so perfect, always knows what to say, what to do, what to wear, how to decorate. I've never seen her on an off day, and yet, I know she must have had them. Obviously everyone has them, but when her daughter, my cousin Julie, died in a car accident over 20 years ago now, there had to be bad days, probably still are bad days, and yet I don't remember them at all. My mom and I get along great, but it's my Aunt Judy that I have always wanted to be like. I have always looked forward to the occassions when I get to sit and talk with her, and never felt like I was in the way. Having raised four kids of her own, she understands the tiredness of it all some days. But it's so much more than that, the little things I can't even explain. It's the way she signs her cards Uncle Judy and Auntie Al, from an old joke that goes way back when. It's the way she gives me a hug when she sees me, and I can just feel the love in it. It's knowing that she's following what I'm doing, through my mom, and I know she's praying for me. I can feel it. I just can't imagine a better person to have in my corner.
And I'm lucky... Sue and Judy represent two of the wonderful people in my family. There's more aunts, more girl cousins, cousins' wives, a mom and a sister. There's uncles and boy cousins too. We may not see each other very much, but I feel like I have a network across the country, people who would go the distance for me. And I am just so grateful for that.
Sue with Max...
My mom, Kate, my Aunt Judy
Kate and Judy
Sue and "baby" Max
Heaven!
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