Aunties

My kids love their Aunties and Uncles. It's pretty special. It's great to see your kids cherish the family relationships that you already cherish so much. Lucy and Max pray for their Auntie Sarah and Auntie Janeen at every prayer. Most especially now that they are both gone (away from Grandma and Papa's home). They're constantly praying that Janeen will have fun at BYU and that Sarah will drive safe.
A few weeks ago it was Auntie Sarah's birthday and then shortly after, Grandma and Papa were taking a trip down to Utah for General Conference and to visit with Janeen. For those two weeks, my kids worked tirelessly on little art projects for their aunties, pouring their heart and souls into them. Choosing the perfect color combinations, writing just the right words to express their love (Lucy loves Janeen, or Lucy loves Sarah). As I watched them work so hard I wondered if I made and still make a big enough fuss over my own nieces and nephews when they do special things for me. My very first nephew will be turning 12 in a few weeks. 12. That's big. He's getting the priesthood and graduating from primary. He's nearly a teenager and I still remember visiting him in the hospital when he was born. I remember rocking him to sleep when he was a baby, or playing silly games with him while I was babysitting. I remember his little sister painting pictures for everyone in the family for Christmas and storing them in a cereal box so they wouldn't get bent. She passed each picture to each member of the family and explained what she had painted and why she had chosen to paint that for you. I don't remember what I said to her when she gave me mine, but I hope I gushed. I didn't have the luxury of being a mom before I became an Auntie...so I hope I did a pretty good job despite that fact. Because now they're getting big and the moments are slipping away.
I must say I was pretty pleased the other night when my big-boy nephew decided to come and hang with me while I gave my baby-boy a bath. Maybe I'm still a little bit cool. He talked my ear off about Star Wars and Mexico and turning 12 and passing the sacrament. I think he'd feel silly if I gushed now, but when he asked me if I could be there the first time he passes the sacrament I gushed on the inside, but simply said, "Of course!" And so now that he's getting big, I will have to show my lovey-dovey gushy support by just being there when he asks me to be, and a few times when he doesn't.