After spending the weekend in Mississippi in the company of my crazy aunts, I thought I would be bursting with ideas for my post on my aunts. But I discovered that it is really hard to nail down the picture that I want to present.
My Mom is from a large family - 2nd of nine children (only 2 were boys). And they are (and always have been) a very close family, even though many live in different states. They have always played a very large part in my life.
When my Mom was dying of cancer, their love and support of our family was incredible. She battled the cancer for 6 long years. On a monthly basis, a carload of people would show up for the weekend, making at least a 5-hour drive. They would cook and clean and rake leaves and do laundry and help with school projects and mend clothes - generally, doing everything Mom would have been doing had she been able to do so. This continued on for a long time after my Mom had passed away.
As an adult, I think back on that and marvel at the continued sacrifice that they made for us. Even now, I can feel the tears well and my throat constrict as I think about it.
But just to give you a taste of their craziness, I will tell you about my aunt Neva trying to learn how to water ski. Neva is 4 years younger that my Mom so when this happened she was probably 40-ish.
The regular carload had pulled in one weekend in July. So we planned a picnic-swim-water ski day at the lake for Saturday. My Dad took the boat and was having a wonderful time letting everyone ski.
While watching all the fun, Neva decided that she was brave enough to try. If her sisters could water ski, surely she could, right?
Having never been on skis before, Neva needed some coaching. So she gets out there, with Dad explaining how to position herself in the water with the tips of her skis sticking out, knees bent, arms out straight.
As he circled around to give her the rope, he told her to "keep your arms out straight". Just as serious as could be, Neva grabbed the rope, placed the handle in her teeth, and put her arms out straight from her sides!
Of course, we have never let her forgot that moment of glory.
5 comments:
What an awesome family you have! We would all hope that our family would rally like that in our time of need.
Please let Aunt Neva know that I was never able to get up on water skis. As I told you before, one time with the ski enema, and I was DONE!!
Your family sounds amazing.
I would have peed myself laughing a your Aunt Neva.
It's great to have a family that you can count on. I think yours is great! And your aunt sounds like a HOOT! Hugs!
Neva sounds like alot of fun !!
#1
Your crazy aunt Neva sounds a lot like MY crazy aunt Neva... who isn't really my aunt, but she is crazy. Where does your Neva live?
If your brother has a son and names him Diesel, I'll post pictures of him on my blog with the caption Coolest Baby Ever.
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