I just LOVE being Aunt Wendy.
It's one of my favorite titles.
I used to have 2 nephews, just a few years older than my kids. But when a divorce takes place, you sometimes lose 1/2 your family. And that's what kinda happened to me. So I had to wait to be an aunt again.
Then I married Kevin. He has one niece & she's lovely, but she's married now. I came into the family a little late to get to know his niece & his other sorta nieces & nephews, (I don't completely understand how it all works.) So I had to wait to be an aunt again.
I should say that waiting to be an aunt is nothing like waiting to be a parent, I am sure!
But... in 2011 the waiting was over because God had picked a beautiful blonde boy for my older brother & his wife & my younger brother & his wife had a beautiful blonde girl just a few months later.
Yay, I am again Aunt Wendy.
(sidenote: My dad is from Michigan, so he says "ant". My nephew lives in Ohio, so he says "ant", but his dear mama taught him to say "aunt" for Meghan & I, since that's what we call it!)
So, for 4 days here in June I am reading books & tickling feet & patting heads & taking pictures & giving little gifts & taking walks & loving these two kiddos.
Actually, I take being an aunt very seriously. I want my niece & nephew to know that their aunt LOVES them, that she just really takes joy in them. I want to have fun and/or special experiences with them. I want to be an important spiritual influence in their lives.
I have had some good examples!
I could easily give tribute to not just my aunts & uncles but my great aunts & uncles!! Quite a few of my mother's aunts & uncles played very important roles in my life.
However, I want to pay a little tribute to my Sjoberg aunts & uncles.
This is not at all to say that my Foster aunts & uncles are not special & important to me. I lived in Maine for my whole childhood so I had lots of time w/ Sjoberg family & not at much time with Foster family. Even so, I had 4 sets of aunts & uncles in Michigan. Uncle Leo & Aunt Barb helped me soo much with my Pearl Street home when we bought it. Even recently the kids & I had such a nice visit, staying with Uncle Gary & Aunt Sarah Jane & seeing Uncle Dick & Aunt Judy. I could really say a lot about my Aunt Sarah Jane because my uncle Gary has had Parkinson's Disease for over 20 years and their story as a couple is quite inspiring.
But for the purpose of this blog I will focus on my 4 sets of aunts & uncles on my Sjoberg side:
Uncle Paul & Aunt Marilyn
Paul is my mom's older brother. Their oldest son J.P. was in my grade in school, ever since they moved to Hodgdon when we were in grade 3. When I was young - oh, maybe grade 3 or 4 or 5 - they took me on vacation with them! Can you imagine? We went to a cabin for the week & we visited Portland & I felt like part of their family. :) They have visited me in my various homes. As a former homeschooler & teacher, Marilyn has lots of resources she has shared with me. They have taken a real interest in my kids - motorcycle rides & gifts & swims in the pool & letters & love.
Marilyn put this together, framed, with gifts of money from my dear cousins, after my divorce. Paul & Marilyn have encouraged me spiritually & I am so thankful for the part they have played in my life.
Uncle David & Aunt Susie
Uncle David comes right after my mom, in birth order. For two years of my childhood they lived right on our little, dead-end, dirt road, in my great-grandmother's house. I babysat their kids. They love me & they let me know it, a lot! Probably a big part of our relationship is the fact that I lived with them for a few months in college. They opened their home up to me & it was lovely to live with them & gain insight & have such special time with their kids. They are fresh in my mind because I got to visit with them today! And even today they spoke the truth of scripture & asked me. I am so thankful for the part they have played in my life.
Uncle Fred & Aunt Marilyn
disclaimer - I am getting more & more tired as I am writing this!! This is not an exhaustive list of everything I love about my aunts & uncles & everything they have invested in me!!
Next comes Uncle Fred & yes, I have 2 Aunt Marilyns in my Sjoberg family. So we always called this one "Fred's Marilyn" and the other one "Paul's Marilyn", or "Marilyn D." and "Marilyn H.", which confused me as a kid because I didn't understand which was which. Uncle Fred was my math teacher when I was in high school. I just adored his kids & after getting a great chat with Melena in PA sometime ago, I would say that I still really enjoy them! Recently Aunt Marilyn contacted me about the possibility of going to a farm where they sell their own wool yarn. Again, as a former homeschooler & teacher, they have shared resources. When I was a newly single mom, Uncle Fred came down a lot and helped me with things around the house. They sent me awesome packages in college with tons of goodies! I am so thankful for the part they have played in my life.
Uncle Duane & Aunt Sheila
Last but not least, my mom's baby brother, Duane! Duane used to give me sweet gifts when I was a girl. Duane supported my efforts in basketball. It has been a special thing that my children are about the same age as my Uncle Duane & Aunt Sheila's children! Except for Uncle David - since I lived with him - I have stayed at Uncle Duane's the most, for two reasons. One, he lives in the Portland area, but two, so our kids can have time together. I've been able to glean a lot from Sheila b/c of the Bible studies she has done for so many years & because our kids are the same age & because she has been homeschooling for longer than I have. I feel I can speak earnestly with both of them. I am so thankful for the part they have played in my life!
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