My Favorite Aunt

I wrote this on January 30, 2013 - the day Aunt Kathy lost her battle with ovarian cancer

It is only fitting that it is raining today.  The skies are crying with me and my family.  My Aunt Kathy passed away this morning, and I can think of no other words to describe how I'm feeling other than my heart is broken.

My Aunt Kathy was more than just an aunt to me, my sisters, and my 7 cousins.  She was there for every important milestone in our lives - and a lot of the unimportant ones too.  She treasured us and made us feel special. She was there for graduations, confirmations, weddings, birthdays, vacations and everything in between.

She used to take me and my sisters shopping for our birthdays.  Each of us got our own shopping trip each year. We'd go to Hawthorn Mall together and have some quality Aunt/Niece time shopping for clothes.  She was always so generous with her time and attention.

I was able to take a Spring Break trip to the Bahamas with her when I was 13.  Just she and I on the beach every day enjoying the sun and going for bike rides.  She helped me learn how to surf.

She and Uncle Don had a cottage in Wisconsin, and my sisters and I would head up north with them in the summers to spend time there. I was young, so I have no concept of how frequently we made trips there or the duration of our time there. But I do remember that she created a home for us there.  She had our favorite snacks, Barbie dolls (and a Barbie hot tub!), books for us to read.  And she always had toys for us at their house in Palatine too.  She always wanted us to feel at home with her.  And we did.

I didn't fully appreciate how she felt about me until I had a niece and nephew of my own.  I think I can now understand the love she had in her hearts for each of us, her nieces and nephews. And I know without question she didn't dote on us out of obligation or any such thing. Her heart overflowed with love for us, and ours overflowed that love right back.

I see herself reflected in me in so many ways. She was strong in her faith, and I strive to be too.  She was such a rule follower...and I am too (okay, most of the time).  She enforced rules with us, and I am the same way with my niece and nephew.  She was so kind, loving, fun, strong and resilient.  She was so many things I want to be. I hope I can continue to become more like the woman she was.

It hurts to write about her in past tense. Using "was" instead of "is."  Some song lyrics come to mind from Bebo Norman - and they are providing me great comfort right now:

But the God that sometimes can't be found 
Will wrap Himself around you 
So lay down, sister, lay down 

Aunt Kathy - I love you and I miss you. So very much.  I pray that the Lord, in His mercy, will reunite us with Him one day.  You will always be with me.  I love you. I love you. I love you.