Aunt Joann

When I review 2011 the lows stand out more than the highs.  Three people near and dear to me experienced some devastating blows to their marriages.  School was difficult for Daniel and the rest of us.  Addie worked her way out of and back into some very challenging behaviors.  Nathan became a non-stop tornado of danger and destruction.  Our sewer line disintegrated and fixing it meant we could no longer afford to move.

The greatest low was the loss of my Aunt Joann to a rare illness.  She was kind and ABUNDANTLY generous (especially to my children.)  She had some great hair colors over the years and a funny cackling laugh I will always remember (partly because my mom sometimes makes that laugh, too.)  We didn't spend a lot of time with my mom's side of the family growing up.  As adults, Mom and her sister weren't especially close, but they had rekindled a tighter sisterhood in the last 15 years.  When Daniel was born, Great Aunt Joann was born, too.  She loved my kids and lavished them with gifts and clothing.  The gift bags.....oh, the never ending gift bags!  Her gifts often included praise and worship CD's, bible stories and prayer books.  I treasure that it was important to her that my kids knew about God, His Word, and songs that praise Him.  She had a deep and beautiful faith.

Tonight we celebrated our first Christmas without her.  She was greatly missed (though the present pile was notably more manageable.)