Being an Aunt

 My niece and her youngest came to Florida for a short visit this weekend.  We had so much fun.  I think being an Aunt is about the best job in the world.  It is so much more fun than being a Mom.  You can play, and play, and play and never have to do all the Mom stuff like making sure you eat right, and go to sleep on time.  An Aunt can play at the beach with a little 5 year old, and paint toe nails (after the beach of course).

 Aunt's try to find waves on a very calm day, and splash and splash.  Mom's have to be more cautious and make sure you aren't going out too deep!  Aunt's get to teach you how to shuffle your feet in the water so you don't step on a sting ray, and they get to take you out deeper in the water if you hold on tight.

 Aunt's help you find all kinds of shells, and think each and every one you pick up is just about the best shell in the whole world!  Even when you pick up a handful of sand, Aunt's think it is amazing.  Aunt's love to look at your cute little body running around, while Mom's have to worry about sun burns and sun screen.  Aunt's get to color, make puzzles, sing songs, and give you juice boxes right before dinner time.  And if you don't like what you eat at your Aunt's house you don't have to eat it at all, because your Aunt will make something you like better.

Aunt's also have an alligator that lives right out side her backyard, at a little pond with a little bridge.  We checked 3 times and didn't see this one until our very last visit and it swam right under the bridge, right under our feet!  And the best part of the whole trip is when we got to the airport on Sunday their flight was cancelled, so we got another whole afternoon and evening before they had to depart this morning.

I just love being an Aunt.  I loved it when my niece was born and I was 10 years old.  I love seeing her grow up to be a fantastic mother.  I love seeing her brothers turn into really interesting men, who have in turn become fathers.  I love seeing their children, a whole new generation in our family, become these amazing little people with personalities all their own.  And I love being a part of their lives, even a small part seems like such a blessing.