Day 17: To My Aunt Kathy

Today is my Aunt Kathy's birthday, and I've been thinking of all the ways she makes life special.

She used to tell me we had a long-lost aunt who lived in California. She's the kind of story-teller you're never quite sure of -- is she lying? She's probably lying. But wait, maybe she's not? She and my mom used to go on crazy adventures when we were kids, once dressing up to "spy" on their husbands who were hanging at The Fern. She made my mom laugh a lot (this is a trait all the sisters possess. They all love to laugh together).

When she lived in Miami (why is it MY ami? I used to wonder. Shouldn't it be HER ami?), she'd drive across the state to Ft. Myers to visit and she'd take me shopping, a task my mother loathed. She'd let me try on every thing in the store, including the Coca-Cola rugby shirts that were so popular in the 80s. She never got impatient.

Holy 80s! Kathy probably helped me pick out that sweatshirt. 

Later, once she had kids of her own, we'd go spend the night at her house, a respite from our own family. We'd make funny skits, and take walks in her neighborhood. Her laughter always warms you from the inside.

When I was a teenager, she helped me decode the mysteries of the tampon, coaching me through the bathroom door. She's sweetly naive, and also really intuitive. She laughs often. She, like all of my aunts, always talked to us like we were real people.

As an adult, I'm lucky I get to be friends with her. She's who I often call on my drive home. We talk about podcasts, kids, movies. She keeps my kids for sleepovers a few times a year, and they always come home full of love and stories.

Her backyard feels like a sanctuary. She's a great gift giver, picking out a thing you'd never buy for yourself, but end up loving. She's always on some kind of kick -- no carbs, nuts only, Whole 30. Until she's not. She can work magic with a chicken breast.

Aunt Kathy will the grandkids, saying the Pledge of Allegiance
 during the talent show last year.

She's wicked good at her sales job because she's wicked good with people. She's never met a stranger. She thinks rules don't always apply, and she's usually right. She never orders fries: "I'll just have one of yours," she'll say. We learned not to sit next to her at restaurants.

She lives her faith. She teaches young people at her church and never shies away from their hard questions. She's raised two amazing sons, ones who are doing so much good in this world. She had the best dog, Cousin Dog Luke. She sees the best in people.

She loves a project, will paint a room on a whim, and gives great decorating advice. She asks lots of questions when she doesn't understand something, a thing too many of us stop doing once we're adults. She loves getting letters. She helps me be a better mom to boys.

I'm so thankful for my Aunt Kathy, the St. Patty's Day gift of my mom's big Irish family. She lights up every room and makes everyone feel lucky to know her.