Like no other...

Do you have that one person in your life that is like no person you have ever met? The one that will dry your tears, pray for you, laugh at & with you, and show up at any time to have a "session?' How about someone that has brought 2 critically ill family members into her home in order for them to pass in peace, all while dealing with the grief of losing her own son? Do you have someone in your life that text just because shes thinking about you, or because she has something funny to tell you? Good gracious, I could go on & on...

Luckily, God blessed me with an aunt that is beyond "just" an aunt. She's my best friend, my confident, my therapist. She's my cheerleader, my softball loving, go getter, always there Aunt Cheryl.

You see, our relationship isn't the typical one. It's the text (almost) everyday, and get together as often as we can kind of deal. And every damn time we are together, we laugh, and laugh hard. We cry, and we reminisce. Over time, our relationship has grown stronger, and our jokes wittier.

Aunt Cheryl, I sincerely thank you for the lifetime of advice, wisdom, & laughs you have provided me with. Since mom has passed, you have stepped into that "motherly" roll, and I could never thank you enough. Early on you earned that "cool aunt" status & was certainly like a second mother. But, you were always willing to let me break the rules a little bit, just for the heck of it. You have always had my back, and have always been one of my biggest supporters.

Cheers to just a few of my faves....

Your Timeless Humor

My parents were always (semi) strict. You always understood both sides. Your ability to make me laugh through the bad times, and laugh even harder through the good times, matched up with your understanding nature, helped me through my childhood-and now motherhood.

Your Selfless Family Contributions

Attending sporting events(& she still does this for my kids,) making THE best omelets, organizing ladies weekends, and always being willing to sit & talk with anyone at any time. You never failed to support not only me, but the rest of our enormous family. And, let me mention again...you taking in our beloved family members on their rode home to Jesus. Seriously, your heart is indescribable.

Your Love in Jesus Christ

You have prayed for me, my family, my marriage, my children. And when you say you are going to pray for me, I KNOW you will. On countless occasions (whether you know it or not) you have strengthened my faith in God. The crap that you have been dealt, especially in the last few years would break most people, But I see you smile. I see you laugh. I watch your strong freaking heart keep on giving. I see you pray. And to me, that means the world. Your faith in God totally inspires me!

So here it is. This is a forever thank you. Your dedication to me, my children, my family, and to everyone around you is never unnoticed. You deserve the world, my sweet Aunt, and I will forever keep trying to give it to you.