A time in my life...

I have always been blessed, for as long as I have lived,

to have nieces and nephews in my life.

Being born the baby of 7 children with 24 years between

the oldest in myself, I was basically raised with the

sibling offsprings more like siblings to me.

This post, however is not about their generation 

but their offspring, the next generation.

As I was looking for a photo to send along with my 

birthday love to Owen on his 16th birthday.

I have 25,000 photos and not much organization 

to it, so I knew that feat could take a while.

I also knew I would enjoy some of it.

This photo that I had forgotten came across and

although I did not remember the photo,

every memory of the day came flooding back.

It was a low point in my life, the end of a 30 year marriage.

 I was going to Thibodaux to meet up with family

 but I was not in the mood for a birthday celebration.

 That changed quickly as my niece, Rebecca not only makes 

the best cakes ever, but they also taste terrific, had made a special 

one for me. I walked into her home and there were her 

four children along with her two sisters, Tiffany and Tie, and their offspring.                                                                                                                                                                                                 I can still remember this small act of kindness                                                                                                                                                                                  toward their Great Aunt Lil and how it

changed the outlook of not just that day but my life.

I was uncertain of what my future would hold.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Each one of these seven children had made a difference to

who I was along with others that called me Aunt Lil.

That day I began to see a future and it was not so scary. 

I hoped each of these children would remember

 who I was to them as they grew up.

I always tried to spend time with the Greats,

a week with Auntie Lil during the summer, trying

to make as many of their extra curricular activities,

spending nights at their homes. I was always just 

a phone call away, and as I love saying so very often

I tried to be a "part of all their villages"

to the best of my ability.  

That day, the day they were still young but 

they made it a point to be there for Auntie Lil's birthday.

All of them now are between young adults and teens.

One a Mother, another soon to be a Mother.

One experiencing her first love, and one more

living in his own apartment attending college.

Still another, away in Alabama for college.

One in high school where his name is known 

and one more, the baby of the bunch, making milestones

as she acts and plays a musical instrument that is very rare.

My sister, Veronica's family.

Yet, I have many others with whom I could say are just

as special as these seven.

This day, I believe I probably should have been celebrating them,

they were full of love for me, with new outlooks that my single 

life would be okay and that I was loved by so many.

Wow, all of this while I looked through many photos

just to wish one a Happy Birthday!

Maybe another entry for the book.

Happy Sunday all!

                    (sorry for the typeset, I can't fix it)