Auntie Dacia

It was just over four years ago that I became an aunt for the first time. My nieces, Kate and Ava, were born in October of 2010. Up until that time, I spent very little time around kids. I'd never changed a diaper, never even held a newborn. I very distinctly remember holding my nieces for the first time, feeling my heart expand to make room for all the extra love.

Since that time, I have now become an auntie/honorary auntie 9 times over, and my heart continues to expand to fit each new kiddo. It is such a humbling experience, to know that you are important enough in the lives of your friends that they see you as an auntie to their children. So now there are a bevy of kiddos in my life that I am auntie to. Sometimes I'm really flaky at it, other times I kind of rock at it.

When I stop to think about what it means to be an aunt, my mind always goes back to my own two aunts, and what they've meant to me in my life*. My mom has an older and younger sister. I've written a character sketch on my Aunt Deb and drafted one for my Aunt Donna (but it still needs more work). I have always had a close relationship with both my aunts. To me, my aunts have filled many roles in my life. They are cheerleaders. They spoil me occasionally. They give me straight talk when I need it. They take me on adventures. They listen to me whine and give encouragement. They understand me. And I know, completely and entirely, that they love me dearly.

They are anchors in my life.

And that is what I want to be for all these sweet kiddos who came into my world. I may never have the opportunity to be a mom and that's okay. But I am already an aunt, and I can be fantastic at that.

For me, I hope that being an aunt will mean knowing their favorite colors (this week). I hope that they will tell me their very important secrets. I hope that being an aunt will mean taking them on special outings and having adventures. I hope they will know I always have their back, even when they think their parents are being "so unfair". I hope that it will mean reading to them cuddled up on the couch, then someday listen to them reading to me. I hope that they will get annoyed with me sometimes because I make them mind. I hope someday they will ask me for advice and think I'm wise (or maybe just goofy). I hope I will be there for their "big moments" and for many of the small ones. I hope that they call me when they're mad, and text me just to say hi.

I hope that I will be an anchor in their lives, a safe place to land, a person they can always turn to.


*To be clear, I have an uncle as well, my Uncle Stan, and he is also wonderful/fantastic/loving/awesome. His character sketch is also drafted . . . I'm terribly slow and careful with them.