Farewell, "Aunt" Uni

"Aunt" Uni died last night. She passed away from stomach cancer. I will miss her. The thing is, Uni wasn't my aunt. She wasn't actually related to me at all! You see, every once-in-a-while, you run across one of those people who you just want to adopt. Or else, you do adopt them, without even thinking about it, or realizing it, until later. Aunt Uni was one of those people for me.

I only saw her a few times a year, at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the occasional birthday party; but I will miss her. She always made me smile. She was always as happy to see me as I was to see her, and she always greeted me with a warm hug. She was always surprised when I gave her a Christmas present, no matter how small. She was very humble and unassuming, and she made the best pecan pies in the world! Christmas will be a little emptier this year without her cheerful presence.

When I stop to think about it, it's actually remarkable that I ever even really had the privilege to know Aunt Uni at all. She was from another state. She was my Uncle Craig's aunt. Craig is, in actuality, only my uncle through marriage to my Aunt Anne. My Aunt Anne is actually my step-aunt (although I love her more like a big sister than anything else). Her dad, my Grandpa George, married my mom's mother when I was a baby. So really, technically, Uni should have been a complete stranger to me. But, she wasn't. If there's one thing that my mom's side of the family has taught me, it's that "family" isn't actually defined by bloodlines. Blood is not really thicker than water - It's love that matters. Love is what makes someone part of your family, not just genealogy.

I have several sisters, a brother or two, and even a twin that God didn't give me through my parents. But he did give them to me none-the-less; and I love them with all my heart. They are my children's "aunts" and "uncles" that cannot be traced through bloodlines, but they love them - and I would trust their lives to them. My Grandpa George was one of the most influential people in my life. His kids, my aunts and uncles all - I love dearly.

Today I am grateful for many things. I am grateful for having had Aunt Uni in my life. I am grateful that she is in a better place. I smile at the thought of my mom and Grandpa George being there to greet her and show her around. But most of all, I am grateful for all of the "family" God has blessed my life with - with or without bloodlines! My life is richer because they are in it.