When Shane and I first got married, we moved to Montana. I was okay with it. I figured it continued my unexpected pattern of living in places that end in "A", California, Minnesota, Georgia, Louisiana, and Malta. We agreed to live there until we had kids because I wanted our kids to grow up the way I did- - surrounded by family, able to go to church with aunts, uncles, cousins, able to visit family on a random Saturday afternoon, and go shopping with them on a Black Friday.
Now I have kids and I live in the greatest city in the world rearing my kids. And this past Sunday, we skipped going to our favorite church in the OC and instead went to church with my aunt, who was celebrating her 70th birthday. After church, we went to my other aunt's house to change the kids' clothes. (Side note, I told Rowan to get her shoes and the baby's shoes for church and she came back with their cute red shoes. Look at that without my prompting, my big girl chose matching shoes for her and her Irish twin. Did I mention my big girl is a genius. Genius!) Then we followed two of my aunt's to Sizzler.
And you know what true love is...true love is going to eat lunch at 2PM on a Sunday at one of the two remaining Sizzlers in LA. Did I mention it was 2PM aka after church? True love is eating at an okay restaurant which turns into a not so good experience when your waitress takes 10 minutes to bring you a baked potato that is actually hot enough to melt the butter that was put on top of it. Takes 30 minutes to bring you their famous Texas toast. And who never refills your drink. The things you do for the love of your aunt....
After that experience, we went back to my aunt's house for ice cream cake, which was delicioso! My big girl led the "Happy Birthday" song. The kids were more than thrilled to wish their aunt a happy birthday, give her a big hug and kiss, and ask for a happy birthday balloon.
Happy Birthday to my wonderful, loving Aunt Carol, whose arms, heart, and door are always open. The first of my grandma's daughters to live to see 70.
It's days like these, moments like these, that make me thrilled I'm raising my kids around family like I was.
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