You always have favorite relatives. It's the law of nature. You can pick your friends, after all, but not your relations... As far back into my childhood as I can remember, my Aunt Thelma has always been a part of my life. And blessed be, my girls'.
She lived in Atlanta and was a nurse at Grady Hospital, and married an Air Force man. I can remember going to Atlanta to visit when I was very small, and visiting her mother-in-law, who we all affectionately knew as Me-Mother. She saw a lot of heart-ache in her life. She lost her husband and her eldest son in military service. She lost her youngest son just a few years ago. She saw the loss of all but one of her brothers and sisters, and that last one moved to the other side of the world better than 15 years ago and hasn't returned. But, she remained one of the strongest, most positive, genuinely loving, caring individuals I have ever known.
Like her father before her, she was deaf as a hammer for, Lord, the last 15 years. Used to drive my Granny crazy because she wouldn't wear her hearing aid & would constantly ask, "What?". They truly drove each other nuts, but you have never seen devotion deeper than that of those sisters. She was also the most modern "old lady" I've ever known. Notice the picture of her with her little earphones and mike, flying in her son-in-law's little 5 seater plane. She loved it!
Like I said in the beginning. I honestly don't remember Aunt Thelma not being there. Ever. Christmas, birthday, Thanksgiving. Sickness, health, good times and bad. She was a rock. The last time I got to visit her was last Wednesday in the hospital in Claxton, where she also worked for many years and retired from. LOL. She still couldn't hear us, but knew exactly who I was, what was going on, and smiled and laughed right along with us. Her body just couldn't keep up. She would have been 94 next month people. 94. God Bless her! I know she's already doting on Irene up there and relish the thought she's finally getting to be with Uncle Carl again after so many years apart. Thank you, Lord, for giving me Aunt Thelma. You did good~
Okay...I so didn't plan on crying tonight. It sounds like you had a wonderful relationship with her and I am sure she felt just as blessed to have you guys.
ReplyDeleteThat was so sweet what you said about your Aunt Thelma...She was a special lady. JP and Philip thought a lot of her and will miss her very much!!
ReplyDeleteThat is so sweet! Now, you have have a wonderful role model of what kind of aunt Matthew will be expecting... LOL!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! The Lord took an angel home, didn't He? This was a beautiful post!
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