The Aunt

As Jane and Elliot ate their breakfast Friday morning, Jane kept exclaiming between mouth fulls of Life, "When will The Aunt wake up? When will The Aunt wake up?"
"Her name is Aunt Julia, Jane," I informed her.

"I know. But when will The Aunt wake up?"

I realized then, "The Aunt" was her honorific title. And boy howdy, was there joy in my children when The Aunt joined us for this past weekend in muggy Texas.

Jane exalted in the fact that Julia came to our house -- not to mention that she also brought presents. She spent the whole of Friday morning dancing and leaping about the living room in her new sunglasses.

Although his face suggests otherwise, Elliot took joy in simply holding his new sunglasses.

We made more of our visit with Aunt Julia this time (as opposed to when she came after Elliot's birth when we stayed indoors with our combined three children ages 15 months and under (she had brought her baby)).

Friday we made an emergency trip to the coveted American Girl store. Julia's daughter has three such dolls and one needed an ambulance ride to the hospital in Wisconsin -- as her head had detached from her body. Jane decided resolutely that she needed a doll. And several (read: entire store) of the accessories.

Saturday we went to the Sixth Floor Museum and spent the whole of the afternoon debating whether Oswald was a cog in a larger machine or a crazy loner.

And we ate. Oh boy, did we eat.

She returned to Idaho on Monday morning and the kids sat listless for the rest of the day.

I'd like to think they take to Julia so easily because she is so like their Mommy.

But it's obviously so much more. They adore her. After all, she is "The Aunt".