Uncle Eddo

I spent the afternoon with the Cribbies and enjoyed spending some time with their daughter Zoey. She is this warm bunble of dark hair and carmel toned skin and when she smiles, which is often, you can’t help but feel like you just saw a glimpse of heaven.

Jenni fixed us a delicious sausage casserole complete with gravy and biscuits. I washed it down with 2 Dr. Peppers and then plopped on the couch to recoup from an intense game of ultimate. The Cribbies home is peaceful and it is filled with love. It brings me joy to watch Cribby and Jenni talk to each other, it’s always sweet and kind and I have never seen either one of them be sharp with each other. It blesses me.

As I sat on the couch and soaked everything in, I thought about all my little nieces and nephews. Joe and Amber’s daughter Abigail is just a little older than Zoey. Then there is Jackson who is all the way up in Colorado who will be turning 3 in January. Nikki and Jeremy have two kids and I have yet to meet their newest daughter Afton. Sarah and Stowe have a couple of kiddos too and then I have my nephew Aiden who lives with me and it is just surprising to watch all these kids just grow up so fast. It doesn’t make me feel old, it makes me feel blessed. I get to see them when they are their most delightful. I get to watch them grow up and enjoy them without having to change their diapers. I get to be a cool Uncle Eddo while their parents have to worry about them having a MySpace account, a cell phone, texting, and predators.

But their parents aren’t the only ones that worry. I worry too.  I worry about what they are eating, if they are watching too much TV. Do their parents read to them at night? What will happen if one of them gets a serious illness?

In just the past few weeks I’ve gotten closer to Aiden. We can play for hours and if his mom leaves to run to the store, he will let me hold him close while he repeats over and over, in the sweetest voice you ever heard, “mama?” It’s quiet and questioning like he thinks she might not be coming back and I have to re-assure him over and over that she is. This is something that I wasn’t prepared for, this unbelievable desire to protect, not only Aiden, but his mom too. They are both so precious to me.

We go through life every day living like we are immortal. We often forget about the fragility of life. I plan to keep a close eye on all my nephews and nieces. I know they are in good hands, but it never hurts to have a few extra.

I miss and love you all.

Eddo