Being an aunt...

I loved being an aunt of seven nephews and nieces until ... the reality of being an aunt of my brothers' adult children has meant thanklessness.

Keep in mind that my brother Fred married his first wife twice - the first time while our father was in Vietnam in 1967; the second time after she divorced him in the early 1980s, wiped him out financially, married someone else, and roped Freddy back in six years later.

I remember when my oldest nephew Tres got married in Greenville, SC. I gladly volunteered to host the bride's brunch (at the mother of the bride's tennis club). I polished the family silver and hauled it to South Carolina, planned the menu and prepared the food there. While it was laborious and fun, I distinctly remember wonderiing "where are the mothers of the bride and groom?" that morning. I had Judy and the grandmothers of the groom helping me. That evening at the wedding reception, I remember our father ordering drinks at the "cash bar" for me, my mom, my sister. I accompanied him to the bar to pick up the drinks and to Dad's dismay, he had to pay for our drinks. We attributed the oversight to the bride's family - but my brother (father of the groom) should have made advance arrangements for our drinks to be paid for. (That couple is no longer a couple).

About that same time, Freddy retired from the Army. They were living on post in Leavenworth, Kansas, and had to vacate their housing when he retired. My second nephew Tim was about to be a senior in high school, and they decided to move to Virginia to be closer to family. They lived with me for about a month while they searched for an apartment in the J. R. Tucker HS zone so Tim could go to MY high school where I was teaching and he would at least know ONE person there.

Fast forward to Tim's wedding. I might also mention he is my godson too. I wasn't invited to the the rehearsal dinner, so our parents refused to attend. Mother of the groom concocted a family feud - and a lie that the father of the groom was a full Colonel, as printed on the invitations and in the newspaper announcements. Talk about a piece of work. She really pulled off a doozy.

Then there's my other brother Phil. I remember when he and Jeanie got married. Well, not completely true, as I did not witness Phil and Jeanie's wedding ceremony in Dothan, Alabama. I was there, but was not allowed in the chapel because Tim (who was 2 and potty training) needed to go to the bathroom. Tim ran down the aisle to his father (who was at the alter with Phil) to announce he needed to go to the potty, so Freddy brought him to his mother and she refused to take him because the wedding was about to start. Freddy looked at me, and so I took Tim to the bathroom at the Hardee's across the parking lot (the bride was in the only bathroom at the church). When I returned with Tim, the wedding coordinator would not let me back in the church.

Phil and Jeanie then joined the Mormon church. Non Mormons don't get to attend Mormon weddings. Five children and about 20 years' later, the weddings of Phil and Jeanie's children commence. Not traveling to Indiana, North Dakota, and Utah (twice) for dinner. Not happening.

So nah. It hasn't been a warm fuzzy feeling being an aunt these past 25 years.