Today, I wanted you to meet, Aunt Jane, Steve's aunt who I just adore. Aunt Jane, meet my blogger friends, blogger friends meet Aunt Jane.
Beautiful.
(This is a pic of her sitting on the banks of the Chetco river where we all go to camp every year. A tradition that started when Steve was a boy.)
Sweet Aunt Jane is the type of woman that we all strive to be, (at least I do). Strong, wise, witty, hilarious, humble, naturally beautiful and she loves the Lord.
After the funeral last weekend for Steve's uncle on his Mom's side of the family, Jane invited us to come and stay at her house rather than drive back that night. We gladly excepted the offer along with my amazing mother and father-in-law.
Everyone loves going to Jane's. There's always something beautiful to feast your eyes upon and there's always something even more amazing to eat. MMMM... Being at Jane's makes you want to rush home, clean, redecorate, plant more flowers in your garden and bake like you've never baked before. She is the epitome of a Proverbs 31 woman!
Aunt Jane is 69 years old, you'd never guess her to be this age, ever! Jane's husband died some years ago, and Nanny (Steve's grandma) who lived with her for many years after Jane's husband died, has also since past away. So she lives there all alone, yet her home is always filled with the love of family and friends.
Jane has raised two boys, is a grandmother, she teaches Sunday school, tole paints, knits, could probably classify as a master gardener, a baker, a cook, and an interior decorator. I kid you not she does it all. However, you would never hear her boasting about any of these things, in fact, unless you saw it with your own two eyes you'd never know it at all.
Of course she's not perfect, nor does she pretend to be. But she makes not being perfect look so, dang good because she's incredibly gracious. I'm not exaggerating, she makes me want to be a better wife, mother, homemaker, and woman. I can't imagine what I would even begin to do if I knew she was coming to my house. Let's just say I'd be on a rampage for sure, "everybody watch out Aunt Jane's on her way over, clean the house, iron the sheets, go, go, go!!" I'd want to paint the whole house inside and out, wax the floors, re-do the kitchen, finish the laundry, iron the sheets, pull the weeds, mow the lawn, seed the lawn in the backyard and then put a lock on the gate so she won't see, AAAHHH!
I had a friend from a bible study I used to go to tell me once that she was so impressed with how organized and put together I was. HA!HA!HA! Seriously! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. In my mind I'm far from "put together" and/or "organized". Yes, it's what I strive to be everyday, however, I fail miserably every. Single. Day. Had I fooled her or did she see my heart rather than my actual accomplishments?
Maybe, just maybe, sweet Aunt Jane isn't as PERFECT as she seems to be in my eyes. Maybe, her heart to serve others and God's PERFECT love within her is what I see, and what I desire to have also.
(Here is a picture of her cozy cottage, her husband bought it over 40 years ago for, wait for it...$7500! Very Sweet~)
(This is Jane's waffle iron that is 50 years old she used it to make our breakfast! Her family brought it over from their farm in Missouri. LOVE IT, They just don't make 'em like they used to huh!)
Thanks for allowing me to introduce you to our Aunt Jane, I hope you enjoyed meeting her as much as I have. Maybe next week I'll let you meet my brother, now there's a funny story. More like a Primetime special. Has anyone ever seen the show INTERVENTION. (I'm crackin' myself up right now.) Until then my friends....
