Five Hours of Heaven

Last night I went over to my brother Andy’s place. He is divorced and this is his weekend to have the kids; Connor and Keegan, my teenage nephews and Kiernan, my six year-old niece. It was my good fortune that the kids had Teacher Conferences, so Andy had them early this week since they have today, Friday, off.

As I pulled up into their driveway, Kiernan came running out the front door, braving the cold and wind to greet me with a hug and escorted me into the house. Wednesday she had been so anxious to see me that she made her dad, my brother, drive twenty minutes to my Mother’s so she could spend half an hour with me before having to return to her Mom’s for dinner.

Once inside, she grabbed me by the hand and took me on a tour ending in her bedroom. It was painted two different shades of pink with a paper border around the room four feet high separating them. The head of her bed was covered with stuffed animals; among them were the Fish family, the Monkey family and the Statue of Liberty doll her dad had brought back from New York City. This menagerie rested atop a pink “Dora the Explorer” bedspread.

She showed me her closet, her clothes, her keepsake jewelry and the artwork coveted by her dad. She also showed me her purse, another prized possession from her dad’s trip to New York City. Then we went to see her Bearded Dragon lizard, Thunderball. Thunderball is one of three family lizards, but Kiernan proudly informed me that hers was the largest. Indeed, she was. From there, it was back to the bedroom to play.

She pulled out her Dora the Explorer house and started opening it up so we could play, but she saw a spider and immediately scampered on top of the bed. “Aunt Billie, can you please take care of the spider?” No problem, Aunt Billie to the rescue, then on to our play time. She demonstrated all the gadgets; the oven, the “real” door, the book shelves and the stove. I joined her on the floor where we played until it was time to go to Claxon’s for dinner.

After dinner, we retired to her dad’s room so we could watch “Daffy and the Quackbusters” and eat banana pie. She had obviously seen the movie a few times and made sure I knew the funny parts were coming. She eventually opened up her laptop and started playing a game where you cook various dishes and are scored on how you combine your ingredients and the cooking technique you use. She leaned away from her screen often to make sure I had not fallen asleep, commenting once or twice that I looked tired. (That banana pie was a carb overload!)

It was time to leave and as we said our goodbyes she asked if I could spend the night tomorrow. I told her Saturday night would actually be better, so I will come over then, “OK?” Nope, she couldn’t wait that long, so I am spending the night tonight, Friday.

As I drove home tears filled my eyes as joy filled my heart. THIS is what it is all about, all the pain and patience. I laughed remembering all those posts I have read arguing over terminology and definitions like, what is a woman. I have long since abandoned those debates, but I can answer that question. Last night I was a woman; through and through, one hundred percent pure, Aunt Billie.

And I loved it!!

PS - To see my precious niece, check out this video on YouTube!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDhnRfuj86Q