Hero #2

The next hero that I will tell you about is someone that is on my mind today. She is an amazingly strong woman. Perhaps the strongest I have known to date. Her name is my Aunt Barb, but in our house she is known as “Aunt Bart” (thanks to Jake at age 18 months).

As a kid I spent as much time with my aunt Barb and Uncle Lyle as I could. They lived 2 hours from us, but every Christmas break, spring break and as much as I could in the summer I was there. I loved going to their house! (In fact I still do!)

I remember I used to tell my mom that I wished Aunt Barb was my mom and not her. It was one of those things you say as a kid because the rules are more relaxed at Aunt Barbs and we got to go lots of fun places and I had different chores and different friends and it was just different in general than being at home. It had nothing to do with my mom really, and as a mother now I know that, but I also know how hurtful it was to hear. So to my mom-Sorry! I really do love you!

Aunt Barb was a waitress for as long as I can remember. She worked in a small restaurant; you know the type with the farmers drinking coffee at the back table and the women cackling in the front room and the old guys sitting at the counter. She always took the week off if I was staying wit them, but we had to make daily trips to town it seemed like to have fried mushrooms and a vanilla shake. I liked being at her work and so did she.

As I grew our friendship grew. When I got married it was Uncle Lyle who walked me down the aisle. He was more nervous than Mark and I combined! And Aunt Barb was seated as a mother. She was there for all the stuff that life brought my way.

About 7 years ago Uncle Lyle had a stroke. He survived, but never fully recovered. He had a few falls, a broken hip, and then a year ago the worst fall cause undetected bleeding on his brain. The pressure built until it damaged his brain enough that his speech and thinking were affected. Now he is wheelchair bound. He has to have more help than before to get around in the morning or at night. He doesn’t always know what is going on around him. He spent some time in the nursing home. And yet through it all Aunt Barb has been beside him.
I have watched her sleep on the floor next to his recliner when he couldn’t make it to the bedroom. I have heard her talk only of what is best for him and never think about what she wants. I have learned that love is a choice not a feeling, or emotion, it is following through on commitment no matter what.

Aunt Barb is my hero because she lives out faithfulness and servant hood every day of her life. She never complains, she never gets angry. She just loves and gives until she has nothing and then keeps giving.