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| Aunt Polly and my mom when mom was 18. |
My Aunt Polly passed away yesterday. My heart hurts so much, even more since I can't be present at her funeral tomorrow. So as I've been thinking of her and remembering my favorite things about her I felt compelled to write them down and share them. She deserves that.
Aunt Polly was my Nana's Campbell's sister, my mom's aunt, my great aunt. She and my Uncle Smitty never had any children. For most of my life I saw her every Sunday at Nana's for lunch after church. I often heard her refer to my Nana's children as her own, and to us (Nana's grandkids) as her own too. I remember as a little girl playing at her house, dancing around in her basement and begging her to turn on that cool disco ball they had down there that made the lights go around, and of course she always did. She laughed a lot and loved to make us happy. We'd lay out in the sun together (she was a sun worshiper!) and sometimes I'd go to church with her and my Nana when I spent the night with Nana and Papa (she and my Nana lived within a few miles of each other).
Christmas Eves were the best. My brother and I and our cousins Brad and Chad always gathered at my Nana's house and waited by the window, watching taillights go by and hoping the next car was Polly and Smitty. Once they arrived we could open presents and we just couldn't wait. She'd arrive so excited and give us homemade powdered sugar rice chex mix (she called it "trash") and an envelope with money in it.
Aunt Polly always called me "her Courtie". She was the fun one, she let us do cool things, but she'd always try to keep me in line too:) She was so pretty, I remember always thinking that, even as a little girl. She was so generous. She loved to get her hair done. She always wore red lipstick. This was my Aunt Polly.
Aunt Pols, I will always love you to pieces. I will always remember you and miss you. I'm so grateful you got to see my boys and give them hugs and we're blessed that you were part of us.
