Aunt Jennifer

The first week into this journey, last September, we were spending the weekend at Kure Beach and decided to take a trip to the aquarium at Fort Fisher.  I had just begun to be able to move around better, but all of the walking was still a challenge.  Today, 89 pounds lighter, we returned to the aquarium for the first time since then, with our niece and nephew.

Last September, in front of the hurricane display.

Today, same spot, different me.

It was great today to spend time with the kids, and it was great to be able to run after them with ease and to be able to lift them up over the crowds to see into the tanks.

Having a fun day with Cameron and Hailey.

 

 

 

 

I've always been fun Aunt Jennifer; before Aunt Jennifer was always there to read a story or draw a picture.  That Aunt Jennifer always had the kids come to her from wherever she was currently sitting.  This Aunt Jennifer is now able to run and play with the kids, to keep up with them as they dart about, wanting to show her this or to come see that.   This Aunt Jennifer feels good and alive, and even kids can pick up on it.

Later the kids wanted to eat dinner at Golden Corral so that's where we went.   I ate a salad and grilled steak.  Everyone else, however, put on the feed bag.  There was fried chicken, pizza, french fries, desserts, even a cotton candy machine.  I finished my meal long before everyone else and I had to sit there amongst all that food, still slightly hungry.  I watched as people came back from the buffet with plates loaded with food that was definitely off of my menu.  A plate heaped with warm yeast rolls, shiny with butter, drifted by me and my mouth watered. I stayed strong and finally we were able to get out of there before my resolve waivered.

I got a little satisfaction later when we got back to my sister-in-law's house and everyone was full and miserable on the couch, slowly slipping off into a food coma while I felt fine.  I wanted to get some activity so I looked around the room at everyone and said, "Hey kids, want to go skating?"   They were all hyped up on cotton candy and gummy bears from the ice cream bar, of course they wanted to go skating.

The adults groaned, but the kids and I were insistent.   So off we went to the skating rink.  My nephew was a little nervous on skates, but I ran beside him while he skated, so that I would be there if he started to fall.   Then he got a little more comfortable and we had a race: me on foot, him on skates.  It felt great to be able to keep up with the kids.  I was missing out on so much in my old unhealthy days.   You only learn so much about the kids in your life watching them from the couch. Aunt Jennifer still reads stories and draws pictures, but she's also right there when the kids want to run.