Aunt Jen ROCKS!!!!

Ya know, we have a lot of wonderful people in our life. Some really nice, cool, wonderful people. Then we have our Aunt Jen. If your kids do not have an Aunt Jen, then I highly recommend you go find one.

Technically, "Aunt" Jen isn't an aunt, but she has more than earned that title with all of the special attention she slathers on the kids. She and J have a very close relationship, and she's beginning to develop bonds with the little ones, too. I think after this weekend she has climbed a bit higher on the S and E scale of good people to know. Why? Two words:

King's Island. (A very fab amusement park north of Cincy.)

Through her work, Jen provided our entire family with free tickets, a parking pass, and drink wristbands. (The coolest thing: wear a wristband, walk up to a snack bar, ask for a coke/sprite/root beer, walk away with it for FREE.) Unbelievable. Added bonus: being able to hold the trip over J for good behavior. S and E, of course, had no clue what King's Island was, and we really had no context for them. (S pointed to the elaborate playground at the McDonald's close to the park and thought that it was King's Island. Uh, no sweetie, just you wait.)

Overall, the kids did great. One of my favorite moments came while standing in line with S for the little kid roller coaster in Nickelodeon land. There were a few different characters walking around, but S had no clue who they were -- we don't have cable. She kept calling Sponge Bob "Cheese Bob" because to her he looked like a piece of cheese. I think I would have to agree with her on that one. Anyway, Jimmy Neutron walks over and puts his hand out to her, and she dutifully slaps his hand and gives him five. She then looks down for a moment and then up at me and just giggles and giggles. It was a moment of pure little kid pleasure. In that moment, I thought about where she was last year and how far she has come. Once a child living in an orphanage 3 hours outside of Addis Ababa, then to a transition home in Addis Ababa, with little if anything to call her own, she was now standing in line to ride a little roller coaster and interacting with a cartoon character. She had spent the day eating pizza, running through a water playground, and riding on cars that went in circles. She was far from that land that lacked its secondary rains and, therefore, was facing a famine that may rival that of the '80s. A land running out of food and the doctors have to choose which kids get the PlumpyNut. Instead, she was smiling and laughing and asking what we call this and that. It was a hard moment, and I know, just like with J, I will have more of them.

On a lighter note, one fun moment was standing in line for a ride with J and watching him dance because he needed to go potty. Soon after, we actually had to get out of line at another ride so he could go go go. Yeah, I was happy about that one. E was maybe a bit overwhelmed by it all, but he really did great -- even took a little nap! We paid for this great behavior on the way home when he decided he just had to hold my hand for most of the trip -- that's with me sitting up front and contorting my arm back to him. Yeah, he needed to go to bed.

When we left the park, we completed the day with a little more junk food for the trip home -- Burger King. At one point, I looked back to see all 3 kids wearing their Burger King crowns. How appropriate, my friends. How appropriate.

So, we owe Aunt Jen the biggest thank you in the world. I never feel like I am able to do enough to repay her for her kindness and generosity. But someday, Jen, I will figure it out.

All kids should have an Aunt Jen because she ROCKS!!
:)