Between Heaven + Earth: Barb Hatchl

My brother has three girls and even though they live in Kansas I’ve been a part of their lives since they were born.  I was the slightly crazy aunt that spoiled them without regard to parental approval (an added bonus). The girls are grown now, married with a total of six children under six.  I don’t have the same relationship with their kids but they are young enough and with help from their parents, to know there is an Aunt Barb who sends them surprises now and then.  

For the first time ever, this Thanksgiving, we were all able to be together in Kansas.  I needn’t have worried about getting to know the little ones. I knew they all loved books, so the first night there I took them to a bookstore so they could each pick out a book. Luckily, we had the place almost to ourselves.  Lots of yelling!  Lots of laughing!  Lots of hard decisions to make!  It was a joy to watch them make their choices and the extra bonus of getting to read to them when we got home.  The five year old holding back tears at the end of the visit almost broke me. 

“. . . and a little child shall lead them” has special meaning this year.