The Gift

Hello Readers,

      Today, I spoke to my beautiful Aunt Irma this morning our conversation was about my daughter's pregnancy and how we're having a baby in our family in two months.   I'm sure it boggles everyone's mind when I am telling them about how surprising Amber's pregnancy is.   lol.   

     This morning, I get to begin with this blog about my exquisite Aunt Irma and what an important role she plays in my life.  My first memory of her, is the key to why I love reading.   My Aunt is now a retired teacher who taught second through fifth grade kids.  She was an outstanding teacher who educated The Gifted and Talent and Bilingual students.  Education is to her exceptional.  

   The memory that comes to mind is when I was eight years old.  I caught pneumonia and had to be admitted to the hospital. I cried and held on to my mom so tight.  The small hospital was in the nearby town of Ysleta.  It was old and the parking could only fit a few cars.   Nothing of what see on my mom's soap operas on T.V.  lol.   The nursery room was a cold with yellow painted walls and with the strong smell of alcohol that made me nauseas.  Soon as I walked the nurses offered me lollipops but only if I would stop crying.  I was placed immediately in a tall crib with high rails.  I sat in there coughing and crying with an IV in my arm. ouch. Thereafter, is when the staff of nurses pulled a plastic tent over the top part of the crib.   It took seconds when smoke filled the inside of the tent with oxygen.  I was terrified and mom was trying so hard to calm me down, but I wouldn't.  Eventually, my crying mom was sent out of the room to wait in the hallway.  Took an awhile for me to go to sleep.  

    When I woke up I could hear whispering and saw my Aunt sitting beside my mom.  Wow!  I was so thrilled to see her.   Couldn't believe she had taken time out of her day to visit me.  She was the best. Before I started to tear up, I saw a wrapped gift in her hand. As she handed it to me and I noticed it was heavy.  I quickly unwrapped it and it was a hardcover of, "Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes Book". I immediately flipped through the pages and saw beautiful colorful illustrations.  Because of the humidity inside the tent, the pages would wilt.   So I had to wait to till I got home to start learning this new book.   I then promised my Aunt that I would call her and read to her once a week .  I wanted to make her proud.

    I would narrate every word and sang the songs with my momma.  I was hooked, I wanted my mom to buy  more books with fascinating stories. It was a pivotal point in my youth memories to tell.

 I would later eventually buy and read to my own children the stories from Mother Goose.  That they later enjoyed to read and sing along with my Momma.   Wonderful moments that I will cherish forever.

  My Aunt Irma still has the teacher in her, on a recent visit my Granddaughter Audrina , who is nine years old, was in for a surprise...   a gift bag was handed to her,  and surprise it was a book that my Aunt had saved from her own daughter Marlina's collection.  WoW!  I hope my Granddaughter will enjoy reading  books have the same memories as I did at her age. Aww. The most sweetest gift !! 

   Thank you, Aunt Irma, for loving me and my family so much, and for giving me the most memorable experience that any little girl could ever have. 

With much love,

  Christina 💝