Ohmygosh, Josh, it's your birthday!

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Perhaps you would see my nephew, Josh, as a champion soccer player (good going!)  Perhaps you would see him as a referee or an electric bass guitarist.  Perhaps you would see Josh as a skateboarder who refused to give up even after numerous injuries.  Perhaps you would see Josh as just a really great, adorable kid.  The guy next door.  I see Josh as the boy who initiated me into being an aunt.  This blog is dedicated to him on his 15th birthday (October 30, 2008). 

When Josh and I first met, I was young (25), he was younger (2).  At the time he enjoyed playing drums with his silverware on his plate.  Even though he was young, he could already do that thing of rolling the pasta noodle onto your fork (which I still can't do properly).  He is the only of my nieces/nephews to have attended my wedding (and good job being quite during that by the way!)  Saying "spaghetti" instead of "cheese" during a photo shoot would give him the giggles.  And he called me Aunt DeVi.  Because Josh was such an absolutely awesome nephew, he made me look good as an aunt.  I honestly cannot say that I would have decided to continue with my aunting career (now numbering 10), if it had not been for such an auspicious start with my nephew Josh. 

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When Josh lived in Munsee, Indiana, we would go visit him for the weekend and man-oh-man would I miss him when I returned home.   Partly because I just had so much fun hanging out with him and partly because I knew that he would be completely different the next time we visited.  One of my favorite memories was the two of us sitting on the sofa together looking through catalogues, deciding what color shoes or shirts we thought would be the nicest, while his father wondered what the heck we were doing.   Another favorite memory was teaching him how to make his action figure do a kick-ball-change.  These are the types of things only an aunt can teach you really.

[caption id="attachment_298" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Josh in China, yes China!"][/caption]

Thom was recalling a time when we lived in Chicago and Amy, Mike & Josh came for a visit.  Well, Josh was hanging his head out of the window to greet us.  Mike did not realize that Josh was doing this activity and began to roll the window up from the front seat (one of those new fangled automatic window openers I've heard talk about).  Josh not realizing he should bring his head back into the vehicle suddenly had a very stuck head.  Which brings me to an oh so important life lesson, many things may not seem funny now.  But as time passes, they become hilarious.  Very important lesson, particularly for those sometimes awkward teen years (please see previous blogs for numerous examples of this lesson).

One Thanksgiving, Josh and his family of 5 drove all the way from Richmond, Virginia to Madison, Wisconsin to spend the holiday with us.  (I know, WOW!)  At the time, Ellie was undergoing chemotherapy, so we were not traveling much and we thoroughly appreciated a visit for the holiday.  Thom, Ellie, & I had just been to the hospital that morning for chemo and as we were getting into my car, my keychain broke.  It was a keychain that said, "London" on it and because of my love of British things I was saddened by such a loss.  (I don't know why but they don't have many "London" keychains in Madison.)  Anyway, when I started to ask Josh what he liked to do, he told me he liked to make keychains.  That is the kind of guy he is, he shows up just at the right time with exactly what you need.  To this day, I still have a blue and yellow keychain made for me by my nephew Josh.  It was the only keychain that could possibly replace my beloved London keychain.

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It has been amazing to watch Josh blossom from an adorable toddler into a thoughtful teenager.  He is sensitive and smart and oh-so-likable.  The last time we were all together, last Thanksgiving, he would listen as the adults were talking.  He was really listening, not just staring off into space acting as if he were listening.  Really listening is one of those super important traits that is so often undervalued and I am glad to see that Josh is so good at it. 

Ben just adores his cousin Josh, which is funny because Josh is not all that interested in Ben.  I mean he doesn't NOT like him.  I think it's sort of a "cat" thing.  Because Josh is not trying really hard to play with Ben, Ben really wants to play with Josh.  However, Josh and his brother Sam did teach Ben how to wrestle, one of Ben's very favorite activities. 

[caption id="attachment_283" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sam & Josh teach Ben how to wrestle."][/caption]

Even though I don't get to see my nephew Josh or converse with him nearly as much as I would like, I feel happier, sunnier knowing that he is around and a part of my family.  I feel so greatful that Ellie & Ben will grow up having him as a cousin.  Because even though I get the privilege of calling him my nephew, they get the opportunity to know him as an older cousin, someone to look up to.  Thanks Josh, for all that you have contributed to our family.  I am so looking forward to watching all that you have share with the world unfold.  Happy Birthday!  We love you!