Welp.
I'm struggling to write this blog post because it's so near and dear to my heart. I mean, ALL of these posts are close to my heart, but this one is a little too near if that makes sense.
As you all have watched me send my own son off to college for the first time, it's now time for my sister to walk that path with my nephew. This is a guy who I've known closely for literally his entire life. He's starting round two of our five-year stretch of sending a kid off to college each year between the young cousins on my side of the family.
And man, is he a good one.
When I think of AJ, I think of the words steady and present.
Steady - He is one of the most mellow, flexible people I know, and it's a beautiful thing. Even this photo session tried my patience as the sun hid behind clouds and then violently shone in our faces and created the harshest of shadows. As his uptight aunt was getting frustrated (WITH THE SUN OF ALL THINGS - please send help!), AJ patiently waited until the light was in an agreeable place and he was energetic, easy going and fun throughout the entire session, helping me stress less and just enjoy the time we were getting together.
Present - I don't have many memories of family gatherings since AJ's been on the scene where he wasn't present. Even through the teen stages of gazing out on his phone, he's always positioned himself where the family is and I so love that about him. One of the simplest, sweetest times I'll remember from this weekend visiting in Michigan was sitting with my sister on their back deck and AJ joining us, not to interrupt conversation or even call attention to himself, but just to be with us. It was an incredibly ordinary, yet meaningful space to share together and I treasure it.
This world is so lucky to have AJ a part of it. I'm so lucky to get to call him my family. I can't wait to see what this next chapter holds for him!
