Aunt D is a national treasure. She is at least a treasure to everyone who knows her. Selfless and kind, she’s helped the family more than anyone I know. When her own mother-in-law was ill, she took care of her for several years. When Nana was ill, she came and spent alternate weeks taking care of Nana.

For years she hosted the family Thanksgiving gathering, cooking for the whole family. Of course, everyone brought something, but she cooked enough herself to feed everyone.

She’s generous almost to a fault.

She’s always buying things for people: she sees something that she thinks someone would like, she buys it and gives it to them.

Now she’s taking care of her own husband, Uncle M. He’s facing his own health challenges, and he’s stubborn: that would be more than a challenge for most, but Aunt D is sly and caring.

That’s a combination to be reckoned with.

She always refers to the Girl and the Boy as “my babies.”

“How are my babies doing?” she’ll ask when we talk on the phone.

“Where are my babies?” she asks when she arrives at our house for a visit.

She’s the kind of aunt everyone should be fortunate enough to have.