Letter #62 - Cherry

I have a very large adopted family.  My whole life my parents introduced people into our lives that we came to know as Aunt & Uncle, even though we have no blood relations to them.  Aunt Cherry is one such adopted family member.  I literally cannot remember a part of my life that she wasn't in.  My dad knew her and her husband before he met my mum, so they've been a part of my life since the day I was born.  They've always lived in another state than us, and have always been a branch of the family that we were lucky to see once every few years.  Until I met my husband.  Since he's a country musician, part of his life entails yearly (if not more frequent) trips to Nashville.  Soon after we began dating, I put two and two together and realised Steve & Cherry lived just outside the city limits.  I put in a phone call and several weeks later I was on my first road trip ever with a boyfriend, on my first trip to Nashville, and so excited to be only hours away from spending almost a week with Steve & Cherry.

Since that first trip we have stayed in their home usually at least one week a year, and they have been up to visit us several times in Michigan.  In fact, they have become such an important part of both of our lives that they performed our wedding last year.  I always look forward to our visits there, because I know at some point or another I can count on a long and involved kitchen conversation with Aunt Cherry while the guys are off talking music or business or philosophy or something.  I LOVE spending time in the kitchen, and while cooking isn't Aunt Cherry's all time favourite thing to do, I think she likes it when I'm there coz I love it.  Her oldest son is also a chef, and sometimes I think having me there in the kitchen and chatting makes her feel closer to him in some ways.  I'm ok with that because I love getting to talk with her about life, love and human behaviour.  She is a retired teacher, so we also share a passion for kids and education.  I was excited to write her because I've been meaning to get around to sending her a photo of the four of us together at our wedding, and now I finally did.

We're hoping on making another trip to Nashville in the spring (well, my husband for sure is, but my school and job situations will dictate whether or not I can join him) and I'm sure hoping I can be a part of it because it will mean at least a day or two with Aunt Cherry (as long as they're in town).  Something I always look forward to!