Sometimes being an auntie hurts.....

I recently said that one of my favorite titles is "Auntie Mindy"

Let me tell you a story how being an Aunt has changed me.

My sister was married in 2010.  She became a full time mother and wife the same week. 

She was born to be a mom and I have to say, that surprised me.  Brittney was the sister that had a social life, traveled and was fun.  Without missing a beat she become the mom that sat on PTO committees, made home cooked meals everyday and clipped coupons.  It was an amazing transformation.

The kids fell into the love---they were gaining weight as they had been undernourished.  They became involved in sports and activities at the Club and as a family.








After a year and a half of zero contact with their mother, my nephew, Wrangler, decided to go and live with his mother.  My sister went to his classroom on his last day and I tagged along.  We had a special snack with the class and she passed out his address so kids can write him letters.  I said my goodbye in the parking lot and broke down but my sister brought my focus back to Lane and I was okay. 

Kiley was going for 3 days to visit her mother.  Kiley was excited to return home on Tuesday, December 11th.  Kiley did not come home. 

Before she left, her and I had a long talk.  She told me that she lived a great life in Arizona.  That her life included going to the Nutcracker with me and cooking with her mom and she  pinky promised me that she was coming home.  Her biggest reason for coming home was her family. Her Papa and Sito (my parents), her aunts and uncles and most importantly, her Lane.  She had an amazing relationship with Lane and he adored his Sissy.

I've felt all sorts of feelings----I've felt angry with Shannon (their mother) for stealing Kiley.  I feel angry with Kiley for calling her Club friends but not calling her family.  I feel so sad for Lane who loved both Wrangler and Kiley.  I feel a bunch of things for my sister who was everything to her family and those kids.

Lastly, in my story, is the Fit Family Challenge.  The Collyar family is one of 10 families in the country and in Boys & Girls Clubs that is competing in this challenge.  The winning 5 families (being announced on December 21) will travel to Los Angeles on January 12 to meet Jackie Joyner Kersee and compete against each other.  The Collyars were in the top running groups and were bound for Los Angeles. 

Since Shannon did not return Kiley, we no longer have a team.  And let me explain that if she wanted to live with her mom, her dad said she had to come home, finish the semester, say goodbye properly and could return during the summer.  So once again, heartbroken for all the work that was put into this by my sister. 

Here is my sisters statement: 

Friends and family as some of you might know we have been making an attempt to work with Corys ex for the well being of the kids. Our son decided he wanted to try living with her after having no contact with her in over a year and a half. We foolishly believed she had changed as did the judge and case worker. We sent our kids to visit their mom last weekend. The were gone less then 48 hours when we received a court order via EMAIL stating Kiley was not returning to us. Our daughter had 10 days left of school, finals, her entire life here to wrap up, good byes to friends family etc. There clearly was a better way then stealing her from her home, her family her life she was thriving in. This truly is a travesty. I ask you to please just say a prayer that our family heals from this.

I love being Auntie Mindy.  I will always be an Auntie to this little boy whom I adore.  I am blessed thanks to this little guy.  Even though my heart hurts, this face helps!