Aunt Norma Lu

Meet my Aunt Norma Lu. These days most people only address her as Norma. The Lu was lost along the way, but she will always be my Aunt Norma Lu. Isn't she pretty? Folks, she is 81 this year and still just as beautiful. She looks nowhere near 80. Her skin is flawless and no wrinkles. I sure wish I had the genes that she has.

When she was a teenager she was on the local radio station each Saturday. There was a group of singers and she played the piano for them and played some solos, too. She tried to teach me how to play the piano, but for some strange reason, I never was able to understand it. My other sisters picked it up and are accomplished pianists.

Norma (ok, I will drop the Aunt and the Lu, but only for the posts) has the most beautiful heart of anybody I know. She is the only daughter of my Grandma Dawkins and I believe it all stems from the upbringing she received from her. A Prague resident told me that my aunt was the nicest person in Prague and I believe that to be the case, too. If you visited with her, you will see her lean forward listening to everything you had to say - as if she was really interested. I have never known a better listener.

Last week we dropped in on her and my uncle who will be 93 (and he doesn't look his age either - we should all be so blessed). They were thrilled to see us. While we were there her church choir director stopped by to give her music for Sunday's service. She still plays for her service. She even played the piano to accompany the Prague Kolache Queen contestant and guess what, she won! I attribute that to my aunt's talent on the piano.

Memory: When I was about 2 or 3 years old, there was a Christmas play and Santa party at a school about a mile from our house. It was closed a year or so before I started school; however, the actual building was moved to Garden Grove so I did go to school in that building after all. Back to the story. Aunt Norma Lu was a teenager and was setting with her friends back in the back. She came and got me (her cute little niece) and I sat with her and her friends. They were all so sweet to me and I loved setting by the pretty big girls. That is my first recollection of my beautiful aunt. (Oh, and after she married I remember her having a flamingo flower curtain - now that was many, many years ago - the things we remember!!!)

There are many memories I could address, but maybe in another post. I always wanted to be like Aunt Norma Lu. I hope in some small way that I have just a small bit of her grace running through me.