my heroes.

Hero.

Kind of an unreachable word that assumes perfection.
The amazing being that does it all, gets it all and see's it all.
With ease, grace and without mistake.

I've come to believe they don't exist.
At least not like that.

There are plenty of heroes in my life but none of them are perfect, which makes them human and reachable and someone I can strive to live like rather than Superman or Super Mom.  (Although I've always like Wonder Woman a bit more.)  So I think it's time to introduce you from time to time to some of my heroes.  And since today would have been one of my hero's 50th birthday had she still been on this earth I will start with her.

Deanna Jo.
She was rad. 
More like the epitome of the word "rad".

I've heard it often said that if you want to secure a firm place in my heart just love my children and you're golden.  My aunt Deanna was the absolute best at that.  The earliest pictures of me and Deanna are of me being dressed up like a nun or a cowgirl or just plain silly.  My earliest memories of her were being spirited away to play at a park, a dinosaur museum or the ice cream parlor.  My favorite memory as a kid though came at the ripe old age of 13.  Even then she was already my hero.

On a Friday night I had no plans but felt the need to get out of the house and stretch my 13 year old legs in the real world so I called my aunt to see what she was doing to see if I could tag along.  Mind you-she was young, single and had the social calendar of a social butterfly.  She told me that she would call me back.  An hour later I had made plans to spend the night at a neighbors house when she called to tell me she cancelled her plans to take me roller skating.  I tried to let her down easy. 

She was like that.
Always.

So as an adult with my own children you can imagine what it did for me to look back and see what she had done.  At one point in my life I was struggling with work, family, life and Deanna literally showed up at my door (we lived 2 hours apart) and announced that she would be taking my kids for the next three days while I tended to my life. 

No advance warning. 
No plan.
Just Deanna, the kids and good fun.

And she did just that.  She took them to the zoo, the Jelly Belly Factory, played around and was just plain silly.  I saw them late at night to tuck them in and by morning they were off on their next adventure.  They felt like they were the most important people on the planet.

It was really the most amazing thing to experience from both sides of the coin.  She had a way to make any child feel like they were the most important person.

But she was imperfect.
She had plenty of flaws, just like me.
And that makes her my hero.

Deanna left this world far too early.  It was devastating and tragic and not fair.  However.  I choose to remember her as one of my heroes for the love she put into the world and honor her by doing what I can to be more like her best self.  She loved me fiercely as a child and loved my children in a way that made me love her fiercely back. 

It is true.
Love my child, I will love you.

Deanna showed me that in no uncertain terms.
And I love her for that!

I'm sure I will share more heroes with you here about from time to time...but I can't think of a better one to start with.

Happy Birthday Aunt Banana's!
I miss you.

-McGee