A very sad day...Aunt Jeanie you will be missed.

The world lost my beautiful aunt today, Jeanie Hardin, a young 55.

Our lives are not a summation of where we live, what we wear, or what we do but rather the layers of love that surround us. My aunt left enough love in this world to last us all a lifetime. She was so excited about the arrival of my twin boys. She often called me three or four times a week, making sure I and the little guys were doing well. Early on in my pregnancy Aaron and I had chosen the names Grayson and Aiden. Aunt Jeanie had burp clothes embroidered with those names, and had two adorable blankets hand-made and embroidered. Over the course of the pregnancy, we changed the names. I remember when she caught wind of this, I promptly got a phone call saying, "You better not change those babies name. I'm gonna come up there and kick your skinny little ass!!". Well, we did change the names but we use everyday those burp clothes and the boys love their 'Grayson and Aiden' blankets. One day, when they are a bit older, while playing on those blankets they will ask "Mommy, who is Grayson and Aiden?!" And I will take that opportunity to tell them about their great Aunt Jeanie. That conversation will sound a lot like this... She loved the pair of you, even though she never met you. Your Aunt Jeanie was the best wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend mommy ever knew. She was married for 40 years to your Uncle Tim, and their marriage made mommy believe in marriage. She was an amazing mom to Wendi and Wes, and she talked to mommy a lot when you two were in my belly about how to be a good mommy. She would say "mommy first, best friend second." She was the best Nana to your cousins Hunter and Jordan, she was so excited to become a Nana and treasured every moment with them. She was the baby sister of four, I hope you two will be as close as they each were, a lifetime of love and laughter. She had the best of friends, always loyal and loved them like family. I will tell Paxton and Kellen that I am so sorry they didnt get to meet her, but her life, laughter, and lessons will be with us forever. I love you Aunt Jeanie and we will all miss you very much.