Auntie Becca (not to be confused with Mama Rebecca)

I’ve been blue for nearly a week now. Auntie Becca went home. She traveled back with me at the end of May and we became fast friends. She has to be one of the most genuine and amazing people I’ve ever met. Here’s just a few of the characteristics I observed about her: amateur snake killer, speedy dune climber, expert manure shoveler, tireless raker, professional goat handler, ketchup lover, copious carb eater, photography enthusiast, superb traveling buddy, practical jokester, listening ear, willing encourager and has no fear of getting her hands (or face) dirty. She laughs freely, her glass is ALWAYS half full and even though I’m not the most touchy-feely person she gives really good hugs. She might not be the most adventuresome eater, but she never complained about all the weird foods like oatmeal, black beans, and couscous we fed her. (Can you believe she had never eaten oatmeal before she got here?!) Though she may not be as big as Elton, she can still hold her own in any task. The only time I ever heard a cross word out of her was during a heated debate regarding the legitimacy of cow-tipping (topic open for comment).
She was only here for a few months, nevertheless I feel her absence acutely. Every time I go out to the barn, I expect to find her hunched over some leprous goat scrubbing her heart out. Or into the office photocopying till she turns blue in the face. Or in the workshop sorting out endless buckets of nuts and bolts.
May God richly bless your senior year and swiftly return you to us. T-minus 9 months, 3 weeks and counting….