Growing up my brother and my lives were greatly enriched by two amazing women, Titi Minnie and Titi Pat.  College friends who’d wound up in Willcox teaching, Pat and Minnie were placed in the lives of my parents at just the right time. Pat, the opinionated and strong-willed Arkansas native, coached with my dad in his early years of teaching, while Minnie, the sweet and patient Puerto Rican, taught with my mom in a nearby school. From as far back as I can remember, the Titis (auntie in Puerto Rico) were an integral part of our lives. Mom, Zac and I traveled with Minnie until Zac and I went to kindergarten, and Pat was well… Pat.

Now at 27, I’ve found myself becoming a ‘titi’ to my favorite munchkins.  We go to the movies; they have toys they keep at my house.  I kidnap them so that we can celebrate birthdays, first day of school, and other big life moments.  I spoil them rotten and then take them back to their parents’ house.  But for the first time I realize something about my Titis when I think about my munchkins.  It’s not about baby-sitting or helping out the parental figures as much as they did.  No, they were there for us and cared for us because they adored us and we adored them, and that’s a legacy I hope to keep.