My Niece

I really didn’t get anything posted when Faith graduated and then turned 18. That happened during one of my writing hiatus’s. But, I have thought a lot about how I wanted to recognize her once I got back in the swing of things. So, this post is my story about Faith, my favorite niece. So, sit back & enjoy.

Faith came into our lives during a very hot, humid summer. I remember this, because at the time she was born, I was about 8 months pregnant, very hot and very uncomfortable. Thankfully, she was born close to a holiday, so even though I couldn’t travel to see her, her mom brought her back to SD to meet her family during the 4th of July. Oh, what a beautiful gift she was! I remember craving to get to hold her and cuddle with her. Although, again, we were both hot & miserable, so I don’t think either of us really enjoyed the cuddling! It didn’t matter though, she was still the most beautiful and precious thing I had ever seen.

When Faith was little, I didn’t get to see much of her. So, the times I did get to be around her were always very memorable. I recall her always being curious and shy. And, she was cute as a button. She looked a lot like Alice in Wonderland. And, that girl was smart as a whip! As she grew older, she started to feel more comfortable and her sassiness showed up. To this day, I think I might like that the most about her. She continued to cling to her mom, but when I could get her separated, she showed such creativity and animation!

I have really great memories of doing crafts with her. I don’t know if she remembers the time we made gingerbread houses or egg-shaped piñatas. She was truly my partner in crime when it came to the crafting. That is, when she wanted to do it! You see, Faith did not bend to our will, even when she was young. Nope, if she didn’t want to do something, she sure as heck wasn’t going to listen to reason. So, I also learned early on how to bribe her into doing activities with me. Barney was a significant motivator when she was younger, as she got older, shopping for clothes worked wonders.

It has been neat to see how our relationship has changed as she has gotten older. Or, maybe that happened because I got older?? Either way, I’m really enjoying it. I feel like we know more about each other than we ever have before. I’ve learned that it’s still just as important to have one-on-one time with Faith because that is when we truly get to have fun and enjoy each other’s company.

Faith recently went off to collegel. I know that I won’t have a chance to really miss her, because we can still keep in contact the way we do now – through texting. “Hi Faith”…”Hi”…”Are you at work?”…”nope”…”What you doing?”…”Nothing”…”Want to have lunch?”…”K”. The answers are short, but that just means she isn’t wasting her time or beating around the bush to let me know how she is. Trust me when I say our face-to-face time together includes a lot more quality communication!

I’m very, very proud of the woman that she has become. I know she still has a lot of things to learn about life, but so did I at that age. I’m happy to see her trying new things. I hope she always remembers not to let fear creep into her life. She has the power to make her own decisions. The greatest lesson I ever learned was that I was never growing or learning if I was comfortable in where my life was. It was the hardships and rocky roads that helped me grow. That, and knowing that my family was always there to help me. As we will always be there to support and love her throughout her life.

Thanks for being my favorite niece, Faith! I love you!