My incredibly beautiful, talented, smart, curly haired niece---with a history of being cranky at times--- turned 22 yesterday. From the moment she was born---with her cone shaped head that eventually held a mass of wild, crazy locks---she was one of us. The piercing blue eyes, the ball-tipped nose, the smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks and the eyebrows that formed a soft little point to the beauty mark that graced her foot---there was no denying that this child belonged to our clan. A perfect young woman---despite her penchant for smirks and frustrating shopping habits. All the more reasons to love her. She never wanted to go to kindergarten (she made my sister crazy with all of her 5 year old antics) and then when she finally relented and did go---she somehow got lost in the school bus maze---not once, but several times. Yet, she persevered. She excelled in high school--running cross country in the mud while maintaining her dainty femininity, going to formals and proms in stylish yet reasonably priced dresses with knock out young suitors who she didn't let wow her, worked in a neighborhood pizza shop and ran a religious education program for special needs kids in her parish. When one of her more GQ-looking dates came to pick her up---she requested that her darling yet quite outspoken little brother take a bath---she wanted him naked--rendering him unable to meet her date. Yes, she is creative like that. She likes shoes and angels and has this thing for bad boys and baby doll dresses and rock and roll. She is---all at the same time---a princess, a rebel, a rascal, a champion of the less fortunate, a beauty in a bikini and a perfectly coiffed diva. Despite her distaste for kindergarten, she went on to college---where she will enter her final semester---on Monday. She just finished her GRE's and she is completing her graduate school applications. All of that and a birthday too. But, she is not celebrating. She can't. You see, as she celebrated the New Year with her beloved soldier, Adam, and his family......3 Armed Forces personnel knocked at his mother's door. The world changed. For Adam. For his family. And, for my niece. Moments like this is when I realize that the world needs to change.........
Happy Birthday my lovely niece, Alexa......
1 comment:
I am SO SORRY, Judi! Reading your post and the newspaper article left me feeling sick inside as I know firsthand what it is like to get that call. Your world literally stops turning. I'm guessing they must use some kind of "on demand" water heaters in those showers. Some of those are notoriously unsafe. Please express my condolences to your niece and the family. They will all be much in my prayers. {{hugs}}
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