my cheerleader

A very special package came in the mail today. My niece sent me a birthday package. Immediately, my heart was touched (before I even opened it because it was from her). She has been a part of my life since I began dating her uncle. We hit it off from the start. She was a cute little 4 year old at the time, hiding behind the bush in the front yard, too shy to meet her Uncle's girlfriend. I remember well: she had pigtails  & a personality which melted her young Uncle's heart. He would do anything for her. She looked up to him as if he were a man of the world at 15 years old.

As her uncle & I dated, she & I developed our own special relationship. He would bring her to the pool to visit me while I lifeguarded. I found her simply delightful. I was always trying to think of activities which included her. She made me feel special, & I thought she was the sweetest thing this side of Heaven. I also loved the side of my boyfriend she touched. I loved how he played with her & how much he admired this little doll.

It was only natural that when we married, she was a part of our wedding. At 12 years old, she was a sweet touch, so pretty & graceful. After we were married, I loved having her come to visit. It was she who caused me to ride one roller coaster too many & lose my title as the Roller Coaster Queen. She taught me how to make a pie crust. She shared her secrets with me, & I shared mine with her.

So today, when this very special package arrived, I was emotional the minute I saw her name in the return address. I opened it & realized she had tagged each item so I would understand its use. I am going to see her this summer on the beach, & she wants me to have everything I need. The first item that caught my eye was a beautiful Vera Bradley beach bag (of course it's one of Vera's breast cancer awareness patterns). So pretty & full of pinks. Next, I found a frame. It has Bella's name on it. My niece loved my blog called "Bendability" so she had a beautiful frame made for Bella. How touching. I also found a pretty blouse in an antique rose & cream floral pattern. She said theses were colors that looked good on me. How thoughtful! There was even a beautiful scarf. Lastly, came the gift that penetrated my heart. She scrap booked all of my blogs up through last week into a scrapbook entitled "My Journey."

It was just me & the animals at home as my eyes welled up with tears. I was so overcome with emotion, I had to sit down. This beautiful niece of mine had honored me more than I could ever have imagined. I wasn't prepared to be so deeply touched & in the privacy of my own home with nobody but me. I called her because sending her a thank you wouldn't be adequate. It was impossible to put my feelings into words. She's always been my cheerleader. When her Uncle & I got back together, she was the happiest. Now today, as I fight this fight, she lifts me up.

Dedicated to Courtenay