4.09.2007

My Family Members, Part 4

So, I'm back with more family posts. This next one is of my youngest sister, Alaina.

Me and Alaina, this past summer when she stayed with us:
1. I was 13 years old when my parents found out about our wonderful little surprise, she was a blessing from God. She was doomed from the start...she had a 13 year old sister and a 10 year old sister, which meant she was going to have not just one mommy but 3!
2. She brought so much laughter and happiness to our home, especially with one daughter already a teenager, and one a pre-teen!
3. I, being a little older, when she came along, learned SO much about raising kids and babies. I think she is why I had a 5 year career as a preschool teacher.
4. She has a heart so pure and genuine. She is the sweetest 11 year old I know. Alaina jumps to help anyone anyway she can. If she hears a family member complain of a back ache, she is climbing behind you to rub your back.
5. She has the biggest soft spot for all things cute and cuddly. She will cry over an animal being lost, hurt, or scared, and if we had the room at Dad and Mom's house, we'd have every stray staying with us that passed our way.
6. She loves farms, barns, open land, and of course...Horses! She would spend the rest of her life in a barn if she could. She even likes the smell of a barn!
7. She's gentle, that's just her nature. Gentle and kind. Younger kids instantly take to her, and adults will sit and actually have real conversations with her. My great grandmother has alzheimer's and Alaina will sit patiently and answer the same questions 10 times. She has taken a younger girl under her wing from the YMCA (where she swims weekly) and started teaching her to swim.
8. She saves her allowance and does odd jobs here and there to make money to buy each and every family member something for their birthdays and for Christmas. This Christmas she bought me the Willow Tree wall plaque of the Holy Family!
9. She loves Jason! When referring to him, she tells everyone of her brother:)
10. She loves being an aunt to little Austin. She is so good with him, and he adores her! They really are more like siblings. It is so cute to watch them playing horses together. He knows how to pretend to be a horse and will spot a horse as quick as she does.
11. We share the love of reading. She is a bookworm just like me and Momma.
12. We will sit on the couch and color together for what seems like hours.
13. She has taken up scrapbooking and asked me to teach her. I got her her own supplies for Christmas, and she has already started a book for her pets!
14. She loves the Lord!!! She was also baptized by my Daddy a couple years back. She is on fire for God and is never afraid to share her faith with anyone who will listen.
15. Alaina will joke and pick with the best of us. She's pretty quick witted too!
16. She, too, knows so much about diabetes. I've scared her a couple of times, though. Times when I've had to go to the hospital. One time, she had to see me taken by ambulance, and that broke my heart. She just stood there crying. My mom rode with me, but my dad and Ashley brought her up and she stayed there waiting the whole time. She was only 7.
17. She is such a tomboy:) But that is her. She would rather be outside training her beagle, riding bikes, or riding the mower around the yard, than having her hair done, nails painted, or playing make-up. In that way, we are so different, but we are still somehow, so alike.
18. Alaina spent the first week away from home this summer. And she chose to do so with me. That was really special, because she is such a homebody. We had the best time! She actually agreed to shop with me! We went out to eat, she and Jason played x-box when he got off work each day, we took tons of pictures, we went to the beach and she helped me with supper each night! We are planning to have her back after Jason comes home and we settle back in.
19. She never forgets to pray for each and every one of her family members every night before bed, asking for all of our protection and thanking God for all of us.

She is one of a kind, and she's ours. I love that little girl, life would not have been quite as sweet if God hadn't blessed us with our little miracle.

16 comments:

Mrs. Anna T said...

As always, reading this was so enjoyable! You do have a charming family! You are so blessed.

Trella said...

What a blessing God gave y'all. Your sister sounds very sweet. She reminds me a lot of my own daughter that is 11. If I would write a post about her it would include a lot of what you wrote about your sister. I am sure they would be great friends.

Lori said...

What a neat tribute to your younger sister.
She does sound like a sweet sweet person.

Anonymous said...

Oh, she does sound like a sweetie!! I love reading these family tributes. What you said about your sister having 3 mamas is so cute & true... our baby has 13 and 6 year old sisters, and they are both little mothers, too!! :-)

Anonymous said...

ps I love the new look of your blog, especially those daisies. So pretty!!!

Unknown said...

I love that! I had a brother born when I was 10 years old. I was his "little mommy". Alaina is so lucky to have you and you are so lucky to have her. And it is a mama's joy to see that between y'all.

By the way - your new header is WONDERFUL. How do you get the picture to be so big? If I put a big one on, it just cuts it off.

Unknown said...

Congratulations to you too, on your thinking award. Yep, you make me think.

Tracy said...

Another wonderful tribute. I'm sure that Alaina will beam as she reads this, and all of the sweet comments about her. Blessings!

Tracy said...

Oh, I love your new colors and picture. I don't know how to add one to my header.

Unknown said...

Aha! Infranview. I think I have that :)

Jennifer said...

#1 made me laugh... as I remember when we just found out that your mom was pregnant ~~ because as 13 year old girls, we we still kinda new to how babies were made :o) I remember an "ewwwwwwwwwwe" being in that conversation!

she's so precious! (and yes, she is so much like you, even with your differences) ~ I've loved growing up with you and Ashley!

Ash said...

she is pretty special, I love her free and gentle spirit, and her tender heart. She is a special little girl.

Karen said...

Quite the little sweetie. Definately a homebody, and always willing to lend a hand cheerfully. You've hit the nail on the head, Christie-belle.

Anonymous said...

I just love these posts! Great picture too. She sounds so lovely. My little girl is almost 9 and my son is 15 months so there is quite the difference between them too. Oh, and my sister was 14 and my brother was 11 when me and my twin sister were born!

Karen said...

How wonderful for your little sister to have a big sister like you! She sounds like a darling.

I LOVE your new header picture. It's so unique. And I love daisies:)

Trella said...

I just wanted to let you know that I LOVE the new look to the place.