Being a long distant Auntie (part one) My Niece Emily






When I moved to Florida one of the hardest things about doing that, beside leaving my beautiful apt. just a 1/4 mile from the beach, was leaving my little niece and nephew. My sister Sherry's son, Jimmy was just 4 and my brother Mike's daughter, Emily, was just 9. I was close to both kids, seeing them often. I didn't want them growing up without me.

So I send them cards, often with a "surprise" inside so I could bribe them into still loving me and not forgetting who I am. 

And then there's Facebook. What a great way to stay in touch. Both my niece and nephew have profiles so I can spy on them, oh I mean, keep up with their lives and see recent pictures.

Let me tell you about my niece Emily. She was not a fun baby, at first anyway.  She came out screaming her head off and she pretty much did that for the first 3 months of her life.
When her folks needed Connie and I to babysit,
we'd let the answering machine pick up

and pretend not to be home. Not really, we wanted to be with her, but man could she scream. Then one day that stopped and she was the best baby in the world. Always laughing and happy, fun to be with and she loved having her aunties visit.

When she learned to talk, she would say the funniest things. Her first word was 'pie' and when she learned to say more, you could ask her how much pie she wanted and she'd say, "just a smidge."

When she was about 5 we were all at my folks visiting and she  stayed in a room with Connie and I. After the lights were out and we were ready to fall a sleep, she says, "I hope there's a decent place to buy a donut in this town."

She was always cracking us up. She still does. She has a good sense of humor along with many other wonderful qualities. Right now she is attending Vanguard Univ in So Calif. She was asked to participate in a summer physics program. Few are chosen for this honor, but she has been getting straight A's her whole life, so it's not really a surprise.

 She is going into forensic science, you know, CSI. We often wonder who she takes after. What we really think is aliens dropped her off, or maybe there was a mix up at the hospital, it's just hard to believe she is really related to any of us. Anyway, we are very glad she is in our family, however she got here. She will be a senior this fall, and the first in my family, and her moms, to graduate from college. She is smart, beautiful, (of course we know who she gets that from  =} ). She is lots of fun and she can sing! Best of all she loves the Lord. She's a great kid, well woman now, and has never given her parents,or Aunties, a moment of worry. I love you Emily and am very proud of you!




Emily and her BFF Megan

 



Emily rooting for the Patriots
(Well I didn't say she was perfect.)

 


Emily as Judy Jetson and Megan as Penny from Toy Story



Emily on the Red Capet with Nicole Kidman
(We're so proud!)

Getting her hand prints on The Walk Of Fame
(I hate to brag)



Her role in Spider-Man
(Isn't she amazing!)



Here she is as Daphne in Scooby Dooby Doo
(So talented)

 

The only man her dad would let her date

 


Sorry daddy but she has found a real man
Emily with boyfriend Taylor

 

The Fam. Mom Traci, Emily, and Dad (my brother) Mike