Sister, Seester!

My little sister, Rylee, is coming to visit this weekend.  Jonathan & I will drive up to Waco this evening to meet my mom.  I'm elated that she's coming to stay with me.  

Rylee is special.  I mean, all my sisters are special, but I feel a unique connection with her.  When I was a teen, my mom & stepdad, Shawn, were foster parents.  They were hoping this would be a great way for them to adopt the little boy they never had.  Almost two weeks after my 16th birthday a new baby girl came to stay with my mom & Shawn.  She was an itty bitty premie, a mere 2 days old.  They named her Rylee.

I was pumped to have a new little one to play with.  But, I had just received my drivers license...so I was a little more excited about driving around with my friends.  Sadly, I don't remember much from Rylee's first years.  Things just didn't work out with her birth family. So mom & Shawn, who had always wanted a boy, ended up being happier than they ever thought they could be to have this precious little girl, be theirs forever.  She was legally my little sister by the time she was two.  

One of the few things I remember from the early days is I felt like I knew her.  I knew where she was coming from.  Maybe it's similar to the rapport I feel with anyone who lives with one or more parents that aren't their birth parents.  Those of you who are adopted or have remarried parents may know what I mean...maybe not.  Anyway, my feelings on adoptive parents & step-parents is not the point.

Rylee's awesome!  That's the point!  She may be sixteen years my junior, but I dig her.  She's got the sweetest heart of any 10 yr old you'll meet. If you're having a bad day, she'll be the first one by your side trying to cheer you up.  

She has ADHD which has led to some challenges in school, but she's a real hard worker and is doing so much better.  The plus side of ADHD is she always has a ton of energy and is super fun to be around.  She's the first one to volunteer to play a game & the last one to want to quit.  

She came to visit me with my mom, sisters, & Mema a few weeks ago, and let me say, she is a total rock star at Guitar Hero III!

Saturday is Rylee's birthday.  She's turning 10!  I can't believe it!  I hope Jonathan & I can make her birthday a good one.  We're planning on making a trip to Schlitterbahn.  I have never been there, but apparently I've been missing out on the best water park in TX.  I'm so excited that she's going to be here.