This is my beautiful niece, Natalie. Natalie is the baby of our family, and this is her Senior year of high school. It's been her year of "lasts", and tonight is her Senior Prom. It's so easy to still see her as the littlest one: the one the others sent to ask for snacks because they thought she had a better chance of a "yes" response, the one who decided at about age 3 what her "style" was and what she would and would not wear, the one who carried snacks in her play purse just in case she needed them. Natalie is our artsy creative one with an eye for beauty and design, and, like the other two, an excellent student. She will be a Gator beginning this summer.
In the summer of 1989, my sister, Diana, and I began our adventure of firsts and lasts when I became pregnant with Catherine. Two years later Diana was pregnant with Robert, and two years later Natalie made her appearance. First teeth, steps, words, days of preschool, kindergarten, loves and heartbreaks, music lessons, sports, school dances, Honor Society, college applications and acceptance letters. Two years apart we've seen three different first days of Middle School, three first days of High School, and, soon, the third first day of College. And, the lasts...the last soccer game, the last band/chorus performance, the last Prom, and the last graduation. It feels sad, until the realization sets in that it's the start of a whole new set of firsts...college graduations, jobs, houses, weddings, grandchildren, and so much more.
So, here's to firsts and lasts. And beautiful sons, daughters, nieces,and nephews.
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