She Changed My Life Forever

20 years ago I was a young girl working at Contempo Casuals at the mall.  Who remembers that store?!  It was certainly a store to remember.  I loved the experiences I had there and the people I worked with.  I just never really thought that just being a high school working at the mall would change my life forever.

I had worked there for several months and we were told that a new manager was coming in.  I never thought that in a million years that manager would be my sister in law.  The first day I met her we instantly became friends.  We had so much in common and we did nothing but laugh when we were together.  Slowly I started meeting her family and I became friends with them too and ultimately married her brother.

Some time went by and our friendships and relationships grew and my friend gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and named her Jaden.  I remember the first time I held her and I remember the feeling of never wanting to let her go.  Robert loved her just as much as I did and watching him interact with her made my love for him grow even stronger.

Robert and I did not have any kids of our own  so we spent all of our extra time with her.  This little girl gave us a glimpse of what it would be like to have kids of our own…kinda.   I  mean we somehow missed the glimpse of the crying, screaming, throwing up and the days where you just want to waive the white flag and surrender.  But the fun, the unconditionall love and the memories she gave us were good enough.

When I was 8 months pregnant with Robbie (my first born) her and my father in law came to check on me because I was on bed rest.  I remember them walking into my bedroom and I was just laying in my bed crying. I was in so much pain, felt horrible and I was scared to death.  I had actually started having really bad contractions that day and was just sure I was going to into labor, my baby had not turned yet and I had several other problems.

Jaden being only 8 years old crawled in my bed with me and started rubbing my back.  She hugged and me and told me how much she loved and that everything was going to be ok.  This 8 year old little girl had so much compassion and from that day on I knew she was going to grow up and do great things.

Jaden is a senior in high school now.  Yes, a senior.  She is more beautiful than ever and her compassionate, loving, selfless spirit has grow so much.  To this day she would crawl in bed with me and love me just like she did when she was 8 years old.

Our relationship reminds me of one that I had with my aunt growing up.  She trusts me and I trust her.  She knows I would do anything in this world for her and I know she would do the same for me and my family.

She honored me so much this past fall by trusting me enough to let me take her senior pictures.  I am no expert photographer and she knew that but she still trusted me.  This project gave me a purpose, something to do to keep my mind off everything negative that was going on around me.  This project brought me so much joy and made me remember that I am capable of doing anything that I want to.

She doesn’t know this but while looking through my camera lens at her I actually teared up several times.  She is just beautiful and so grown up and memories of her child hood and our adventures with her just kept flooding my mind.  We also had several laughs during our shoot.  I taught her the secret to the perfect smile…just think of farts.  And several times she didn’t need help smiling because she was busy laughing at me rolling on the ground trying to get the picture I wanted. Here are a few of the pictures we got that day.  I will post more once she has finalized her favorites.

Jaden I love you so very much.  Thank you for always loving me and for always inspiring me.  Thank you for trusting in me and encouraging me.  I can’t believe that you are a senior in high school.  You have such a bright future ahead of you and with your compassionate heart I know that you will be blessed no matter the path you choose. I am so so proud of you and blessed to be your auntie!

Funny how that little job at the mall when I was teenager changed my life forever!