And now I feel old...

...and this is why.

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Today was my 18 year old niece's high school graduation. She is almost exactly 10 years younger than me. I was in the 5th grade when she was born and it was SO cool to have a baby niece at that age! I was unfortuantely sick the day she was born but I got to stand outside the room and wasn't too upset about it. She was born one day before my grandmother which made it even more special. For a longtime Ash and her Mom would come to our house and spend the night and practically lived there it seemed. I got to feed her and sing to her. Babysitting was like Christmas to me. As she got older I got to take her places alone and we were best buds. Then the unthinkable happened, at least in my world. Ash's Mom met another man and married him which meant Ash would have to move. To Key West. Far away. I was devastated. The summer before she moved we went to Gettysburg for a little vacation and I remember holding her hand and wishing that life didn't suck so much. I was unsure when I would see her again due to family issues and I had no idea how to cope with this. I got to see on holidays and summers but it was never quite the same. So then a few years ago Ash moved in with her Dad (my brother). It hasn't been easy on her, getting to this day, but she made it and I couldn't be more proud of her.