“Okay. Position five. Breathe Brenda.” I told myself as I stepped back and got ready to toss the ball in the air for the serve. The score was 24-21 and I knew that if I did not make this everyone would be disappointed. The whistle blew loud and shrill as it echoed through my vacant head. I tossed the ball with the power and accuracy I hit it over the net. I ran up to my position while momentarily shutting my eyes. “Please, please, please.” I was scared, but then all of a sudden there was a roar of thunderous clapping and screaming. I did it! Everyone started hugging me, I was swamped. I started to get dizzy, but they finally dispersed to go shake hands. “Good job. Nice job. Good job.” I forced my way through the line; the whole time the successful serve and the joy were being replayed through my head. I was truly proud of myself for accomplishing this.

“Come on in girls. Jill brought us a treat. First, I want to say nice job to everyone and Brenda that was a great and perfect serve.”

Wow I could not believe my ears. Did Coach really just say that? I was exasperated at what Coach had said as Jill handed out the cupcakes for her birthday.

“Brenda.” I turned around and saw my mom and dad.

“Nice job! Are you ready to go see Lindsey Jo?”

“Who,” I said.

“Lindsey Jo” repeated my mom. The name raced through my already throbbing head as I tried to figure out what she meant. Then nit hit me. Lindsey Jo was my new niece.

“Ahhhhhhhh. Right now? Are we really going to see her?”

“Yes, but we better get going.” I finished saying bye to all my friends and to Coach as my parents started heading for the car. “You are Lindsey’s only aunt. Did you know that Brenda?” asked my mom. I knew it, but it never really hit me.

“Yes.” I replied in a monotone. I had a lot of homework to do that night and I wished we could have flown from Spring Valley to the hospital in Rochester. “Finally,” I said as we pulled up to the hospital. I just wanted to get in and sit down.

“Now Brenda, I don’t want you holding Lindsey all night because you have a cold. Okay?”

“Yes mom.” I was already getting mad.

“Here we are,” my dad said. We knocked and then opened the door and the first thing I saw was my sister Cara with Kyle next to her and a bundle of blankets on her lap.

“Can I hold her first?” was what I said right away.

“Ha, yes you may” Cara responded. As I held Lindsey in my lap I really started to realize that she is my niece, and that she will on day look up to me as I look up to Cara. “She’s so cute! She looks like a little pink raisin.” I knew everyone agree with me when I looked and saw their smiles. The looks they were giving were more than just agreement; they were saying that they saw a connection between me and that little baby in my lap. The connection they saw I had not notice right then, but later I was to realize what had secretly happened.

I gave up Lindsey to my mom and of course she hogged her for a long time. Finally, Lindsey got passed around the whole room. I kept thinking about her tiny hands and her cute prune like face. I looked at the clock and realized we had been there for over two hours. I was starting to get tired, and my cold was not helping me. I noticed the bags growing under Cara’s eyes and how Kyle appeared like he could sleep for days. My parents were so excited about seeing Lindsey that they had been losing sleep the days before. My brother Joe had been sick and he was exhausted. The only one in that room that really seemed fully rested was Lindsey.

“Alright, I think we better leave you alone so you can rest” my dad told Cara.

“Okay, thanks for coming. We will see you later” was Cara’s reply. After saying our goodbyes we headed out to the car. The though that went through my mind were about how adorable Lindsey Jo is and how I get to spend a lot of time with her in the future. I stared out the window at the cars passing by when it hit me. I knew that look my family was giving me. It was a look that said these two are going to go through fun times and rough times, but they will be there for each other.

The more I thought about that the deeps it got. The deeper it got the more I realized that I was Lindsey’s only aunt. “Wow” I accidentally said out loud.

“What?” was the reply I received.

“Nothing, I was just thinking” I said back

At first I started to shake and get scared, but then I realized this could be fun and I could help Lindsey out a lot. That day, September 12th, 2005 was the day I learned a huge lesson. Confidence and happiness are the biggest keys to survival in the world. The confidence comes from within, but the happiness will come from the time I spend with Lindsey.