On September 11th, 2009. It was a cool morning, shortly after my mom had dropped me off at my dads to get on the bus for school. My cell phone rang, it was my mom. Worried, since she had just left I answered right away.

"Hello?" I asked.

She responded, "Guess what?"

Confused I answered, "What?"

"Aunt Rachel had the baby, Kennedy Jean." I was ecstatic. I was waiting for this moment forever it felt like.

"Can we go meet her?" I asked excitingly.

She laughed, "After Ryley´s football game later on tonight."

I sighed, "Okay, I have to go get on the bus!" I ran to get to the bus and instantly started to tell everyone my baby cousin was born and I would get to meet her that night.

That school day seemed to take forever and all I could think about was wanting to hold little baby, Kennedy.
After school was over my excitement just kept growing and growing and it was getting closer and closer. But first I had to sit through Ryley´s football game. As soon as the whistle blew and the boys took their pads off I jumped up.

"Can we go now?" I asked my step-dad

He laughed, "Hang on, hang on!"

I sat there impatiently waiting and waiting, finally we were in the truck on our way to the hospital to finally meet my baby cousin. Once we got through all the traffic and finally found a place to park we were on our way in. It was so hard to contain my excitement. I just wanted to hold my baby cousin.

Once we got to the outside of the room, my mom made me sanitize my hands and explained to me I have to be quiet and gentle when it's my turn to hold her. We walked in and greeted everyone but instantly my eyes went to the bassinet next to my aunt's hospital bed holding little Kennedy. I patiently sat on the chair in the room, waiting for everyone else to have their turn with her then finally my uncle asks

"Are you ready to hold her, Kayley?"

"Yes!!" I said sitting up straight in the car holding my arms out ready for him to pass her on to me.

At last, the moment I was waiting all day for, to meet my little cousin. From the second they placed her in my arms I knew she was going to be a huge part of my life and I would be a huge part of hers. I couldn't wait to be the one she looked up too. I was so excited this moment was finally happening.

Ever since the day Kennedy was born she has absolutely adored me, and vise versa. From a young age we would have her over for sleepovers so I could play big sister for the night, we´d go places together, getting family photos done and much more.

Sadly now that my mom and stepdad got a divorce my time to see that family is very short. But even now at seven years old, every time she sees me she runs and jumps into my arms for a huge hug. The moment she wraps her little arms around me and giggles, I know I'm doing a great job being her role model.

Just because divorce broke apart a marriage between two it doesn't mean it breaks apart the family bonds. My mom and step-dad were divorced when Kennedy was just a baby, but I have been very close to Kennedy since the days she was born, up until now and she just turned seven years old.