We’ve spent the last 28 years together. I don’t remember the day she was born, but I also don’t remember life without her. We spent countless family vacations fighting over who got to hold the travel Trouble game; I lost front teeth playing baseball with her and our big sister at the sandpit; We spent summers at the lake and riding bike to the neighbors and open gyms to pass the time. She was my little sister and we did everything together.
The older we got, the more protective of me she got. I was the wimp/the wuss, she was the hot-headed protector. I remember one night out at the bar I ordered a water. The bartender pulled the Coyote Ugly move “hell no H2O” and sprayed me down. Megan didn’t like that so much, so fought to protect me…literally…with her fists;).
I tell that story so you can get a feel for how tough she is. This girl’s a fighter, and she protects those around her with everything she has. She has always been the strongest, most persistent of us three girls growing up.
That’s why watching her give birth to this sweet baby girl made such an impact on my life. For the first time ever in our lives, I needed to be strong for her. Baby Brielle looked lifeless on that baby warmer – the doctors were working frantically and I was doing all I could to stay strong for my baby sister (it was the hardest test of my life – especially since I’ve never had to play that ‘strong one’ role with her.)
Life’s a funny thing. God puts people in our lives that he knows we’ll need forever and ever. I remember looking over at her and seeing Patrick right there by her side. Who am I to kid? I wasn’t the strong one that day, her husband was. He was right there taking care of my baby sister, being strong for his wife and waiting patiently to hear the news that his baby girl was going to be alright.
Patrick – thank you for being the strong one. Thank you for being there for my sister when she needed you the most. Thank you for helping her bring the sweetest, most adorable baby girl into this world!
If you read my last blog, you know everything turned out the way we had planned. The Adair family got to bring their baby girl home with them-a blessing that will never be taken for granted.
Just 5-days later, as I photographed this tiny human, I could see a lot of her mom and dad in her. This baby girl is a strong one, she’s a fighter. She got the best of both her parents!
I’m proud to introduce my niece, Brielle Elizabeth! How’d I get so lucky?!
