My first niece

Fourteen years ago next Wednesday my brother, Tony, and his wife, Nicki, had their first child - a little girl names Mallory Rose. I still remember the night of her birth. Tony called me and my kids when Nicki was in the hospital and we high-tailed it out there. Sat in the waiting room just outside delivery for what seemed to be a very long time. Finally my brother walked in with tears of joy in his eyes and this little tiny bundle in his hands. And we met Mallory for the first time.

Sadly (for me, anyway!) my brother and his family moved to Chicago when Mallory was around 6 weeks old so I've had to watch her grow up from a distance. They've added three more kids to their family and Ed and I make several trips to Chicago to see them all. Because my brother is 18 years younger than me, his children feel almost like grandchildren to me.


My mom never got a chance to meet any of Tony's kids, but my dad knew three of them and was so excited when his son had his first child. Luckily my dad moved back to Chicago and spent his last 5 years there so he had plenty of time to watch his youngest grandchildren grow.

Mallory started ice skating almost as soon as she started walking and has become an excellent skater. It's one of her primary loves.

And now she's 14 and this weekend Mallory will graduate from 8th grade and head to high school. Ed and I will be heading to Chicago tomorrow to watch her graduate.

How did she get so old so quickly? Wasn't it only yesterday that Tony came into the waiting room with this little bundle? I'm quite sure it was.

Happy Graduation, Miss Mallory. Here's hoping the next four years don't fly by quite as quickly!