For a long time now I have wanted to be involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters. I thought it would be really great to be able to make a positive impact on a child’s life, but I was also a little afraid…ok maybe a lot afraid. What if I messed things up? What if I wasn’t fun enough? What if the child I was matched with had major behavioral problems that I didn’t know how to deal with? I have always loved children, I worked as a nanny, worked in daycare for years, and now I get to photograph little ones and I truly love it, but this was a little scary. But I knew it was something God was calling me to do so I signed up, when I was being interviewed by them they asked me “what age of child would you prefer” and immediately I wanted to say a little kiddo, one that still thinks that playing in the mud is a grand time, I’m good with little ones…but I just felt a tug in my heart and I knew I had to say “it doesn’t matter, any age, wherever there is a need.”So that’s what I said and not long after I got a call that I had been matched with Thessa, who was 13. 13!!! A teenager!!!! What am I supposed to do with a teenager!!! She will think I’m a dork, she will grumble and roll her eyes at my idea of going roller skating or bowling, she will think I’m a complete nerd! And aren’t teenagers bad now? Don’t they drink or smoke or talk back to their parents??? I had watched way too much news. But I said “ok, when can we meet!”. Well Thessa is none of the things I was afraid of. She is sweet, and laid back, and super smart (straight A’s!). She is thoughtful and wise. She likes to draw and wants to go to college to be a nurse, she doesn’t care for chocolate (which was the first gift I got her… go figure :). She loves the colors pink and black and turns out she likes skating AND bowling! Thessa has just been such a blessing in my life, I am in awe of her sometimes and I just don’t know how I got so lucky to have such an amazing girl as a part of my life. Today Thessa is 14 years old…. 14!!!!!! But I realize that’s not so scary anymore, because she’s my little sis and we are going to be just fine :)
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