First off, I would like to say that I have never in my life been so attached to someone until my niece was born. From the day she came home, I don't think I have gone longer than a week or two without seeing her. When I first found out she was going to be born prematurely, it scared me so much and it weakened my heart to the point where I didn't even know if I would be able to make it through some days without bursting into tears. However, it allowed me to grow in my relationship with Christ.
As soon as I found out what was going on and that she would be born almost three months early, I automatically started to pray every single day for her, and for my sick sister. It made my relationship with God do a complete 180 because I had never relied on him more than in that week or two leading up to her being born. I prayed every single day and night, and even when I visited my sister in the hospital, I would talk to him throughout the whole entire visit asking him to save her and my sister and keep them safe.
She also made my relationship with my sister grow a lot more. Not that my sister and I weren't super close to begin with, but she definitely made the relationship between her and I a little bit stronger. I spent almost every day in the hospital with my sister the weeks leading up to my niece being born, and even after she was born, and had to stay in the NICU, we still spent almost every day together. She made the bond between me and my sister grow in ways that I never imagined they would grow, and for that, I am forever thankful.
Another thing that changed in my life because of her is how I saw the world. She made me realize, and still makes me realize, that everyone is here for a reason. She made me realize that you shouldn't take any moment for granted and that you should always tell people that you love them. Every time she is around me, I always express my love for her, because at one point in time I thought I would never have that moment with her. Also going along with telling people you love them, she taught me how to show love to people as well. I will always remember the first day I ever got to hold her in my arms. As soon as she was released from the hospital, I rushed over to my sister's house and held her tiny little body up to mine. It was the best feeling in the world and I never wanted to let her go. In that moment, she taught me how to love just a little bit more. Now, because of her, whenever my other nieces and nephews are around, I always hold onto them and love on them, which is something that I didn't do as often before.
She made me see the world in an entirely different way and she made me realize that everybody has a story, even if it isn't a super adventurous one. Everyone has something that makes them, them. Now when I walk around and I see or meet new people, I want to know their story and want to know what made them into the person they are today. Overall, she made and is continuing to make, me a better person and I hope one day I can influence her life the way she has influenced mine.
