It's crazy to think that you have already been on this planet for 6.5 years 😂 It feels like just yesterday when I received a picture of you for the first time, with your little eyelids fluttering and your perfectly shaped nose, while all wrapped up in a blue blanket. I am so proud of the little human you have become, well I guess maybe not so little anymore, but to me you always will be.

Your intellect at this age amazes me, you're compassion and empathy for others shows me your growing up to be a person that the world really needs and the fact that you are so kind to everyone you meet makes me one happy big sister. When people say "look at the world through the eyes of a child" I do just that when I get the chance. You are learning and seeing things for the first time in this huge and crazy, but beautiful world and getting to watch you do that will be a memory and experience I'll always have and never forget.

Thank you for showing me that it is literally the little things that can make a person happy, I mean watching you sit on the floor playing with your cars or watching cartoons shows me that everyone is capable of having an imagination and being happy in there own little world. More importantly thank you for teaching me what it feels like to genuinely care for someone other than myself. When you were born, I wasn't able to be there because I was living in Texas at the time, but when I finally met you it was like we had an immediate connection and you stole my heart right away. I wanted to do everything for you, I wanted to feed you, take you for walks, cuddle you, just anything so you would know how much love I had for you.

Today my promise to you is to protect you, love you and support you no matter what happens in life. I will try my best to be there when you need me, be a shoulder to cry on when you need one and to make sure you know that no matter what you say or do I will never judge you.

I also want you to know that just because the relationship between me and dad is complicated doesn't mean I love you any less or change the way I feel about you. I owe you an apology for making you think I forgot about you or that I didn't care about you anymore because that could never be true. I should've know that because you have so much room in your heart, you feel more than the average person. I am sorry if I let you down by not showing up when I should've, but just because I'm not there in person doesn't mean I'm not there with you.

Jacob the day you came into the world is the day I became a better person. You showed me what unconditional love was and how to look at the world differently and I will never forget that. I love you too the moon and back, forever and always❤️

-Your Big Sister Marissa