The way I am today is mainly because of my aunt and my niece. My aunt was supposed to be a role model some I could look up to and turn to. But that’s not how it was, it was the complete opposite. My aunt always had an anger problem but it all got bad when I didn't want to be a mini her. She got mad  and she turned so cold hearted about it and that’s when she started to take her anger out on me. I was about  fifteen or sixteen years old when I realized I didn't want to be what everyone wanted me to be. I wanted to be my own person. My aunt became so angry toward me and always told me that I’m a spitting image of my mom, and that I’d turn out just like her. I knew it wasn't true but at first it made me so mad that she would even say something like that to me when I tried to do everything right. I’d spend hours cleaning the house top to bottom so she didn't have to do it when she got home from work. She never appreciated it never even said thank you. She yelled at with such hatred in her voice for moving her stuff then she'd just sit there tell me rudest comments to the point i'd just start crying and at that point she told me to get out of her face and go cry somewhere else. That’s what I did, I went to my room  laid on my colorful soft blanket and cried and cried I was so hurt and didn't understand why she hated me so much. My room was my favorite place it had such warmth to it i didnt mind being i there, It was my safe place

It was the beginning of the summer and I went to the store with my uncle dave when I got home i was in big trouble because I wasn't supposed to leave since I was already grounded she was screaming at me and told me after i ate my dinner I better hope my cousin jenny would let me stay over there because she didn't want someone as disrespectful as me was living in her house. I lived at my cousin jenny's for the whole summer. She helped me realize that when I go back to not have an attitude or act the way she acted to me because life wasnt about getting even. She said what I do for myself can either help my future or hurt my future. At the time I didn't understand; I thought she was just saying that so I wouldn't be disrespectful and get kicked out again. Things changed for awhile until my aunt's boyfriend  her upset then she just started in with me again. I was grounded for six months, I got everything taken away all I had left in my room was my bed and my clothes. About four to five months later my sister told me she was having a baby. That day changed me a little bit, I started not listening to my aunt and focused on me and fixed myself in school. I changed my attitude to my family because no matter what I would always loved them. The more I helped her with planning  baby planning the more excited I got about getting to be an auntie. I helped plan for the baby shower and helped on the  day of the baby shower.  My sister and her boyfriend had moved back in with us and I didn't feel alone anymore. I was not so sad all the time I didn't listen to the hurtful things my aunt said to me because I knew they weren't true. I had somebody that I knew loved me and understood me. My sister became my best friend. It was then I kind of understood what my cousin jenny told me. On june 12th my sister went into labor and I went to the hospital to support her like she had always done for me with everything i needed. I watched her go through the pain of the birth and i wanted to cry because I hated seeing my sister in pain. At 2:15 am my niece entered this world. The minute I held her is when I completely understood what my cousin meant. My niece was beyond beautiful and her smile made my day. And from that point on she gave me the motivation to become independent, and more responsible. When school started back up she gave me a reason to want to do good in school and when the school day was over rush home so i could look at her beautiful blue eyes and spend time with her. She shaped me into the independant, responsible strong woman I am today and no one will ever understand how grateful I am for her to be in my life.