My Little Sister

Most of you have seen me go on and on about my little brother here (even though he's not so little anymore.) But, you might not know that I have a little sister, too. I DO! A couple of years ago, I went to Big Brothers Big Sisters and asked if I could please be given a little sister in their program. After that, a staff member came to visit me in my home and asked me many questions about myself, my interests, and my hopes for a little sister. It took over a year, but I was finally placed with a wonderful girl. Her first name is very unique (a family name), and her middle name is Tosha. So, she goes by Tosha most of the time, and here she is:

Tosha is very outgoing, and she loves to go to new places and try new things. I think these are some of the many reasons that we were paired together. Lately, we've been trying a lot of new places to eat together. We've also been working on figuring tips for meals, and Tosha is trying to teach me all about the happenings at her high school. Her life is very different than mine was when I was 16.

Tosha is also very kind and considerate. She has a great role model in her "Granny Rosie." Granny adopted Tosha and her four siblings quite a few years ago, and she thanks God every day for her grandchildren and the many blessings in her life. Before that occurred, however, Tosha spent many days away from school to take care of her younger siblings when her mother was not able to do so. That's why Tosha is a freshman and a little behind in school compared to other 16 year olds. It's not because she isn't bright, however! She's very sharp, and she's very determined to excel in academics. I have also met Tosha's mom (who is doing very well), her great grandmother and great grandfather (extremely kind individuals), and her sister and three brothers (super fun!)...along with Tosha's two best friends, her twin cousins Marie and Rosalie.

Tonight, we're meeting to work on a big project that Tosha has for English class. For the past few months, she has been writing chapters about her life, and now she is being asked to illustrate these chapters in pictures, symbols and words in a scrapbook format. Tosha knows that I love these kinds of creative projects and she needs help, so we're happy to work on it together.

Tosha means so much to me, and I hope that many of you are able to meet her very soon. I also hope - if you have some free time, some talents to share with a younger person who needs a little extra help, and a loving heart for children - each of you will consider becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister in your area.