As a child I would ask Santa Clause for American Girl dolls, Barbies, DS games, and that one-of-a-kind craft kit I “always” wanted that and everyone else had. Then after a week or two of playing with our all of my brand-new, favorite toys, everything I had gotten on that wonderful, dream-like Christmas morning would be lost, broken, or forgotten about. The tiny DS games would be lost in the seats of my car, the American Girl dolls would be forgotten about on the floor on my bedroom, and the Barbie’s hair would already be in tangles that I knew I would never get out. One year I received the gift that I would never forget. This truly one of a kind surprise changed my family’s life forever. I was going to have a brand-new baby sister.

This precious present is one that I would not be able to forget about. I would not be able to leave her on my bed when I go to school. I would not be able to leave her hair in tangles. I would not be able to leave her with my dolls and toys.

However, this little girl did more than give us a Christmas of smiles and cheers, this little girl brought a family together.

I am the oldest child in my little family. I have a little sister, who is nine and a little brother, who is five. I never thought my mom was going to have another baby. I never thought I would be a big sister again. The same year my little brother was born, my mom and dad got a divorce. I was six at the time and I did not entirely understand where my dad had gone. However, it became comfortable with it just being my mom and us. Because I lived with my mom, we grew incredibly close. I was her little helper and a mini mom/best friend to my brother and sister. I do not know if that is because I was the oldest or because there was no father in my home and I felt somebody needed to fill the role. Later when I was ten years old, my mom remarried a new man. A man that to me was a stranger. I was happy for her; I was so proud of my beautiful, intelligent, kind mother for finding a man who respected her and loved her three kids right away. He treated us as if we were his own, even though he had only known us for a short time.

My own father rarely visited, rarely called, and never returned any of the letters I sent him. Because of this, I believed that all men were this way; therefore, I was wary of this strange, unknown man that was living in my house. I was scared to get to close in case he ended up leaving and hurting me the way Dad had. I was nervous to trust this caring, gentle man who my mom trusted enough to be around her children. In those months to come before the baby was born it was as if I was holding my breath. Those months were extremely difficult because I was watching and planning my every move, making sure I did not get too close to my step father because I was worried he would leave just like my father had. I could not breathe.

When I saw my baby sister for the first time, I loved her almost at once. The world stood still as this little tiny baby stared at me with her curious big brown eyes as my mother passed her to her my step father, who carefully handed her to me. His hands were very strong yet so gentle under the baby as he made sure nothing happened to her. When she looked at me, wondering, who I was as I took in this tiny beautiful girl I could call my sister into my arms. I was able to breathe for the first time in months. My apprehension went away in a wave. I knew he was going to care and protect this little angel and he was going to stick around for our family.

In this moment nothing else mattered. It did not matter that I did not know this man my mom married. It did not matter how not ready I felt just a second before I saw this stunningly beautiful girl because I was ready now. I was ready to step up and be the big, strong sister she needed me to be. I was ready to forgive and move on and I was ready to give my stepdad the chance he deserved. That little girl united my family in a way nothing else could, in a way we so desperately needed. She was our little Christmas miracle and she was better than any present I could have received.