My amazing cousin!

Well, I have not posted on here in a few months and need to get better at it. Today marks 8 years since my heart broke and my amazing, beautiful, full of life cousin died. A piece of me died that day. Worst day of my life.  After 8 years, God has healed my heart and there will always be a piece of her with me but God is showing me that If I lean on Him He can comfrot me and strengthen me.  Alana was an amazing person. She loved her family more than anything. Her

She loved Halloween and pirates!

weekends that she spent with her dad were always things she would look forward to. Her dad ( my uncle) and she were always doing adventurous things outside and were very into nature and outdoorsy. I remember going to her house every year at Christmas and having a sleepover. We would order pizza, and than go in the basement in front of the fire and watch Lord of the Rings or Pirates of the Caribbean. I believe we watched Lord of the Rings 3 the Christmas before she passed. Katie, Alana and I would all sit in this big maroon chair and watch the movie. They would make fun of me because I always fell asleep during these"action movies". She always came to my grandparent's in the summer and we would play for hours in the pool. My sisters and Alana had a secret girls club that held "meetings" in a shed.  In reality, it  was really just a time for the 4 of us to spend with just each other.  She loved Chocolate, the color purple, Spice Girls, John Mayer, N'sync and Halloween was by far her favorite holiday. My favorite color is now purple in honor of her.  Everyone that met her loved her because she was super sweet, had a heart of gold and was very outgoing. The last time I saw her was Easter of 2005. We still had our Easter basket hunt in Nana and Papa's house and she was in tenth grade loving high school. She was excited about learning how to drive that summer in Canada with her dad on the ten mile dirt road.  She never got to learn how to drive. But she  certainly loved her  life here on Earth and was loved immensely and still is everyday.  I will always miss her and think about all the things she has missed. She would loved my sister's weddings and would probably call me up at college and see how I am doing right now.  She would have been at my graduation party and signing my cast when I broke my leg. 

I am truly a blessed girl to have known my cousin for 12 years of my life. I certainly wish that it was a lot longer but her memory will live with me always.  And with the horrible things that go on in this world everyday, I remember that it is so important to always tell the close ones in your life that you love them and to live  every day  trying to be the best person you can be.  Accomplish your goals, work hard at life, laugh often, make lasting relationships and most importantly, be thankful and blessed with the life that God has given you because it is such a gift. 

I love you now and forever sweet girl!

This shows our special relationship. She was my 3rd older sister. not just a cousin.