My best friend just bought a house as a “vacation” home here in Florida. Since she hates to fly and knew she’d need a lot of help moving in, she brought her 15 year old niece Katherine, with her for support. I’ve known Katherine since she was a baby, but haven’t seen her in a few years so I was totally unprepared for what I found when I saw her again.
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| Helping set up headboard and frame |
What can you say about your typical 15 year old? They’re often argumentative, insecure, moody, boy crazy, somewhat self-centered, disrespectful and lazy. This was what I was expecting, but I was so wrong! This girl worked so hard from early morning to very late at night without complaint. She scrubbed, painted, moved furniture, ran errands, and all in a house without a TV or computer!
Another pleasant surprise was the constant smile on her face and upbeat disposition she exhibited. She loves to laugh and listen to her aunt’s funny stories about when she and her sister, Isabel, were young. She was excited about everything, taking pictures and texting friends about it.
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| Toting boxes,When is it break time? |
The more time I spent with her, the more I realized how smart, funny and interesting she is. We had a great conversation about the books she’s read and ones that I thought she would enjoy. She told me all about her friends and the fun things they do. I have to say, I really enjoyed spending time with her.
Katherine has restored my faith in 15 year olds! I look forward to seeing her grow into the confident, intelligent, optimistic woman that I know she will become!
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| Katherine and her Aunt Jeanne |
