October 13, 2009: the day my life would be forever changed. Like any other day I went to school, but on this day I walked with pep in my step. At 4:10 I would sprint to my dad’s car and urge him to drive as fast as possible to Wesley Hospital, because my baby sister had been born earlier that morning.

I had never been in an elevator that took as long as the one reaching her floor. I made sure to wash my hands super well, because I could not have my new best friend get sick. But you bet I was so happy holding my new sister. From that moment I decided that she was going grow up to be just like me.

Well…she did, as she grew older she started to look like me, then talk like me, and even began to act like me. I felt as if a was given a half sized clone. Now she is six, and never would I have thought that over the years she would teach me more than I could ever teach her.

I love every moment, from the constant giggles, to driving her from school while she sings as loud as possible. One of my favorite things is when she reads to me and says, “Keyanna, I bet you didn’t know I could read this whole story in 47 seconds!”

Never did I expect the day she was born to change my life the way it has, but I am forever grateful for the impact that my mini-me has left on me by simply being herself.