Day 358 of 365 "My Wonderful Life"

Meet my niece Brooklyn from Yucaipa, CA.

The one word that best describes Brooklyn's life today is "Wonderful."  The reason Brooklyn chose this word is because she has a wonderful family.

If Brooklyn could change one thing in the world, she would "Put an end to texting and driving."  The way she would go about making this change is by talking to people about how dangerous it is to text while driving.  She will not text when she starts driving.

One year from today, Brooklyn would like for her grandpa Terry to be alive.

If Brooklyn's life were a movie, it would be about the journey with her wonderful family showing how much she loves them and is thankful for them.  The title of her movie would be called "My Wonderful Life" and the subtitle would be called "I Love My Family."

Brooklyn is one of my many nieces in our very big blended family.  She is the most outgoing and lovable person you'll meet!  Every time I see Brooklyn, I can expect her to give me a big, genuine, long lasting, heartfelt hug!

Today, we gathered for our traditional Makela Christmas party where we joined together for a fun time of a white elephant gift exchange.  It's so fun to watch the younger generation of nieces and nephews engaging with their cousins while putting aside their smart phones.

Brooklyn has a "bubbly" personality and can hold her own when it comes to wrestling with her brothers who like to push her buttons.  She knows when to act like a little lady and when to stand up against the teasing her brothers bring upon her.

Among many things, I love Brooklyn's sensitive heart towards her family.  She has a deep appreciation for her family and is grateful to have so many wonderful people in her life.  Brooklyn doesn't only talk about how much she loves her family, but she shows them by her actions.

Brooklyn's brothers and sisters are competitive athletes and she is very competitive herself.  But more than anything, I see in Brooklyn a young lady who places a high value on relationships and has an extraordinary amount of love for people.

I am so lucky to be the uncle to this wonderful girl who brings so much joy into our family and to the world!