Hey!  It's me, Burgundy Rose Reese!

I am doing fantastic!  Life is indeed sweet for me.  My family is the best! 

Hard to believe that I have been a member of the Reese clan for a year now!  I have since gotten used to calling my parents "mom" and "dad", and Corey, Dominick, and Charlene my brothers and sister; they have, in turn, gotten used to me, too.  It's getting to the point to where I feel as if I have known them all my life instead of just one year!

We still have our cats, "Charlie", a fat, sassy Maine Coon, and "Silkie", a pampered and proper Birman.  Their happy meows and purrs are the perfect tonic after a bad or stressful school day!  Now we have a third cat:  an Egyptian Mao (spelling?) cat named "Cleo" (short for "Cleopatra", natch!), but she doesn't seem to be nearly as friendly as "Charlie" or "Silkie".  She's more moody.

I still keep in contact with my adoption caseworker; she knows that if I have any problems, I can call her.  I tell her life is wonderful; I tell her if it wasn't for her trying to help, I wouldn't have the family I do now.  It's like God's answered all my prayers!

At school, I have three best friends.  Their names are Ebonie Grace, Quintella Morelli, and Kudzu Oyambe.  We pal around together after school and/or on weekends.  We go to the mall, go to the movies (or out to eat), or hang out at each other's hosues.  School is going well: I've managed to pull up all my grades; mom and dad are very proud of me.  I'm proud of myself too.  :)

On Sundays we go to church.  We go to New Life Baptist.  At church, I sing in the choir; I sing soprano.  I absolutely adore singing; it's one of my big passions in life.  I want to be a singer when I am older; I'd like to try out for "American Idol", but I know if I got there, and saw the judges, I'd bomb for sure!  Nerves, you know.

Suddenly my years spent in foster care have become a distant memory (or maybe I've blocked those years out; I don't know).  My life is full of promise now, a promise I didn't have when I was in "the system".  I often think about those kids I met, wonder if they will ever get the family they deserve (or desire).  I've met so many kids with backgrounds similar to mine or kids whose backgrounds are checkered with abuse, alcoholism, disability, or other pressing issues that have effected them in just about every way imaginable.

I pray for these kids every night when I go to bed.

I also pray to my own parents, even though they're both gone.  I still miss them; there's a big hole in my heart that time will never erase.  Maybe it will get smaller, but a piece of it will always be there.

Well, the bus is fixin' to come pick me up for school, so I'd best grab my bookbag and coat, so I don't miss it like I did last week (and then dad had to drive me to school, making him late for work; he was a bit annoyed).  I will write in here again soon; take care and God bless!

~Love, your friend, Burgundy Rose.  :)

*to be continued.*