Thanks everyone, but it was all her.

She did it all.

She lived alone after her parents split when she was 13. They literally left her the house and moved. She didn't call for help, she didn't tell anyone, she just kept living her life, working and paying for the electric and groceries and doing her homework. When her parents stopped paying the mortgage and the house was gone, she told us what was going on and moved here. She demanded a waiver from the school district when she moved here because they didn't have the classes she needed, and went to another school. She got her license and a car on her own as soon as she was legally able to. She worked all through high school and college. She got the highest grades to qualify for the scholarships. She kept getting the grades to maintain and increase them. She managed all this and volunteered in her "?spare?" time. She also participated in sports and maintained a 'mostly' healthy lifestyle. ( she does know the "Maine Stein Song" by heart and can sing the whole thing at the drop of a bottle "


I am in awe of this kid and what she has done. I told her yesterday that it was a privilege and an honor to be her aunt and to share this with her and it is. I told her she was my idol and she is. I told her how damned proud her grandmother would have been and how much she reminded me of her ( my mom). I told her I loved her and gave her $100.00 and a cake! I wish it could have been more!

I just cannot wait to see where she goes and what she does next!