Dateline: above the garage in Portsmouth RI, 25 November 2004

Grade 7, Second Place

By Emily Barnett, All Saints Academy, Middletown

The thing I'm most grateful for is my sister, Vonne Mei Ling Barnett. We have just adopted here from China this summer. My parents went to China for two weeks, which is a long time. It took them so long because it took about two or three days to get there, then once they were there and had retrieved Vonne Mei, my parents had to stay one week in China. After that, my parents came back home and brought Vonne Mei with them.

Vonne Mei is the new joy of my life because she is a really wonderful little girl. Every morning, I help feed and dress her, and every morning, I love her more. I am so grateful for her because now I have a sister, a sister who is beautiful. She has almond-shaped brown eyes, tiny hands that are always reaching and most gorgeous of all, her smile. Every time she smiles, I want to hold her close and never let her go. My new sister is the greatest thing in my life right now, and I'm extremely grateful for her. I wouldn't give her up for the world.