My stylish nine-year old niece Cameron heads off to her first day of fourth grade at a new school.

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When my youngest sister Mary told me she was moving from our tiny hometown of Vermilion, Ohio to Hendersonville, Tennessee, I immediately thought of my oldest niece Cameron and how she would handle the situation.
Cameron, who is my Goddaughter, went to second and third grade at St. Mary's in Vermilion which is where myself and my four siblings attended. Even though she was new to the school in second grade, she quickly made close friends. Boys, girls, it didn't matter. She was friends with everyone.
Last winter when she was out sick for several days, I asked her how she felt about going back after being off for so long.
"I'm not looking forward to it," she told me. "I know everyone at school and they are all going to come up to me and ask me where I've been."
What a confident little girl, I thought to myself.
At her going-away/roller skating birthday party before she moved to Tennessee this summer, many of her classmates showed up to say goodbye. It broke my heart that she had to leave so many good friends. At the same time, I understood it was best for Cameron, her parents and her new baby sister Chase to make the move.
I just wondered how she was going to be able to make so many good friends again at a new school.
Judging by the above picture my sister sent me, I don't think she is going to have a problem. After spending two years in a uniform at St. Mary's, she is attending a public school where she can wear anything she wants.
Last year, her favorite pattern was zebra. This year, it's cheetah.
"Mama, zebra was so last year," she told my sister while shopping for school clothes.
So here she is on the first day of school decked out head to toe in an outfit she put a lot of time and effort into. She mainly shops at Justice so no matter what she puts on, she looks more stylish than any adult I know.
I love her new haircut, bow and especially her confident smile.
When I saw it, I went from feeling sad for Cameron to feeling excited for her. Life threw her a little curve ball with a move to a new state, but she is positively dealing with it. Her appearance on the outside reflects her spunky personality and loving heart on the inside.
She makes me proud to be her aunt.