A Kid Gone Good

We drove down to San Diego this last weekend for my niece's wedding. 4 adults and two car seats in a car that officially seats 8, but you'd never want to drive from San Fran to San Diego with 8 in the car. Anyway, the kids did pretty darn well for such a long trip, and most of the adults did too. I still can't figure out why my oldest (24) will always find something to be grumpy or unhappy about, and if it's not readily available, he'll go looking for it. But that's another post.
My niece is the same age as above grump-pot but has been such a ray of sunshine to me. She had some very rough years as a teen, resulting in a teen pregnancy with a young man who was soon to spend considerable time in jail. She was pretty well written off by her dad, my BIL. So she lived with her mom for a while, got her GED and started working. It wasn't long before she realized she wasn't going anywhere except her mom's without an education, so she pursued a college education at a state college with student loans and student family housing. Somehow, between toddler feedings and toys, she got to the point where she could transfer to a school where she could finish her degree in nursing. As I am a nurse, we chatted many times on her path to her BSN. All this time, she continued to make her education and her child her top priorities. I was impressed.
Somehow, she met a young man a year younger than she, but who accepted her completely, child and all. He must have been 18 or 19 at the time. Again, amazing, but I held little hope for the relationship. They proved me wrong. They have been each other's strength now for about 6 years. They have also had a child of their own.
My niece graduated from nursing school (apparently nothing derails this young woman) last May with two children and a bill or two to pay. She proceeded to get a job in Southern California and now works nights supporting the family.
She is almost 25, a new bride, and one of the strongest people I know. I'm so proud to be her aunt and godmother. The wedding was beautiful and I thank her mother, stepfather, MIL and FIL for hosting it for them. These are two kids who have been through some rough times and deserve some good. So happy they found each other, and that we were able to share some of that happiness.