A Shoutout to My "KotaBug"

This beautiful little girl is my niece, Karsyn Dakota. Karsyn is six-years-old and is in the 1st grade. Karsyn loves music and is learning to play the guitar and the piano. She got a keyboard for Christmas which she is very excited about. She gave me an impromptu performance when I called on Christmas Day. It was wonderful!

Karsyn asked if I would write about her on my blog. She misses not being able to call me whenever she wants. She thought having me write about her would be really cool. So, here is my shout out to Kotabug.

Karsyn has held a special place in my heart since the first time I saw her sucking her thumb and playing in her hair as she was lulling herself to sleep. She is her Aunt Steph's girl in more ways than one.

She and I became especially close about 4 years ago. I had back surgery and spent the summer in Utah recuperating. Karsyn was my care taker that summer. Not only did she help take care of me but she kept me entertained. We watched dvds (Monsters Inc. and Brother Bear were the two favorites) and Karsyn would keep me thinking and awake with her continual questions about events or characters in the movies. We also went for walks, and as I began feeling better, we went to the park or made trips to McDonalds.

Since that summer, Karsyn and I have always made an effort to spend time together whenever I am in Utah. She comes to spend the night with me and we go to the park (she loves it when we buy a loaf of bread and go feed the ducks) or shopping, out to eat, or to a movie. Karsyn loves going to McDonalds and she can usually sucker me into taking her there because she just HAS to have a hamburger with cheese, chicken nuggets, or an ice cream cone. Another of our special treats is a cheese pizza and Crazy Bread from Little Caesar's.

When Karsyn feels sad, or sometimes when she's gotten into trouble or if she has exciting news, she likes to call her Aunt Steph. The conversation might begin with a sad story but by the time we are ready to hang up we are both giggling.


I like calling Karsyn when I have seen something I think she might like or if I have a funny story to tell her or if I just miss her so much I have to hear her voice and her cute Karsyn laugh.


I thought of Karsyn yesterday while I was out exploring Shanghai with some of my friends. One of the movies Karsyn and I watched together was Mulan. Karsyn would giggle at Mulan's funny lucky cricket. Yesterday, we visited a market that was selling lucky crickets. They had them in all sizes and colors. Some were kept in plastic boxes or cylindrical tubes covered with newspaper, but the biggest and most colorful ones were kept in ornate cages just like Mulan's cricket. I kept thinking how much Karsyn would like it if she could have been there to see the lucky crickets.


Karsyn is a special little girl, She is not, however, the only niece or nephew I have. Karsyn has two older siblings. Her brother, Mason, is 11. He is in the 6th grade and is an awesome athlete. Her sister, Brea, is 9. Brea is in the 4th grade and participates in gymnastics. She is an amazing gymnast. All three of these wonderful children bring me much joy and I miss them very much.



To my other nieces and nephews, if you send me pictures I will write a blog about you too. I love and miss you all.