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Aaron Velasco
11th Grade Humanities
Mr. Max
Power Within

Babies <Breathe> something I never really understood or liked.

All I knew about them was that they attracted attention based on how
they look, chubby cheeks, soft fluffy arms, and not to mention how they
always smelled like milk. <Breathe> But babies were especially
annoying because how loud they were when they would cry, how
awkward it was to carry them, and<CUE IMAGE Diaper> especially
how nasty their poop is. Another thing was how troublesome they are,
you need to play with them, feed them, and when they wake up you have
tend to them. <Breathe> I had known babies took so much work, but
with this kind of pampering , taking care of a child would not be on my
list for a job. <Breathe> At the age of 14, still growing in my prime
<Breathe> why would I even think of taking care of a baby. I got to do
sports, focus on looking fresh <Look at crowd>, and maybe even get a
girlfriend, <Breathe> oh wait that's how a baby starts nevermind.
<CUE IMAGE So say we all>

But one day my mom had told me to come up stairs, I felt odd as I
was walked up, because a couple weeks ago we had conversation about
fostering a baby. Entering her room from the stairs <Breathe> I noticed
she had something her arms, slowly I approached her getting a full
glance realizing it was a baby. <Breathe> Standing next to her,
<Breathe>
I looked down at this baby. The very presence of her being made my
mind explode with questions: how will this baby affect my life and in
what ways will she do it?
Contemplating all these thoughts <PAUSE> I remembered I been had
told the full reason of why she was here, this baby was no stranger to us.
<Breathe> My mom had been taking care of my troubled aunt who had
issues of many sorts. She was on and off drug addict that had problems
of going in and out of jail, that ranged from an assortment of felonies.
<Breathe> During the time of the rehabilitation, my mom had gotten a
call, in the call
<Breathe> my aunt said to her , I think Im pregnant

my mom then responded , Hold on, Ill be there dont go

anywhere.
She then drove over to my aunt's place, then taking her to a
hospital to get an ultrasound, and<Breathe> through the screen of the
monitor they found out she was with child. <CUE IMAGE
Ultrasound>
<Breathe> Though my aunt had become pregnant she still had
problems that did not rub off and the responsibility of having a child did
not change the way she acted.
Her troubles seemed to have subsided when had she went into her
pregnancy 6 months clean. <Breathe> But the 3 months that had
followed became a battle of whether her child's life was more important
or whether that crystal would give her that high again. <Breathe>
<CUE IMAGE So Say we All>
On June 6th, 2013 my mom received a call from my aunt
saying Im not feeling so well, I think Im going to labor.
Instantly my mom knew, driving over to her location, and taking
her to a hospital. <Breathe> Then in the hospital my aunt had given

birth, <Breathe>but something shocking was revealed when the babys

blood was taken. <Breathe>There was meth found in her bloodstream.
<Breathe>With this they had concluded before my aunt had her child
she was high. <Breathe> When CPS discovered her baby was induced
with meth, they told my aunt, her baby would taken away to some place
better. <Breathe> Devastated she could do nothing because this
mistake, had been one that could not be escaped no matter how high in
the cloud she got. <Breathe>With this news my mom was contacted 2
weeks after the baby had been born, and we would register our home as
foster care house.
Now that I remembered the full reason of why this baby was here,
I could feel a sense of purpose as looked down at her. What surprised
me the most was how gentle this baby looked <CUE IMAGE
Newborn>, so very soft, she was fragile looking. When I had been
holding her, I thought to myself <Breathe> instead of her affecting my
life how will I affect hers? <Breathe> Thinking of how this child had
not even lived a life yet, and already struggling to live was
infuriating.<Clench fist > I clenched my fist to the thought of it.

Caught up in my anger, <Relax> I made it up in my mind that it is my

responsibility for this childs care, that if anything were happen to her it
would be my fault. For some unknown reason I made a commitment
and I had only known her for a day, <PAUSE> but this child was able
to pull the right strings on my heart just from her past.
<CUE IMAGE So say we all>
The commitment I had made on that day, planted a seed that
would grow into something much more. Through the months I had
spent with the baby she had grown on me.<PAUSE> From looking at
her as a child that would come and go, she became my little sister.
More and more I started to connect, <PAUSE>realizing all that
pampering babies need in their life is not meant to be
annoying<PAUSE> even though I still think babies poop is disgusting.
<Smile>Taking care of her every day made me feel like my promise was
slowly being fulfilled.
Then, my mom had came into my room, she sat down on my bed
looking into my eyes, <CONFUSED>I couldnt tell what she was trying

to express to me. <Look at Crowd>One by one each word she spoke,

felt like a punch to the face
, your little sister might not be with us anymore,
replying back I said , Why would she have to go back?
<PAUSE> I could feel tear a travel down my eye at a speed I
couldn't control. What my mom had said shocked me. <SPEED>The
thought that she would have to go back to that godforsaken home where
they didnt even give a damn about her. Made me so coped up with
feelings of anger, anguish, and most of all <SLOW> sadness.
<PAUSE> Engulfed me in the thought of my baby sister snatched out
of my hands never to be seen as the same person, <PAUSE> but another
baby that I knew. This plunged me into a sadness so far outer reaches of
space couldnt compare. <PAUSE> But every photo of her that I
looked on my phone, hope came back each time I saw her tiny smile.
With each laugh that she laughed in her videos, made me realize
<PAUSE> that if I could not be there, God would be there every step of
the way. Even though she would have went back to her mom, my love
for her would be unconditional.

Watching and living with my sister, my aunts troubled decisions

did not falter in the slightest leading her down a dark path, even though
her child was being taken away. What this meant was she had 6 months
rehabilitate to take back her child for her own. But she was not even in
the least a bit affected by this. Hearing the news, <PAUSE>
I had questioned , Does she even want her child back?
This motivated me even more to be there for my sister and become
a role model in her life because that's all the satisfaction I would need.
<PAUSE> But the continuous act of not showing up to visits and the
rehabilitation center caused the court to notice this string of acts. These
actions had forced the hand of the court to strip my aunt of her rights as
a mom. With this I had felt relaxed because she would be with us and I
would not have to worry about losing her. <PAUSE>Though my aunt
had been relieved of her rights, the road to custody was a long one.
<PAUSE> <SPEED>The battle for custody in court was tiresome,
because of the constant visits from social workers and the need to prove
our family was the best fit.
Asking my mom ,Who else was better than us?

With this my mom had stated , Her grandparents because they are
her blood?
I didnt care if they were her real blood because they still would
try to break the bond between my sister and I. <SPEED>But as the
visits from the social workers became more frequent, my fear of losing
her calmed, because every time they would leave they always said we
were the most likely choice for her family.
<PAUSE> Through the endless months of constant visits from
social services it all came to an end with our visit to court. <PAUSE> I
walked through the door of the courthouse slowly feeling victory as
everybody started to gather. Walking towards the waiting room every
family and friend that had been with us, gathered together. But as I was
waiting <PAUSE>, I could feel the anticipation rise with every minute
that had passed because it was only moments away from attaining what
we so dearly wanted, custody. <PAUSE> For the time had finally come
<PAUSE>with each person entering the courtroom one by one. As I
entered what seemed to be the final reckoning of this adoption journey
<PAUSE> I could notice on everyone's face sprung up with joy. All the

support and praying done was all being answered. Sitting in my seat I
had become excited because as my Mom and Dad were with my sister
they had sat down and I could see that judge starting to sign some
papers. Then once the judge had finished signing the papers, he took a
glance, <PAUSE>then giving the papers to my parents they had both
swelled up with happiness. The Judge then commanded every family,
friend, or acquaintance to come down from their seats. A wide smile
then appeared on my face as I walked towards my family, coming with
open arms I gave a hug that would never be forgotten because with this
hug it finalized the adoption. <CUE IMAGE Family>With everyone
that supported us time in and time out, we all came together to celebrate
how Jocelyn Velasco became apart of my family.
Which would forever change my actions.
<CUE IMAGE Final Draft>