Nearly everyone has something that makes their Christmas complete.

For the Doster family, it’s the arrival of 12-year-old Whitney Doster, who recently returned home for the holidays.

Her stepmom, Kristy, said that Whitney arrived home last Saturday to spend a two-week break with the family.

“She lives in Brandon, Fla., with her mom,” Kristy said. “We only get to see her on her school breaks, and it is such a blessing to us every time she gets to come.

Kristy said the family, which also consists of Whitney’s dad, David Doster, and brother, Jacob Watson, miss her greatly when she’s not in Andalusia.

“I really look forward to her coming home,” David said. “She loves to go hunting with me, and I get more hugs when she’s here than all year long.”

Kristy describes Whitney as “a beautiful, vibrant and outgoing little girl.”

“And we love her so much — she and her brother are my heart,” Kristy said. “I can’t have kids myself, so they are a blessing. We are all really looking forward to spending time with her. I can only hope that her memories with us at Christmas can be carried on in her heart for the rest of her life.”

“She has a very big family here that misses her so very much when she is gone,” Kristy said. “Almost every time she comes home, the first thing she does after passing out hugs and kisses is wrestle with her daddy and her brother.

“I really enjoy seeing all of my family,” Whitney said. “I get to come nearly every holiday and all summer long. I really enjoy going to my ‘Big Granny’s.’ My daddy is awesome. He’s funny, sweet and weird, all in one. He’s fearless, and he’ll do anything.

Whitney and Kristy have a “great relationship,” they said.

“She’s always with me when I’m home,” Whitney said. “She’s funny and weird, and she really gets me. I can come to her for anything. She updates me on what’s going on here, and she shows me pictures of what I’ve missed.”

Jacob and Whitney are also “close,” she said.

“We are always playing pranks on each other,” she said.

“I really enjoy spending time with Whitney,” Jacob said. “And I enjoy ‘kicking her butt.’”

In traditional brother-sister-style, Whitney disagrees over who actually wins.

Kristy said the girls in the family are also delighted when Whitney comes to town.

“She gives the best pedicures and manicures to all of us, she seems to be real professional in her work,” Kristy said. “She also loves to have spend-the-night parties with her friends and family when she comes home, so they can have a ‘Twilight Saga’ marathon – by the way she is Team Jacob.”

Aunt Erica Kelley agreed about their fun times.

“She’s a lot of fun,” she said. “That’s my baby. I have a 10-year-old daughter, who loves her, and they are so close.”

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of home for the holidays features. To suggest a story in this series, email editor@andalusiastarnews.com or call 222-2402.