Goose turns Thirteen

 Oh Lucy.  My goodness what a year you’ve had.  You’ve faced some really big challenges  - middle school, your first love/heartbreak, friendship struggles, panic attacks, anxiety, multiple knee injuries, surgery and hours and hours of physical therapy.  All within twelve months.

Yet here you are – turning 13.  You’ve faced countless trials and yet, you keep getting back up.  You keep trying to be your very best and not letting any hardship defeat you. You continue to shine bright and let nothing dim you.

Little Goose, I can’t even describe how proud I am of you.  You absolutely amaze me.

But let’s not forget about all the wonderful things from this past year! 

You won FIRST PLACE with your solo at your first dance competition, and then continued to kick butt with it all season long. You pushed past your anxiety and your pain and kept going out on that stage and giving it your all… every. single. time.

You had your first boyfriend and first love.  And you survived your first breakup. You learned valuable lessons about relationships that I know you’ll use in the future. 

You got straight A’s all year long!  You juggled seven classes, seven teachers, and three weeks out of school because of the surgery.  And yet you still came out on top with perfect grades.  You should be so proud of yourself for that accomplishment!

You’ve made so many new friends.  By being true to yourself, you’ve gained new friendships with all kinds of new people.  You’ve learned the difference between fake girls and real girls and you’ve set yourself apart by being kind, inclusive, and genuine. 

You’ve watched shows on Broadway, taken pics in Times Square, floated down the spookie dookie river and celebrated countless birthdays with friends. 

For so many hard things you’ve faced this past year, I’d like to think you’ve had just as many positive moments as well. Because life is full of peaks and valleys my sweet girl, and I am so grateful I get to be part of your amazing journey. 

I love you so so much – all the way through the universe.  To infinity and beyond.

Sweet Sixteen

Oh Molly, every year you amaze me more and more and here you are turning Sweet Sixteen.

This past year has been a big one for you… you started high school, transferred to a new high school, had your first job, and learned to drive! So many “BIG KID” things!  And yet, what I love most about you, is that you continue being a “kid-at-heart” through and through.

If I look back on the past year, two things come to mind…

First, how incredibly brave you are.  Transferring to a new school mid-way through Freshman year takes guts. Especially when you’re leaving all the classmates you’ve grown up with and going to a school where you only know a couple people.  I don’t even think you realize how much courage it takes to do something like that!  But you did, with a smile on your face and an eagerness to start the new chapter in your life.  I’m so very proud of you!

Secondly, how you have embraced your quirks and blossomed into such a confident, funny, one-of-a-kind human being!  I often tell you that you remind me of a hidden treasure, and how once people discover the REAL YOU, they can’t help but fall in love.  You are YOU through and through, without apologies, and you make the world a better place for it.

You really are incredible, you know that?  (I can hear you saying “I know!” in my head.) You wear your heart on your sleeve, and when you love someone, you love SO BIG.  You stop at EVERY. SINGLE. BABY. OR ANIMAL. when you see them and oooh and awe and want everyone to look at them too.  You walk around our house constantly in Lucy’s big purple robe, without a care in the world.  You are OBSESSED with legos.  You really reallllly love your sister… it makes my heart so happy to see the two of you become the best of friends (finally!).

So off you go this year, in your cute little Nissan Kicks… I have no doubt you will continue taking the world by storm.

Happy Birthday my sweet blue-eyed girl!