AWWWW....THIRTEEN (THE TEENAGE YEARS BEGIN)

HOW CAN SHE POSSIBLY BE TURNING 13?  SOME THINGS DON'T CHANGE THOUGH....WE LOVED HER WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS THEN...WE STILL DO!

SHE WAS VERY CRAFTY AND ARTISTIC AT THIS YOUNG AGE.  THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAS REMAINED THE SAME, EXCEPT SHE JUST CONTINUES TO DO MORE THINGS AND SURPRISING ME AT THE AMAZING THINGS SHE ACCOMPLISHES.

THESE WERE THE DAYS THAT I COULD ACTUALLY PICK CLOTHES OUT FOR THE OLDER GRANDKIDS.  I NO LONGER DO THAT UNLESS IT IS SOMETHING LIKE CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS.  ABIGAIL HAS DEVELOPED HER OWN TASTE IN STYLE.  I DO WISH I COULD BE WITH HER ON HER BIRTHDAY AND WE COULD GO SHOPPING.

IN THE PICTURE BELOW, ABIGAIL IS SINGING.  SHE STILL LOVES TO SING AND CONTINUES TO SING MORE AND GET BETTER AND BETTER.  THERE IS NOTHING SWEETER THAN HEARING HER SING!

ONE THING I KNOW WILL NEVER CHANGE IS THE WAY ABIGAIL AND ALLIE LIKE TO BE TOGETHER AND HOW MUCH THEY ENJOY EACH OTHERS COMPANY.  FROM THE TIME THEY WE VERY YOUNG...THEY ALWAYS PLAYED SO GREAT TOGETHER.  I HAVE NEVER SEEN THEM EVEN DISAGREE ON ANYTHING!

ABIGAIL LOVES TO SEW.  YOU CAN SEE SHE WASN'T VERY OLD IN THIS PICTURE WHEN SHE COMPLETED THIS PROJECT.  SHE ALSO LOVES TO COOK AND I LOVE FOLLOWING HER BLOG TO SEE THE AMAZING THINGS SHE IS ALWAYS DOING!

THIS WAS ABIGAIL'S FIRST EXPERIENCE STAYING AWAY FROM HER FAMILY.  A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO...WHEN THEY CAME FOR CHRISTMAS, SHE WENT BACK TO EPHRAIM WITH THE BRIDGES FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.  ABIGAIL HAD A GREAT TIME AND SO DID SHANNON AND NATE'S FAMILY!

THIS IS ANOTHER PICTURE OF HER TRIP TO EPHRAIM.  I THINK THEIR SMILES TELL THE STORY!

EACH TIME WE VISIT OMAHA, ABIGAIL IS IMPROVING ON HER FLUTE (AND PIANO),  SHE HAS BEEN PLAYING THE FLUTE LONGER SO SHE IS REALLY GOOD.  SHE IS VERY TALENTED AND WORKS HARD.

ABIGAIL GOT A SPECIAL AWARD IN MUSIC WHEN SHE GRADUATED FROM ELEMENTARY.   NO ONE HAD EVER GOTTEN THAT AWARD BEFORE...THEY ACTUALLY INVENTED IT JUST FOR HER. 

ABIGAIL IS SUCH A GOOD BIG SISTER TO ALL OF HER SIBLINGS.  SHE IS ALSO A HUGE HELP TO HER MOM AND DAD.  I KNOW WHEN I AM THERE....SHE CAN DO ABOUT ANYTHING.  THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT SHE DOES IT WILLINGLY!

ABIGAIL HAD SET A GOAL WHEN SHE STARTED YOUNG WOMEN TO FINISH HER PERSONAL PROGRESS AWARD IN ONE YEAR.  I HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED ,WHEN I WAS IN YOUNG WOMEN.  I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE DOING EVERYTHING IN A YEAR!

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES OF ABIGAIL.  I THINK IT SAYS SO MANY THINGS ABOUT HER.  SHE IS SUCH A LOVING, KIND, AND CARING SISTER, DAUGHTER, AND GRAND DAUGHTER.
I COULDN'T BE PROUDER....I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE DOING THIS!

LAST SUNDAY ABIGAIL CALLED ME ON FACE TIME.  SHE DOESN'T DO THAT A LOT SO I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP.  IT WAS THEN THAT SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD COMPLETED THE GOAL SHE HAD SET FOR HERSELF A YEAR AGO WHEN SHE WENT INTO YOUNG WOMEN.

SHE HAD SET A GOAL TO EARN HER YOUNG WOMEN'S MEDALLION BEFORE HER 13TH BIRTHDAY.  I HAD BEEN WORKING ON MINE ALSO SO I WAS FULLY AWARE OF HOW HARD THIS WOULD BE.  I HAD 2 YEARS AND I WASN'T EVEN CLOSE...BUT SHE DID IT.  SHE HAD BEEN INTERVIEWED BY THE BISHOP AND WHAT IT TAKES MOST GIRLS 5-6 YEARS TO DO (IF THEY DO IT).....SHE DID IN A WK. LESS THAN ONE YEAR.  OF ALL THE AWARDS MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE BEEN GIVEN, THIS ONE THRILLED ME THE MOST.  THEN TO HAVE HER TALK TO ME FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR AND TELL ME EVERYTHING SHE HAD BEEN DOING WAS AMAZING.  SHE HAS EVEN MADE A DVD FOR OF HER BUSY YEAR, AND EVERYTHING SHE HAS DONE TO SEND TO ME.  THANK YOU SWEET ABIGAIL FOR INCLUDING US IN YOUR LIFE.  THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE TO ALL OF THE GRANDCHILDREN.  THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE TO ME.  I LOVE YOU  MORE THAN YOU KNOW AND I WISH I COULD SHOUT TO EVERYONE HOW PROUD I AM OF THIS GREAT GOAL YOU HAVE ACHIEVED.  WE LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER BIRTHDAY GIRL!