Thirteen

Elizabeth turned thirteen today.  I know that I say this every year, but I just can't believe it - where does the time go?  It seems impossible to believe that she is entering yet another phase of her life, the teenage years.  Elizabeth is both incredibly sensitive and tough as nails.  She impresses us with her maturity and her ability to weather any storm - not that she is impervious to pain, but that she comes through conflicts bruised and battered, but stronger than than before.  Elizabeth continues to excel academically, thanks to God's gifts and an incredible work ethic.  Her love for reading knows no bounds and while math continues to be her Achille's Heel, she's made tremendous progress over the last year.  She buckled down and really committed herself to her sports over this year, taking her lacrosse game to a whole new level, leading her cross country team at every race and becoming a dependable and reliable member of her basketball team.  She loves animals and wants to save every animal she lays eyes on, regardless of species.  Despite the fact that she drives us crazy and challenges our parenting abilities (and our patience) at every turn, Lee and I could not be more proud of the person she is and the person she is working to become.  Happy birthday to our teenager.  We love you so much!

P.S.  You know you have a teenager when they pick a song by Pitbull for their birthday video....