No Longer a Freshman

This has been a post I've been putting off because, honestly, it makes me kind of sad. I'm not upset at all that school is out and lazy summer days are in full force but knowing that my baby will never be a freshman again - and continues to grow up at an alarming pace - makes me a bit anxious. 

As does thinking about the fact that she'll only be in my house for a bit over three more years. Though I'm committed to making the absolute most of those years, I also don't want to let her go. But that's another discussion for another time.

It seems like yesterday that I dropped her off at the big ol' high school for her first day of 9th grade. She was nervous about the size of the school and wondered if she would ever find all of her classes. But she made it through the first day, sent me the pic below indicating they had survived, and - yes - she mastered that big ol' school very quickly.

For the most part, freshman year was much easier than I anticipated. The last time we transitioned to a new campus and way of doing things - 7th grade - was a HOT MESS for almost the entire year. So I was optimistic. But guarded. And she totally exceeded all of my expectations.

She thrived in class and ended the year with a GPA of well over 90. She and Dottie did extremely well in the ring and were Grand Champions multiple times...not to mention their second place finish in Houston. She continued to make good decisions about friends - and eventually a boyfriend (gasp!) - and surrounded herself with peers who are encouraging, fun to be around, and push each other to new heights. All while being normal teenagers. She also took on new challenges and was selected for Youth Council at church and is a Heart o' Texas Sweetheart.

She loves people. Truly cares for them. Is witty and makes me laugh every day. She enjoys Baby S much more than she'll admit and is quickly becoming one of Tiny's favorite people on the planet. She's growing up. Is so much more mature than I ever was at that age. Has a quirky and striking sense of fashion and has - along the way - also learned to be a gracious loser when things don't work out her way. 

Not gonna lie - I HATE that she has to learn that life isn't always fair and that you can't be successful all the time - but I'm so proud of how she's handled those situations.

So, as we wrap up a highly successful first year of high school, I could not be more proud of this sweet girl. Not only have she and her friends become even more stunning as the days have gone by, they've also become even better equipped to take on this big, scary world. 

And now we'll spend three months of campus, conventions, mission trips, weekend trips, beach vacations, and more fun than we can possibly stand. Wouldn't change it for a second. :)