11 years old

Let the countdown begin....until she's 12.  Yes, according to Lorin, when you turn 12 you are all of a sudden allowed to do whatever you want and she can't wait for the day!  Some of the things on the list are sitting in the front seat of a car, babysitting, and hmmm, I was sure I could think of more since her list seems to go on and on when she get's on a roll...

Brownies are the "cake" of choice every year!

See all these unsuspecting gifts?  It wasn't because the list wasn't as long as her arm however :)

 

But surprises are so much more fun!!  How about Brian Reagan tickets with Mom and Dad??  Woohooo!

 

 

   Or...a neeeew bike!!!

 The other thing she got was the long anticipated for I-pod...we helped her with the last few bucks, but she had been saving for a long time and payed for it herself!  We were proud of her self control--money usually burns a hole :)

Lorin is a one-of-a-kind.  We have been so blessed to watch her grow into such a beautiful girl inside and out.  Don't get me wrong, the beauty is accompanied by more spunk than imaginable.  But this year she has had to prove that she can weather the storms of a pre-teen moving to a new school that was 3 times as demanding as her last and having to make friends in a 5th grade world--the year everyone seems to get mean and weird.

I recently wrote in my journal about the times my prayers have been answered on Lorin's behalf this year.  From talking to her Advanced Math (See Sierpinsky Pyramid above) teacher to reduce the amount of homework from 4 hours to 40 minutes a night, to giving Aunt Wendy a random call--the perfect person to give me some perspective on some of the things Lorin was facing, to finding an amazing friend just down the road--Valerie (pictured above).  She reads her scriptures faithfully every morning, prays night and day, works so hard at being a peacemaker, gets good grades in school, is one of her siblings' favorite babysitters, practices her violin every morning and basketball after school, helps without complaining, is adored by her teachers, and the list goes on.  We love this girl!