(This isn't you, of course. I don't have access to any recent picture of you at the moment. But I'm pretty sure this is a pretty good picture of your current hair-goal).
Your education took a big change this past year as we all decided to give BYU's online high school courses a try for you. I think you like it! You've done well - it's a big change from public to homeschool/online. You are responsible for a lot more and with that comes some great learning and organization, as well as some great failures (ahem, English class . . .). In fact, you are still working on finishing up your 1st semester English class. Summer school - 2nd semester English! But you've done really well with all your other courses and so that's been a real positive.
You've begun your seminary education as well. You love it. You tell us that all the time. You have a great teacher, Sister Evensen. She does a great job with teaching and making it fun at the same time. You leave each morning at 6:30 and ride your bike to the church (2 miles away). Freezing temps and snow - you ride.
You have a couple of classes at the high school - Project Unify, art (first semester) and mythology (second semester). I've mentioned them before, so I won't have to go in to much detail now. But you enjoy those classes a lot.
Your hair has gotten quite out of control. We might be using some car-driving leverage with your hair . . . I like long hair - as long as it is well-groomed and such. You shower at night, wear a bike helmet multiple times a day, etc. Your hair doesn't look so great. We have found a great gal to cut your hair - I'm being generous when I write "cut." The craziest part of your hair is right above your earlobes - the hair is so curly there! Ring-lock curls even.
You continue to mature in good ways. You're far from perfect (as we all are, of course) and continue to annoy us - but you're a pretty great kid, especially to those not in your immediate family (meaning your siblings, for the most part). :) You show a lot of thought and kindness to your friends and strangers. One example is when we went skiing for Jonas' birthday. Your best-friend Michael came and it was like his second-time ever skiing. You just stayed and skied with him the whole day - without complaining. Your Sunday school teacher often remarks that you and Jonas are some of the only well-behaved and good-answering boys in the class. (Which is interesting seeing as how your comments in our family gospel study-time is less than impressive . . .).
You tried a new sport this year - mountain biking. You did great. I mean, you're not naturally athletically inclined, but man you can go and go and go without getting tired. Maybe not the fastest go, but you have some amazing endurance. You improved a lot with your mountain biking skills and I can not keep up with you anymore - you can go up ahead with dad, I'll hang back with Jonas. :)
You think you want to become a surgeon. I don't know why exactly . . . unless it's due to the money? I should ask you. :) I still think you should become a vet . . . sometimes I feel you have more empathy for animals than humans!
You're turning in to a neat mini-man and I'm excited to see all that you accomplish and become this year.
Love you,
mom
