(Your school picture that we never ordered and I just found online and now wish I would have ordered. It's nice! It would be even better if it wasn't copied from online and thus blurry!)
My oh my. You are officially old now. Which means I am even older. It's weird when I tell people I have such an old child - but then I look at the bags under my eyes and am like, "Yep, that sounds (looks) about right."
Of course 16 = DRIVING. ALONE. You've been driving for the past year, but if all goes well with your driver's test on Wednesday morning, you'll have a real license to drive. You're a decent driver. You get your parking skills from me. Which is unfortunate. You're excited to drive your car, but not excited about that it gets 5 miles-to-the-gallon. It will be a fine and fun car for this little town . . . but you might need to think about something else when your average driving radius is more than 10 miles. There are new, stricter laws for you - which are good, really. You can't drive with any friends unless a parent is in the car for the first 6 months of your license. Then the next 6 months you can only have 1 friend. But you'll get to drive your siblings all around . . . maybe.
You've had another good year in terms of academics, athletics, and the such. You continue to do very well with BYU's high school. You continue to enjoy your electives you've taken at the local high school. This semester you are in ceramics and really enjoy it. You continue to hate your english classes - not the reading aspect of it, just the writing. But you're managing it a bit better this year. You have a different seminary teacher this year but she is awesome, too (homemade fleece blankets for everyone for Christmas anyone!).
You were involved in the mountain biking team again. Unfortunately, every race was on Sunday last season so none for you. :( But, we just found out this week - half the races (which come out to 2) this coming season will be on a Saturday! Yay! You also joined the climbing team and loved that as well. Your upper-body strength greatly increased (not necessarily due to climbing - just due to maturing, I think). You want to continue to stay strong by climbing and biking in the summer/off-season.
You are super in to music. You love listening to it . . . like a teen loves . . . listening to music. Ha, sometimes you do act like a regular teen! I think Imagine Dragons is still your number 1 group (much to Jonas' chagrin as he hates them. But he hates most music that all the rest of us enjoy). You like some odd music. But also kinda cool, I guess.
One of the greatest things about this past year is that you're becoming quite an awesome person. You're pleasant to be around. I like talking to you (most of the time). You're pretty easy-going and easy to get along with. You don't cause contention in the house (most of the time). You come out and help me bring in the groceries without me or Dad asking/telling you. You try to make the right choices.
Your strength this year has grown leaps and bounds - physically, mentally, and socially. I am glad I can be a part of your journey through life. Love ya!
love,
mom
P.S. I looked at last year's post - I can't believe I never changed the picture, ha!
P.P.S. Whoa, another thing that sounds just like a normal teenager! You and Jonas slept in until NOON on Saturday. I'm dying. I just found this out. Your dad, by like 8 am on Saturdays, is so anxious that you boys wake up, etc. I always tell him, "Just let them sleep in! They get up everyday during the week before 6am. This is their day. Blah, Blah." But I had no idea you would take it to that level. Wow, that's impressive. (I was gone at a Relief Society activity and came home around 1. When I saw you in your PJs and working on your chore, I just thought you had taken your merry time in the morning - which is what you usually do . . . )
