Dearest birthday girl,
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Teenager?! No, it can't be. How can it be 13 years ago that you entered our lives in the most dramatic and yet SO Zoë fashion with grit, stamina, fortitude and the most adorable red hair and hazel eyes you've ever seen?
This year saw you finish your first year of middle school and now sees you at nearly the halfway point through your middle school career. You are, as always, a meticulous student, caring so much about doing your very best and loving most school moments. I have seen so much growth in you this year in admitting that it's OK not to be perfect, to not have the perfect grade, to even let a bad one slide every now and then because there are some...circumstances...out of your control.
That shows so much maturity and I love that you set realistic expectations for yourself and don't stress (too much) about not being perfect. I was sure you were turning the other way...and saw high anxiety in your future. But I really think you are balancing your academics well. :) Your favorite subject is still ELA and are having fun this year learning some new things and of course, reading a library full of books at home.
Your group of friends the last several years has been SO supportive and kind and fun, and they continue to be a growing and important part of your days at school. Dad and I love to have your friends over, to have Lisa hang out with us in the kitchen and give us the gossip download, to have Evelyn over for dinner and to hear the two of you giggling and talking about everything under the sun up in your room with a now closed door (sometimes). You even, GASP, had a boyfriend for a bit of time last year before a slow fizzle over the summer and ending it (abruptly, much to his mother's surprise on the other side of the phone, I'm sure) before school started because you "just want to hang out with your friends" and frankly, boys get in the way.
Family continues to be your priority and I love every MINUTE you spend with us, telling us every detail of your day, giving us the newest math teacher quote that we all gasp at, telling us the new tap move you worked on during class, or letting us know your skates need to be sharpened or that you love ALL your hockey coaches for different reasons. I hope that you never stop coming home and telling us every detail. Thanks for including us, I love it. Your brother hangs on your every word and it's incredible to see the love you two have for each other. Your patience coupled with his insistence to do things together has created such a strong bond that I know you will have forever.
Hockey is your truuuuuuuue looooooooooove. You are an INCREDIBLE defenseman (and even played center this past weekend at your tournament!!!!), so patient, so great at taking feedback, and I tell as many people as I can that you are a badass girl playing hockey. While you don't want to join a travel team or add more hockey to your dance card, you DO aspire to playing on the newly formed WSU Women's Hockey Club Team in just a handful of years when you get to college. I never thought I would enjoy spending so much time in an ice rink, but watching you play and learn is one of my favorite things to do every week. Watching you this year with the all girls team makes you look like a different girl. You laugh, you giggle, you shove your teammates, you goof around at practice. All around, you seem way more relaxed than you ever did on a co-ed team. It's just different, playing with 13 other girls. You're all supportive, silly, fun, and learning.
In addition to hockey, this year you added cross country and track & field to your athletic repertoire. You were an INCREDIBLE athlete in these sports. The way you pushed yourself to improve your time each week and worked hard to make that happen is admirable. I can't wait for this season of Cross Country!
It is incredible to think about all of the things you've accomplished in your 13 years of life and all of the people you have cared for and loved and who have loved you. Thank you for letting me be your mom. For indulging my hugs, my questions, my tirades, my insistence on knowing everything about your day, for following you to middle school and being your teacher, for embarrassing you in front of your peers, for insisting your bedroom door stays open because I have FOMO when I don't know what's going on in there, for watching Gilmore Girls with me, and just letting me LOVE on you as much as I can because I now know that time is FLEETING and is speeding up by the day.
