Sweet 16!

Shanley,

I can hardly believe you are 16! You have always been so easy-going.  As a baby, you would fall asleep wherever I laid you.  You are extremely generous and will share anything with anyone!  You make us all laugh!  You have a spunk and a spirit that make you fun to be around.  You are tall and pretty (and since you are now dating age, that is a scary for a mom).   You are a great dancer!  You finally got your learner's permit last Friday and you have LOVED driving - begging for opportunities.  It was hard for you to pass that test but I am proud that you kept trying.

You always get to pick your meals on your birthday.  Today you picked sticky buns and smoothies for breakfast.  For lunch you wanted homemade chicken nuggets so I delivered them to you, Brandon, and McKayla at lunchtime (along with strawberry milk, grapes, and cookies).  You picked strawberry crepes for dinner and you asked Brandon to come for that too.  Birthday treat was a chocolate/chocolate ice cream cake.

I delivered a balloon bouquet to your first class today.  It was sign language and Mrs. Emily Corfield was great - she stopped the class and had everyone sign the "happy birthday" song to you.  You were so embarrassed and refused to carry around your balloons all day.  You left them in her classroom and picked them up after school.  McKayla made sure your seminary class knew it was your birthday (are you wishing now that you hadn't requested having it together?).

Mostly today you've just wanted lots of driving practice. 

I love you and am so glad you're my daughter!

love,
Mom