Brooklyn's 12th Birthday--Quite the Young Woman

While we may be a bit slow in celebrating it on this blog, our beautiful Brooklyn McCall turned twelve mid-December.  Twelve!  I can't even tell you how grown-up that seems.  And of course, being around twelve day old Anders reminds me of how quickly the time goes.

We started our celebrations a bit early by going as a family to check out the ZooLights at Hogle Zoo.  Despite the chilly weather, the lights really were beautiful.  The kids' only complaint was that most of the animals were tucked away for the night.  Can't blame 'em for escaping the cold!


At church, they also did a marvelous job welcoming Brooklyn to Young Women's by inviting her to go snowtubing with them near Park City.  What a fun adventure!  Then, on the morning of Brooklyn's birthday, we started off the day right with some banana cream pie.  Eggs, milk, bananas--totally a breakfast food.


At school, her classmates sang to her, then after school her Girl Scout troop sang to her again while they were caroling at a Senior center.


After caroling, we grabbed a quick birthday dinner of macaroni and cheese  at Noodles and Company before heading to the temple with Grandma Susie and Grandpa Charles.

Of all the places to be on her special day, Brooklyn chose to spend her twelfth birthday serving others by doing proxy baptisms for those who didn't have the chance while they were alive.

We couldn't be prouder of you, sweetheart.  Thank you for setting a great example and inspiring us all to get to the temple more often.

Back at home, it was time to open presents--everything ranging from a new backpacking pack to these cool antlers slippers which Mom kind of commandeered to keep her feet warm during the cold winter months.  Lucky girl, she even received the chance to take Friday afternoon ski lessons!

Excellent baker that she is, Brooklyn made her own birthday cupcakes!  Make a wish, and may your dreams come true, sweet thing.

The next day, Brooklyn had a special chance to attend the wedding of her Mormon godmother, Brooke Wright to an awesome man, Nick Pettegrew.  It was an absolutely gorgeous winter wedding with a wonderful luncheon at Log Haven restaurant up Millcreek Canyon.

Being there to celebrate Brooke, I couldn't help but realize that with time passing so quickly, we could be celebrating Brooklyn's wedding day before I know it.  (But please, no rush!  You can kiss once you're thirty.)


Sweet, sweet Brooklyn, you are a blessing to our family in so many ways.  I have to confess, I feel almost guilty now that you are twelve and happily babysitting for our family.  Any time Dad and I need to slip out, you are so cheerful about staying home to help.  You do a great job caring for all of your siblings, most especially Annika who shares a very treasured bond with you.

We are so proud of your commitment and hard work, whether at school, choir,  piano, cello, Girl Scouts, or Young Women's.  Yet as grateful as we are for all these wonderful things you do, we are even more proud of the wonderful person you are--loving, creative, insightful, spiritual, intelligent, compassionate, and much more.  We are so excited for all the new adventures you will have as an ELPer at West next year.  (For those in need of translation, Brooklyn is planning to join a small cohort of middle schoolers in the Extended Learning Program at West High School for seventh and eighth grades.)  Great things await.

Happy, happy birthday, Brooklyn.

You are quite the Young Woman.