Happy Birthday Julianne

I don't cry when my kids go off to Kindergarten. Rejoicing and doing the "happy dance" is more the order of the day. But when they turn 12? Oh my. I end up an emotional mess.

Julianne turned 12 yesterday. At 6:55 AM about fifteen 12 and 13 year olds from the neighborhood came a-knocking at our door. (I had been pre-warned and was expecting them.) They woke Julianne from a dead sleep, blindfolded her and carried her up the stairs and out the door to a pancake breakfast down the street to celebrate her birthday and entrance to the Young Women program in the ward. Although she says the whole thing is a bit of an exhausted blur, she was very pleased.
Unfortunately for Julianne, she had a doctors appointment smack in the middle of the day. And seeing as going to the doctor on your birthday to start growth hormone shots is not usually on the list of fun ways to celebrate your birthday, I made sure to check her out a little extra early so we could go to lunch first at Five Guys. Big hamburgers and lots of fries. Dr. Lindsay was aware that it was Julianne's birthday. Felt kind of bad about it. Enough that they bought Julianne a little Happy Birthday cupcake to make the visit a little extra special. Have I mentioned how much I love our doctor?

And then, since Julianne and I had a rehearsal last night for "Power in His Touch," we had an early dinner with the rest of the family at Texas Roadhouse. She opened her presents there. Of all my children, she's the best at giving me detailed lists of gift ideas. Which means that she's always happy with what she receives, but not surprised. We did surprise her with a new bike earlier that morning though. Yay!So I spent the great majority of the day with my new 12 year old. Watching her, talking to her, thinking about what's in store for her now that she's turned 12. I found myself on the verge of tears all day. Happy tears. Complicated and overwhelming emotions. But good.