Our beautiful Laurel turns 17 years old today! She is bright, just, mature, respectful, kind, helpful and just the very best person you want to be around! Her faith is her whole world....her faith in God, herself, her family, and her future. She is the most confident and assured teenager I know. Laurel has no worries about her future. Even if she does not know every step her future will take her, she is confident that it will be the perfect one for her! Her commitment to her school, friends, job, and activities is full and undeniable. She likes things to be absolute with no room for a different interpretation. Her graciousness is evident in how she treats everyone as she would want to be treated. The last few months of this year has been a new way of living for Laurel, with her now being the oldest child in the house and getting used to an entire new school and community. She jumped in with both feet and has excelled and we are so proud of her! Laurel knows when it's time for her to be alone and recharge. As the now primary teenage driver, she has really grown to love driving...both to get to shopping places as well as to just be alone and listen to music. She is the best person to dig her heels in when she doesn't want to do something so we have to really consider whether it's worth the fight. Laurel doesn't dwell on the negative, though, so when an argument or frustration is over, she's totally done thinking about it! Her maturity in her speech is refreshing and often times very funny! She brings out phrases that is mostly hear among the 80-year old crowd as opposed to a teenager and it is honestly something I look forward to! Laurel loves catching frogs in the pond, soccer, abandoned buildings, ribs, floral decor, perfumes, swinging on the circle swing out front while eating a bowl of cereal, Camp Yamhill, her room, painting her nails, mug cakes, and connecting with her friends on social media. She does not like credit card tips instead of cash tips, lunch, sales tax, carbonated beverages, being cold, chores, trains, spaghetti, disloyalty, or hanging up her clothes. Laurel is a leader and an example and is full of integrity. She has a personality that I strive for as an adult....and she has already mastered. God has blessed her and our family is certainly blessed to have her a part of it. We are thankful every day for Laurel and we love you so much Lowlie Annie!
