In Which My Daughter Turns Thirteen

Our daughter is thirteen years old today!

I'm hoping that this will mark the last birthday she has without our family.  With any luck by this time next year she'll be celebrating with us! 

Though we don't have any contact with her yet, we wanted to get her a gift anyway.  Either we'll send it over with our adoption agency when they go next time, or we'll hold on to it and give it to her when she is here.  While we weren't able to go out together today (because I had roller derby practice-- woohoo!) hopefully we'll get the chance to go out this weekend and pick out something for her.  I think we're leaning towards a necklace or a bracelet; something small, sturdy and appropriate for a thirteen year old who's not used to having possessions of her own. 

I was really hoping to have Ellen's Christmas stocking finished by today, but it just didn't happen.  I'm about halfway through the tail on the peacock, so it's coming along slowly.  I figure by this time next month I'll probably be done unless I get completely fed up with it and have to put it aside for a while.  I'm already thinking about the next stocking I want to do; I figure I might as well make several so when people in my family have kids I'll just need to put the name on, line them and sew the whole thing together.  The next one will probably be a wee bit simpler, though.  I'm thinking a closeup of a yeti in a snowstorm. 

Seriously, though, the next stocking will probably involve yetis.  Because yetis are awesome.

So anyway, Happy Birthday, Ellen!  Thirteen will be a big year for her; and she's embarking on two great adventures: a new life and the start of her road to adulthood.  It'll be a tremendous challenge, but I think there are exciting things ahead for her.

I can't wait to be a part of her life!

~Jess