Terrific Twelve!


Happy 12th birthday, Lincoln!

I am feeling a bit nostalgic as I reflect on this birthday post.  You are a full-fledged tween now, with all the highs and lows this chapter entails.  We love you and your silly, spunky self SO much, for SO many reasons! YEET!

You are hilarious, with a quick, biting wit that makes your sister guffaw, your dad beam with pride, and me wish my dad could banter with you. Your snappy wordplay is only surpassed by your ability to also rap and recite with remarkable speed.  You easily deliver jokes you’ve read, but often come up with funny wisecracks all by your silver-tongued-self.  You make us laugh every single day, and our home is a happier place because of the humor you share with us. NOICE!

You are a natural musician.  Whether humming or singing or whistling or tapping or actually playing the saxophone or keyboard, your pitch, tone, and tempo blow my mind.  Plus, you imitate a horn like I’ve never seen or heard before.  I am in awe of the music you make, and Daddy and I were thrilled to hear Mr. Purington, Mrs. Scherer, and Mr. Lammly all commend your skills and how well you use this gift.  We hope you continue to enjoy making music in all forms, including singing behind closed doors!

You are a great student.  You hate to be recognized for this, but it deserves to be noted!  Your teachers rave about your behavior in class, how well you work with everyone, your positive attitude, and your leadership.  We are very proud of you!

You work hard.  Middle school presented its share of challenges, but you were disciplined and stayed on task for the most part.  Daddy and I were impressed with the balance you reached, as you came to understand that what matters most is fair effort, regardless of the outcome. While sometimes that effort proved challenging at times (art homework comes to mind, as does any assignment that involved coloring!), you still delivered quality work and earned terrific grades, plus the Golden Eagle award! 

You play harder.  Whether on the X-box, basketball court, playground, or yard, you embrace the benefit of being a kid: if there isn’t work to do, have fun!  You’ll do homework on the bus ride home just so you can join a game with friends as soon as you walk in the door.  While we worry about keeping tech in check, we see how much you enjoy gaming with your friends.  And no matter how crazy the game/competition sounds, you all are still friends at the end of the escapade.  I only wish I could keep up with you!  Your frisbee skills, kickball prowess, and flag football finesse promise the coming summer will be a great one.

You are learning to embrace new experiences.  You still have apprehension with “the future state,” but are learning to quiet your protests, and open yourself up to the possibility that change is OK and you might actually have a good time.  Your are learning to keep contrariness in check, and understand the value in participating.  When we voyaged to London and Stockholm last July, you tackled global travel like a pro, tried new foods, and enjoyed cultural differences.  We need that cooperation and open-mindedness to translate to our daily lives!

You are responsible. You are a huge help in the kitchen with after-dinner clean-up, care for Yeager, tidy up your room, and mow the front lawn. You even shovel the driveway!  Plus, you took excellent care of your Chromebook all year, keeping it charged and remembering to take it to school. We appreciate being able to trust you to take care of yourself, your dog, and our house.  Just please don’t open the door to strangers again!

Overall, your 12th year on this planet was a blast, and we look forward to what another year will bring -- certainly more music, laughter, fun, and games.  We hope all your birthday wishes come true, Boo!