Twelve Already

Dear Weston,

Today you are 12, which is a little hard for me to believe. Time just seems to go by so quickly, and in a blink you have become a young man--a young man who I am very proud of and constantly amazed by! You have changed and matured a lot this year, and it's so fun to watch you learn and grow.

You played football in the spring, but this summer you decided you were ready for a change of pace and chose basketball for your sport for this school year, surprising pretty much everyone. But, you haven't regretted your decision, and you are enjoying learning a new sport and are looking forward to the time when you start playing games. You definitely still enjoy watching football, and you were thrilled that Dad and I gave you tickets to the TCU/OU game for your birthday.

Another activity you have gotten involved in this school year is scouting. You joined the Boy Scouts in late August, and you have poured yourself into it and have worked very hard to catch up with the boys who joined in the spring. I have been amazed and impressed with your hard work and intense attention to completing the requirements to earn the merit badges and higher ranks. You have showed great levels of leadership and responsibility, and you really enjoy working towards specific goals and checking them off your list when you accomplish them. You are hoping to someday achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, and at the rate you are going, I have no doubt that you will make that a reality.

You are also participating in Cotillion this year, which you enjoy but are a little shy about. Once a month, you meet with a group of your peers to learn etiquette skills and some ballroom dances. You can appreciate that you are learning important life skills, but some of the things are a little outside your comfort zone. I'm proud of you for doing it anyway and for pushing through those uncomfortable feelings in an effort to better yourself. Trust me, your future self will appreciate the investment. 

You still very much enjoy traveling, and you had so much fun on our summer RV trip around the western U.S. and Canada. You were especially pleased to see Mt. Rushmore, and you loved the Alaskan cruise, where you made lots of friends and enjoyed a high level of freedom. And, of course, you were always interested in trying the local food for each state and any other edible offerings we came across! As usual, your favorite places were the cold, snowy places. We also got to travel to Nashville for the solar eclipse, and we just got back from a trip to D.C. You enjoyed both trips immensely. Additionally, Nana took just you to Williamsburg for a special birthday trip, and you had a blast spending some quality time with Nana and learning about colonial times as well as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Your favorite thing was Monticello, as you are fascinated by Thomas Jefferson and love learning about his life.

You have been enjoying reading The Economist magazine the past several months, and you have become interested in the stock market. As of now, you are kind of thinking you might want to pursue a career in financial planning or economics. Financial fields seem like a good fit since you are very interested in math and money, and you appreciate a good spread sheet. You love to ponder the difficult problems of the world, and you ask lots of questions to try ensure you are well educated about these matters. Never lose your desire to learn and to think about hard things! Those traits will serve you well no matter what you ultimately decide to do for a career.

Weston, you are such a sweet son and brother and grandson and friend -- an absolute joy to everyone who knows you. You have a great sense of humor and always have us laughing, but you can also be very serious and contemplative. You are thoughtful and helpful, and you give hugs and compliments freely. You are adventurous, and you add an element of fun to almost every day. I love you so much and am so proud of the amazing young man you have become! Happy 12th birthday!

Love,
Mom

My favorite 12-year-old