Just need to brag about my Brookie! She has had a big couple of months. Today I signed her progress report...all A's (not surprised at all). Brooke finished her personal progress on her birthday. This is a big deal. Basically she had until she was 18 to finish it and she did it only 2 years! Her amazing personal progress leader Lindsay made her a beautiful quilt as a "way to go" gift! go to Lindzsews.blogspot.com to see it! Brooke was inducted into the Junior National Honors Society and is the Vice President of History for the group. They are going to be raising money in the next few months so they can fund Micro Loans for women in 3rd world countries! Brooke had to give a little introduction at the induction ceremony and did a great job! Brooke has been babysitting like crazy and I have the parents tell me all the time what a great job she does. One day she had 3 jobs...8 am, 1 pm and 7 pm! The best part? She saves every penny. I had her get a debit card when we set up the account and she has only used it once in the 3 months since. Brooke was also selected to be a school ambassador. She submitted an application and a group of teachers chose students to represent the school. They do special events for the school like "say no to drugs week". Brooke went to her first stake dance. None of her friends were available or old enough to go so she basically went alone (we did carpool with a neighbor boy, but they didn't hang out). At the dance she found some friends from school and she hung out with them. They noticed a girl all by herself and decided to ask her to hang out with them. They included this girl the entire night. (I keep thinking of the girls parents. We so hope that our kids will have confidence and feel included. I am sure they were praying that night that their girl would find a friend. Brooke hasn't seen the girl since, but I am sure it made a big impact on her) Brooke was recently selected as one of 8 kids in the stake to be interviewed for the stake youth conference video. The stake leaders prayed aobut which kids should be chosen and Brooke was one of them. On a side note, after the youth conference one of the leaders complimented us because Brooke was one of the few girls that was dressed modestly the entire time and they were very impressed by her! Yesterday a friend stopped me and said she just wanted to let me know what a great girl Brooke was. She put on a Halloween dinner for her son and the big group of kids that all hang out. The meal and decorations were so over the top fun! The 3rd course was meatloaf shaped like rats! At this point I guess Brooke asked her how much work she had gone to for the night. Susan couldn't believe a 14 year old had noticed her hard work and had actually mentioned it to her. It wasn't a "thanks for the ride" kind of moment, but a moment where someone noticed your hard work and actually mentioned it. Susan was very impressed! My friend Brandy calls Brooke and old soul. She is so right on. While I was out of town recently Brooke was at a birthday party. At 11 she told her friend she needed to leave to make sure her dad had put the other kids to bed! Sometimes I wish Brooke wouldn't take so much on herself, but I realize this is her. She is so responsible. She is learning to have more fun, but she does it her way, responsibly! That I am very thankful for!
