Miriam turned 14! This is actually one of those few birthdays that felt overdue. Miriam has felt so mature and grown up, that it kept surprising that she hadn't turned 14 yet. "Oh yeah, you're still 13." Miriam at 13 and 14 has been so much fun! She is funny, hard-working, kind, responsible, super smart, strong, and extremely loving. Miriam has had to have exceptional endurance since turning 14 about wearing her full time brace. She certainly doesn't wear it all of the time, but she wears it a bunch during the day. It is uncomfortable, and cuts off circulation to her left arm quite a bit. Miriam is such a sweet daughter and fun sister. She still loves to cuddle and will come running in if she hears other people cuddling. She is getting more patient with her younger sisters, and she is her older sister's best friend. She helps us all so much and has so much self control for her age.
Miriam started high school! Somewhat reluctantly she tried a couple of new things that pushed her out of her comfort zone. She did band instead of choir, and she joined the early morning swim team. Both of those were not really her idea, but I think she has thrived in the challenge. She made good friends in band and has enjoyed the better band teacher in the high school. She even did the pep band at the school games. It has been so fun to watch her play there.
Swim team has also been a challenge. She was so nervous and cried the first day. But she stuck with it and has made some amazing friends. Ellie and Miriam have been buddies at swim, and Miriam has been just included in those friendships. She even gets invited to join those junior friends for bread day at a girl's house. It has been so fun to see her light up with these new challenges.
Miriam has also been navigating some new friendships. She has tried to juggle different friends from different groups, and even some new friends that moved in our ward from Germany. I think she has gained a lot of maturity at navigating how to be friends with someone even if it isn't exactly what she is hoping for. Her friends sure love her, sometimes a little too much.
Miriam is so strong. She did so well at swim and kept getting PRs throughout the swim season. She plays pickleball with me and other women on Wednesday night. She also tried skiing this last year and loved it. She got a bike for Christmas and beat me up the hills first try. She is going to try to run a 5k with me this next summer. I can't believe how capable and impressive she is.
Miriam is so smart. She is taking her first AP class and killing it. She is two years ahead in math and does great! She is also taking the first class on the medical pathway and is memorizing anatomy like a boss. She still does all of her other classes too, like biology and english. She took a ceramics class and charmed her teacher in no time at all. Her Spanish class is a little bit of a joke. Apparently she likes to take the hall pass to the 'bathroom' where she talks to her friends in German for 30 minutes or so. I don't know how much she is learning (not a lot), but she is getting an A still, and I can appreciate needing an easy class.
This girl still loves to read. Like a lot. Like all of the romance and romantisy. She loves it all--the friends to lovers, love triangles, fake dating, and all of the tropes. She also loves her romance in Kdrama form. (I feel like I am describing myself.) We love watching Kdramas together, but it always takes longer than you'd think to get through them because of conflicting things in the evening (bookclub, homework, babysitting, watching Taylor Swift music videos, etc.)
Questions for 14 year old Miriam:Where is one place you’ve always dreamed of going? I have always really wanted to go to Japan and South Korea.
If money were no object, what’s the first thing you would buy? A plane so plane tickets cost a lot less.
Does your family have any big traditions? We do lots of traditions like heavy heavy hangs over.
If you started a business, what would it be? Chocolate tasting with tea and a big garden. Or maybe I get to organize your house with an unlimited budget.
Do you enjoy being somewhere no one else knows you? Yes, that's why I like being in cities or in the hallways at school.
What do you wish you did more of? Traveling
If you had the opportunity to redesign society, what would you change? We would farm 90% of crops vertically and we would have separate public transportation for women and men. Our cities would build upwards and there would be a lot more protected greenspace.
What impresses you the most? When people can talk about themselves without bragging or complaining.
What brings you the most joy? Plants and clothes shopping and chocolate ice cream
What’s something that makes you feel overwhelmed? When our house is dirty.
Do you have a favorite way to celebrate small wins? Dance party
Do you enjoy taking the scenic route? No, unless it's really scenic.
What’s one tradition you’ve made for yourself as a teen? Journaling and Duolingo before sleeping in bed.
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be? Multitasking
What’s your go-to way to relax after a long day? Reading on my bed or Hand + foot with family, or k-drama
Is there a book or movie that’s had a big impact on you? 20th Century Girl, it was so sad and funny and happy.
Do you prefer planning things out or being spontaneous? A balance of both, I enjoy just doing things but sometimes it's easier to just plan it out.
What’s your go-to comfort meal? Chocolate ice cream or soup.
What’s one errand or task you actually enjoy doing? Watering the plants
Do you like going to the same vacation spot or somewhere new each time? Somewhere new, it's boring to just go to Disneyland or something.
What’s your favorite holiday or time of year? Christmas, it is busy but really fun.
Do you like road trips? Yes but there should be frequent breaks.
Have you ever kept a hobby going for years? Yes, being a plant mom.
What is something that makes you feel unstoppable? Music in both earbuds
What is the biggest compliment you can give someone? I would willing go on a road trip with you.
Would you call yourself brave? Not with spiders or heights/small spaces.
When do you feel the safest? in my bed cuddling with someone
What’s your favorite childhood memory? Sunday board games
What are you most grateful for in life? Where and when and who i was born to
What’s something you’re really bad at? Humility
What’s a small act of kindness someone did for you that you’ll never forget? One time this person gave me a card game on the street during a parade.
What do you look for when finding new friends? Similarities with interests and family dynamics.
Do you think you’re a friendly person? Yes
Who do you admire most and why? My parents for raising me
Have you ever had a spiritual experience? Yes
What’s the quickest way someone can lose your trust? Talking bad about someone when they are actually a genuinely good person
Is it easy for you to accept help from people? Yes
Do you live by any particular mantra? Live in the moment, except I'm really bad at it
How would you spend your last day on earth? Playing board games with my family
Do you consider yourself introspective? Yes? if that means what I think it means
What is your number one goal in life? Be happy long term
How do you hope people describe you? Happy and open
What is something that gives you hope? Children
What is something that makes you really angry? The government
Do you have a biggest fear? Being kidnapped by a psycho and sold into sex slavery
How do you express your love for someone? Trying to spend time with them
What does friendship mean to you? Two people choosing to be around each other and making memories
What is something you consider too serious to joke about? Epstein
What are you most proud of? I am most proud of my family
What’s your least favorite emotion? Guilt or loneliness
What’s your least favorite part about being you? I don't develop morally very fast
How do you react to anger from others? Anger and detachment
What’s a dealbreaker for you in a relationship? If the person can't accept my boundaries or respect them
What do you think it means to be healthy? Eating good, sleeping good, having good relationships, and taking time for yourself.
What do you love most about life? How many diverse experiences there are.
Do you tend to trust people easily? Yes, I overshare a lotttt.
What is something you have never truly wrapped your head around? That we will live forever
Describe your perfect day. Wake up cuddling Ellie or someone, someone shouts pancakes and I go down and we eat pancakes and then we leave for a day trip somewhere cool within like 45 minutes of our house. We hike and swim in a waterfall. Then we go home and get cafe rio and play board games and then watch a K-drama
What’s the best cereal? Cinnamon toast crunch
What’s a movie you could watch every day? Maybeee a short one, idk what topic i wouldn't get tired of
What’s your dream career? Dermatologist
Which unconventional animal do you wish you could have as a pet? a Dik-dik
Would you rather spend the day at an art museum or on a backcountry trail? the Louvre in Paris
What is one super-specific museum you would visit? The Louvre
What is the worst song, in your opinion? Maybe like songs that just have screaming and no melody or anything
If you could get rid of any genre of music, which would it be? Heavy metal
What’s the most relaxing part of your day? Right before bed or in the morning before I have to leave
What are you most excited about for the future? Travel and memories
What do you think the ultimate theme party would be? K drama
What’s on the top of your bucket list? Japan, Thailand, all of Europe, South Korea, Australia
What do you think the worst job out there is? HR
If you have the opportunity to know the future, would you want to know? Yes, I want to know who to date.
Where is the most beautiful place you have ever seen in person? Kauai
Where is the fanciest place you’ve ever been? The mansions in Boston.
What’s your favorite kind of weather? Sunny with it being 72 outside
Olivia Rodrigo or Sabrina Carpenter? Sabrina Carpenter
Do you like cities or remote places better? Cities, I am attached to air conditioning
Would you survive a zombie apocalypse? Absolutely not, would be the third person to die
What’s the worst pick-up line? If you were a fruit, you'd be a fine-apple.
What would be the funniest superpower? flying two feet in the air anytime you hiccuped, farted, coughed, or sneezed.
Would you choose uncontrollable farting over uncontrollable hiccuping? hiccuping
Which celebrity would you choose as a mentor? Bang Chan, IN, Taylor Swift
What dessert would you compare your best friend to? Ellie is like a kolachie
If different fruits could talk, which would sound the funniest? 100% a starfruit
Is a burger a sandwich? yes, but if it is a lettuce burger it's not
You have to choose one: eyelashes or eyebrows? oooo maybe eyebrows, I could wear falsies
If your phone could talk, what’s the most embarrassing thing it would reveal about you? the amount of self consious and mood swings I have.
If raindrops weren’t a thing, what would you want to fall from the sky? snow or pineapples
What’s the silliest way you’ve ever gotten an injury? doing a handstand on a pool vacuum
We had such a great day. We spent most of the day in Lost Eden canyon exploring slot canyons, enjoying the toasty water, and even did a little hike to an alcove. We figured out that John and Miriam had reverse ages 14 and 41, that will happen a few times in their lives, but I don't think it will happen for any of the rest of us. We ate a yummy lunch in a huge alcove, and then headed for home. We enjoyed listening to Harry Potter 6 on the drive, and stopped for dinner at Wendy's (Miriam's choice).
The following Sunday we celebrated Miriam's birthday more traditionally. We ate creme brulee french toast for breakfast. Her other food highlights included shrimp scampi and banana splits. (Good choices, girly!) For her presents she received dresses, marshmallow matey's, watercolor set, her own case of waterbottles, and a coupon for ear piercing (it was redeemed in February after the swim season).
We also took her birthday photos that day. She found this green dress when we were thrifting and absolutely fell in love with it. She calls it her "cupcake dress."
We went up to campus and took photos behind the Hinckley building. I loved the formal architecture with the formal dress. Miriam is absolutely radiant. What a gorgeous girl, inside and out!
We couldn't be more lucky to have Miriam in our family. We love her more than we can say. Happy 14th wonderful girl!!!
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| She chose to have her ears pierced with hoops! It is easier to bump them so I am wondering if she is regretting that choice. The tech kept telling us that she hadn't used that kind before--not helpful. I also made the tech redraw the dot on her ear like 4 times to get the placement perfect. It hasn't been quite a week since she got them pierced and I am writing this. She is having some blistering, and I hope it all works out well. Fingers crossed! |
