She's 13

Today is another Dirty Dozen and Alumni Challenge ...but before I get to the card.  It's a big day, and I just found that I have a lot to say about it.  Feel free to pass by my Mom story to the card if you need to :)

Today is our daughters' 13th Birthday.  Today at 6:20 AM she becomes a teenager.  We threatened to wake her to celebrate LOL!  I just can't believe it's been 13 years.   I had the shocking realization the other day that we probably only have about 5 more years with her at home.  And that realization really hit me.  Normally I'm not the kind of Mom that get's too wistful about passages.  Generally I just feel excited to enter into whatever is next for my kids, excited for them, and excited for us.  And yet today I find myself quite wistful about this passage. 

Where did 13 years go?  She is our eldest...the firstborn, the kid that broke us in as parents :)  There were times when it was a major breaking us in (I mean seriously 10 ear infections in her first 18 months???) and yet there have been many other times where she's let us off SO easy compared to her brothers.  She is an amazing young woman already.  Just an inch away from me in height, with bigger feet than me already.  Incredible intelligence.  True compassion for others, and an authentic walk with God.  Willing to help (most of the time!).  And much of the time really fun to be with :)

But just 5 short years till she's 18...if these past 13 years have flown by, oh my, where will the next 5 go?  Will I have taught her enough?  Will we have prepared her for the world she will enter?  Will she value the things that are most important?  Can I hand over the car keys to her in 3 years?  Is she ready for how to handle heartache and is she ready for how to manage celebration?  Can I teach her to love freely but to guard her heart?  That beauty comes most from the beautiful spirit God has given her inside, not outside.  Will she know that receiving really comes most profoundly from giving? 

...oh so much in store these next 5 years.  I'm so glad that God gave me this little glimpse into how short the time is - so I can appreciate it more, and so I can make the most of it.  It is our joy to be her parents.

Alright - what did I create for this brand-new Teen today? 

Well in our DD/DDA Challenge Jodi challenged us to use Paper Piecing and Fall or Christmas colors. 

I paper pieced this young lady to an inch of her life!  Her blouse, dress, shoes (yes those teeny tiny shoes!) and her shopping bags are paper pieced individually with different selections from the Indian Summer Basic Grey pack.  I colored her skin and hair with copics.   I really wanted the sentiment to run vertically so I used my computer to design a little Teenager sentiment and put it into the Fancy Label. 

Some gems and pearls and some gorgeous Satin ribbon seem to give it that grown up feel too. 

Be sure to check out the other DD/DDA Girls creations with the keywords DCPOM1009 on Splitcoaststampers! 

Recipe:  Stamps:  Flourishes Gigi and Chloe;  Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Flourishes Classic White, Basic Grey Indian Summer DSP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels 6 Nestabilities, K & C Gems, Kaiser Pearls, Fancy Labels Nestabilities, Copic Markers, Scallop Punch, Piercer, May Arts Satin (Chocolate).