Tiger Lily

Earlier this week was New Beginnings. New Beginnings is an annual event for girls ages 12-18 and their parents, priesthood leaders, and their leaders. In our church, girls ages 12-18 are in the Young Women program.

Mikelle is still 11, but because she is turning 12 this year (ack! I am still wrapping my head around that!), she was also part of New Beginnings this year.  

This event helps Young Women and their parents learn about the Young Women program. It includes an explanation of Personal Progress and a presentation of the Young Women them, logo, motto, and age-group purpose statements and symbols.  It helps young women and their parents plan for events in the coming year.

 A few days before the event, we were asked to identify our 2012 incoming Young Women with a type of flower and "why". After a little consideration, this is what we submitted for Mikelle:

Tiger Lily

Like the Tiger Lily's fragrance, she is strong but can be sweet. When she was 
blessed as a baby, "strength" is what continued to play in her dad's mind. This 

is a unique flower and Mikelle is unique and creative.  She can be fiery like it's

orange color,  tenacious and passionate. The Tiger Lily is a reddish-orange but it is

also spotted and there is a superstition that smelling a Tiger Lily will give you freckles. 

Mikelle definitely has her share of freckles. She is definitely a unique tiger lily, 
standing out in a field of clovers. 

September 2009 - My favorite "freckle pic" 

Age 9 

Each of these girls that will be 12 this year had that description read and they were presented with a silk flower matching their description.

Chris loved the description - especially referencing her blessing day and her "strength"..And those premonitions of strength certainly ring true. Sure, right now her pre-teen self is using that strength in examples of stubbornness and being argumentative, but I also admire that she is going through these tough childhood years much better than I did, and I think her strength is a big part of it. For me, once the awkward period hit, it hit hard. However, Mikelle is going through it exponentially better and I am proud of her and relieved. While Mikelle is struggling academically with one teacher in particular (it's a personality thing), she is enjoying Middle School and is a good friend. While she isn't a Queen Bee (whew!) or a Lemming follower, she is confident to march to her own drum. I am grateful for that.

Now to work on the stubborn and argumentative thing......I don't know where she could have possibly gotten that! ;-)

Mikelle's Blessing Day 

October 1, 2000

 Age 8 Weeks

P.S. Regarding the above picture, in my best Chandler Bing voice:

                       "Can my dress BE any plainer?"

                       "Can Chris LOOK any younger?" 

He's 30 there! Really, he is!