Happy 13th Birthday Danielle!!!!

Danielle has been such a delight since she was born. She slept through the night from day 1. I had to wake her up to eat after 6 hours. She was actually Ashlyn Danielle for the first 3 days of her life...John wanted Danielle and didn't care how I used it, so I was going to use it as her middle name. On the 3rd day, I was rocking and nursing her and looked down at her and the thought came to me that she is Danielle. If she was going to be called Danielle, I wanted that to be her name so I called the hospital and asked if they still had my paperwork and they had her birth certificate ready to send out on her desk. She changed it as we spoke on the phone. Her name became Danielle Larae. She was born with a VSD or small hole in the heart where the valves did not completely close and we had to go to a few doctor appointments. Last year I recieved a call about Ashlyn Merrell and it took me a while to figure out what it was about. Their files had never been closed out.

Anyway....Here are 13 reasons why we LOVE Danielle:
1. Her spunk. She is always been so fun and looking to have fun.















2. Her love of family. She loves her family and always enjoys playing games or anything else.

3. Her love of Christ and the gospel. She loves learning his teachings.

4. Her willingness to stand up for others. She is not afraid to stand up for herself or others even if it means getting in a fight with a boy. She is TOUGH and will protect those who need it.

5. She is the brother J.J. never had. She will wrestle with him, loves sports, doesn't care if she gets dirty, but she better look good doing it.










6. Her sense of style. I have always said that she is my oxymoron. She is such a girly girl and will be so dressed up or change her clothes 2-3 times a day, but she is such a tom boy too. She loves sports and lives to play them.














7. She loves sports. It has been so much fun to watch her games.














8. Her determination. She will leave school ball and go directly to club ball so she will have practice for 5 hours straight. She does not quit. If she is in a fight at home, I literally will have to pull her off.

9. Her smile. She has such a contagious smile. It makes me happy to see it.

10. She is helpful. She will come and ask what she can do or will ask if she can make cookies or whatever else that needs done (when she wants).

11. She is modest in her dress. I don't have to try to disuade her in what she is wearing. She will modify what she likes or is stylish to be modest.

12. She loves children. She is always willing to help watch other children - even Mikenna.

13. She is an example to others. She is living the Young Women Values and working on getting her medallion.

Thanks Danielle for being the young woman you are. You are a great daughter and our family wouldn't be the same without you. You are so much fun. We may tease and joke, but seriously, you are an AMAZING young woman that I admire. I look at you and see so much potential. I see your strength and the way you stand up for yourself at your age and I wish that I would have been able to when I was your age. Stay the way you are. WE LOVE YOU and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!