thirteen

Yesterday my second daughter entered the Teen Years. Here she is known as Horsey Girl, but at birth I named her Merideth. It was the name of a favorite soap opera character, and I purposely spelled it with the "i" first so I could shorten it to Meri, the most blessed of names. Mer means "of the sea".

Here she is the day she got her ears pierced. This ritual was saved for the moment of her first period, a long awaited and highly anticipated event. We will be celebrating for real at the North American Women's Herbal Symposium next month (more on that later).

I coined her Horsey Girl because she has always loved all things equine. With the arrival of her beloved Fanny Mae her world is now complete. Meri loves all animals and has a quiet sense of ease with them. She has been a great comfort to us in times of animal tragedy, such as when our oldest dog's leg was broken, and when a friend's dog was accidently struck by dh's truck and had to be put down. Her steady manner and deep compassion helped us all keep our heads.

Meri is one of the most creative people I know. She loves to deconstruct clothing and put it back together in imaginative ways. I always look forward to Halloween when she creates the most wonderful outfits from pure imagination. Developmentally I am thankful that Meri can still play, loves to be outdoors, and is always willing to help whenever she can (so unlike her older sister!) I pray that this sensibility is one of tempermant and will continue throughout her life.

Meri has a unique sense of style and never gets too caught up in what other people think of her, another difference between the two older girls. She likes thrift stores as much as I do, enjoys digging for treasure, and is still attracted to toys and stuffed animals and cuddly things. I would indeed describe her as cuddly; she often begs to sleep with me, fond to go back to the blissful days (before dh came along) when we snuggled together every night.

So far we have remained good friends. I don't push my needs or expectations upon her (unlike her dad) and she responds with good - naturedness and a generally pleasant outlook on life. Alas I fear she is a leaf in the wind, and sooner or later may succumb to the pressures put on her by the "other side". If that happens I can only let go with love, and know in my heart that our bond cannot be broken.

Happy Birthday sweet Meri. I love you with all my heart.