These are a few of my favorite photographs from Noelle’s modeling portfolio. She has worked so hard all year long behind the scenes to work towards her dreams, and they are big. She is larger than life! Everything else from here on out is just a bonus. She spent almost every Saturday this year in modeling and acting classes, preparing for auditions and hopefully signing with an agency. Her first success, was auditioning for the most prestigious art school in DFW, and getting in!!! She auditioned in the subjects of visual art and theater. Mike and I thought it would be good practice for her to experience an audition with no pressure or job on the line, so we signed her up to audition. But when the acceptance letter came with the first words being, “Congratulations!” we could not believe what we were seeing! We hadn’t really even looked into the school other than knowing it has an awesome reputation, because it just seemed way too competitive for even a shot, but we couldn’t have been more wrong. Noelle is a go getter! Then, was her audition for her modeling agency. They absolutely loved her, and she’s about to sign with them and get started officially with her little career! That’s the update on her extra-curricular activities this year!

She still loves art and drawing, but her medium now is hair and make-up. She can now officially style, braid and curl hair better than her Mama. Although the end goal is to teach your kids how to be self-sufficient and possess skills they will use and enjoy later in life, I didn’t think it would happen this quickly! I redid a braid on Anna Kate 5 times last week and finally I said, “Noelle, could you do this braid for me?” She whipped it up the first try, pancaked it and it looked awesome and stayed in all day. Although my pride was a little wounded, I’m beyond proud of her! She did my make-up for my baby shower because I just do not understand contouring. She teaches me new things every day. They even have a make-up department in her new school! I have a sneaking suspicion every kid will be made over in that school by Noelle before she graduates! One more thing, back to hair. Everyone always compliments her on her hair styles out in public. She just smiles and politely says, “Thank you!” But I always interject, “She did it all by herself!” Then they always ask how old she is. This happens almost every time we run errands together. It’s hard because you don’t get an end of season ribbon, trophy or team high five being good at styling hair at age 9 (now 10), so I want her to get all the credit she deserves!

I’ve realized something being a mom of little girls for a decade. No matter how smart, talented or beautiful a girl is, they cannot be told that enough, especially by their mom and dad. It was my greatest fear Noelle would be arrogant a few years ago when I realized she was truly beautiful on the outside, not just to me, but in a different way, in a gorgeous way. So I withdrew my compliments, not really intentionally, just every time someone would tell her she was pretty, I would say, “You should see the inside!” or “Pretty is as pretty does.” I would never let her just say, “Thank you!” and take it in. I thought that would be her fall. But I was so wrong (yet again). Maybe it’s because she is a gentle, tender, sensitive soul, and compliments like that would mess up another little girl, but she needed those praises. She should be allowed to love herself and her beauty and just feel thankful and blessed that that is something she can use in life to spread love and kindness to others, and defend the underdog if need be. Her self esteem dropped during the ages of 7-8. It was a very hard, tearful time of struggling to fit in and find her place. I’m sure we will have more of that as the teenage years approach. We have ALL gone through those times in some form or fashion, but I’m going to be right here encouraging her and lifting her up with exactly how I feel about her beauty, both inside and out, because both are special and should be valued.

We are a little less than half-way done with our time with Noelle living in our home with us, raising her the best way we can. I think the most important thing is to keep talking and living the things that are important to us (not preaching to you guys on the outside, but living it personally on the inside), to instill values in her that will last a lifetime. Showing her through our actions what defending yourself and setting boundaries looks like, what giving back is all about, caring about yourself as much as you do about others, having a total blast and not caring what others around us think in regard to judgment, how to show empathy and compassion to those in our path, those in world at large and to the world itself—big lessons for little minds.

Noelle is unique, creative, kind, good, happy, loving, inspiring… fill in the blank with any word that is a synonym for awesome! Noelle is destined to work hard and be great at whatever she loves and wants to do in life, but the thing that matters most to us is who Noelle is, and although she will make mistakes and slip up along the way, Noelle is a wonderful human being. And she has richly blessed our life for over 10 years now, and we will never be the same.

Thank you, Bella, for being your unique self, for helping and giving unconditionally, and pouring your love into our family! We’re excited about all your future holds, because you are you, and you do it so well. Crowns off to you, kid! xoxo, Mommy and Daddy