Mariah is 12!

Twelve years of Mariah...our oldest who has wisdom beyond her years, the most amazing belly laugh, a creator of endless stories, playmate of her younger siblings, lover of music, and the best friend to others.  

I'm just going to start with her interview, because it shows how much she has grown and changed this past year. 

1. What do you like most about yourself right now?

I like my growing ability to be able to better see other's needs and try to fill them and to be a        peacemaker. It's not perfect yet, but I'm working on it. 

2. What do you think your future job will be? 

I definitely am going to be a mother; I was wondering if I could earn some money by writing books because thats what I love. I've also been considering being an Orthodontist. 

3. What do you love to eat? 

Alfredo pasta and homemade pizza. 

4. How do you like to spend your time? 

Reading, playing with my siblings and practicing instruments, mostly piano, but I do like the violin too. 

5. What are you good at? 

I'm pretty good at piano and I feel like I have a talent for singing. 

6. Who are your best friends and why do you like each other? 

Probably my whole family, extended too. They're my best friends because they always are trying to be kind and patient with everybody and they make you feel special. They're just good to be around. 

Mariah loves her cousins. She is always asking when she is going to get to see them again, the ones in Missouri and the others all over the country. 

7. Who is someone you look up to? 

I really look up to my mom and dad. I also look up to my grandparents a lot. I have a good family so it's hard to decide. I feel like I'm looking up to different family members at different times because they're all good people and I can learn different things from each of them. 

8. What makes you sad? 

When I can't perfect a piano piece, when I compare myself to others and when I'm unkind to someone. 

9. What is your favorite outfit to wear? 

I love the color blue so I love my new blue (gingham) shirt. I also like to wear jeans, but thats just my fancy outfit. Usually when I'm playing I just like my jean shorts and a t-shirt. 

10. What makes you really annoyed? 

When mom makes Spaghetti and when Chet or Austin tease me. (Nothing puts her in a greater state of depression than finding out that I'm making spaghetti for dinner.)

11. What makes you feel proud? 

When I perfect a piano piece and play it in front of lots of people. Also when I perform in front of a lot of people or when I accomplish something. (Mariah is always willing to sing in church and is so grateful to our friend Elizabeth giving her so many opportunities to do that.)

12. What makes you happy? 

Reading a good book. 

13. Which of your nicknames do you like the most? 

One of my cousin's Aunts called me Ry-Ry and I really liked that. I sometimes like to be called MJ too though. 

14. What's the best thing thats happened to you lately? 

Performing in my local community talent show and playing a piece that I arranged all by myself while singing as well. 

15. What do you do when you feel sad? 

Sometimes I just need emotional therapy so I do something calm like sit and read a book or just have some alone time in my bedroom. But sometimes I need to go and tell someone why I'm sad like my mom or dad and that helps me to feel better. 

16. What's your favorite thing to do with mom? 

I like to talk with her about things as we're driving to orthodontist appointments. Thats just really fun; I enjoy listening to music with her and how she sings along to the songs and tries to sound like the singers, even though she doesn't at all. (I think I do a mean Alicia Keys impression...)

17. What's your favorite thing to do with dad? 

Go to Young Women's with him and listen to Audiobooks and go to Walmart and hear him ask, "What do you need?" and I'll say, "I don't need anything, but I might want something." and then sometimes I get to pick out a little treat to eat on the way home. 

She has such a special relationship with her dad. 

18. What's your favorite thing to do with Chet? 

I like to play games with him and see all his new projects that he's done and show me how to do certain things. It's also really fun to play Pickle ball with him. 

These two are constantly teasing each other and it usually ends in laughter. 

19. What's your favorite thing to do with Austin? 

Gently tease him and then he'll tease me back. Sometimes throw a blanket over his head or something. I also like to draw things for him and we'll draw together and its really fun to see what we end up drawing. 

20. What's your favorite thing to do with Eliza? 

I also draw some things for her and I like seeing her excitement over the things I draw and it makes me feel special and good at drawing. I also like to talk with her before we go to bed. She says some silly things sometimes and she'll sit on my bed and watch me read. She has a habit of asking, "Can I have this?" And its one of my random belongings that I've had for a long time and I let her share it and we do something with it. 

Mariah is so good to Eliza. She has never complained about sharing a room with two much younger sisters. 

21. What's your favorite thing to do with Vivi? 

Chase her around the house and catch her to tickle her. I also love giving her a piggyback up hills or when her feet are hurting because it makes me feel like a good big sister.

22. What's your favorite thing to do with Asa? 

Watch him learn and grow by giving him different toys to explore and play with. I also love making him laugh.

23. What do you want to be when you grow up? 

Some of my two top priorities are: 1. To become like Jesus Christ. 2. To become a kind and loving Mother, Aunt, and Grandmother

Mariah was the reason I started this blog twelve years ago. I wanted to be able to document all the things I never wanted to forget about that sweet, baby girl. And now she is so grown up and such a delight. Time just keeps marching on!