Vera the Teenager!

 Vera is 13 years old.

Sadly we missed a 12-year-old blog, but here we are, all the way to 13-years-old.

How can I possibly express how much I love this girl?

I was on a hike with some new homeschool families recently and a mom said "Is that your daughter? I saw her identifying wild azalea and then drinking out of the stream with a life-straw. How old is she? Because, I'm thinking I want to be friends with her, like, now!"

And I smiled with pride at my wild, crafty, nature-loving girl, and gave thanks that I get to be her mom and her friend.

Vera is a hard worker and a creator of beautiful things. She has made lovely embroideries, brewed mead and made blueberry soda, she has bred beta fish, skinned a deer, raccoon, and fish (and made fish leather). 

Vera sips on pine-needle tea, bakes our family's bread, and weaves baskets. She draws nature journal entries that pay attention to the details of a worn out leaf or a crumpled flower. 

Vera likes real, down-to-earth activities. 

Not a squeamish girl (if you didn't already pick up on that).

Not only is she a creator of beauty, she is beautiful herself. And just look at that hair.

This is a girl after my own heart.

But she is also a girl after her Daddy's heart, and she thinks a lot like him. She is analytical and logical; she's a wiz at math. She keeps her nose in books when it isn't pointed up at the canopy of trees in our yard. And sometimes you'll find her climbing up into that canopy. This girl is gentle yet fierce. She is hard working. She does not conform. She is faithful.

She puts up with 4 brothers!

I'm so proud of my girl and so blessed to be her mom.

Click here to see her 11-year-old interview.

Vera's 13-year-old interview:

What do you want to do when you grow up?

I want to be a large animal vet. ...and possibly a professional soccer player.

What's your favorite color?

Dark green and blue.

What do you like to do?

Read, make crafts (such as pine-needle baskets), play chess, play soccer, and spend time outside.

What do you like to eat?

Potatoes (raw and cooked... just not potato chips), peaches, milk, zucchini and summer squash, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bread (she makes her own whole wheat and sourdough... and especially likes to eat bagels), cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and pineapple upside-down cake (which she just made today for the first time, so it is a new love).

Who is your favorite character?

Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars)

What is your favorite song?

Most songs by Skillet.

What is your favorite thing about school?

Learning things about the world. I like going to the farm for environmental science and playing with the baby goats.

What is your favorite show?

Family Matters and The Mandalorian

What is your favorite book?

I like books by Erin Hunter (Warriors and Seekers), Harry Potter, and Joey by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley