When You're Twelve Going on Thirteen
Chapter 1: Twelve
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Chapter 2: Eleven Going on Twelve
It is Friday, December 10, 2010. Sarah Walker is sleeping wonderfully when her sister little sister Lucie roughly wakes her up. Sarah can’t stand it when Lucie does this. She tries to get her to stop and instead go back to sleep but Lucie won’t let her. Sarah decides just to get up. She goes downstairs and sees her mom making waffles. She and Lucie gobble up their waffles hungrily. They are delicious!
Later that day they all head to Columbus for Sarah’s birthday lunch. She decides to go to Brio where they can watch the chefs cook. When they get back home Sarah opens her present from her parents. She receives pajamas, a DS game, and two headbands. They have to leave quickly so that they can make it to the church youth group family game night. Because it is Sarah’s birthday, her mom had ordered a cake to serve and everyone sang happy birthday to her. They played game after game. They had to grab cotton balls with their noses, bounce a ping pong ball on pizza boxes, and play knock out.
Sarah falls asleep in the car on the way home. The day had been so much fun. She couldn’t wait till the next day which was her birthday party.
It is Saturday, December 11, 2010. Sarah is pacing in front of the front door. She cannot wait till they come. It is her birthday party. There is a knock at the door. Sarah yanks the door open and she is met by her friend Virginia “Ginny” Lark and her sister Kate.
“Happy birthday!” exclaims Ginny.
“Thank you!” replied Sarah. She and Ginny watched as Kate and Sarah’s little sister Lucie go up stairs. They didn’t mind.
Sarah took their present and led Ginny to the basement and told her what they were going to do.
“We made chocolate covered fruit and we’re going to watch The Christmas Carol,” said Sarah.
“That sounds like so much fun!” says Ginny. Talking was one of Sarah and Ginny’s favorite things to do so they talked about their lives, the night before’s church youth group game night, and their Christmas plans. Finally, Sarah’s mom called them up for supper. They had hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls with cheese in them. It was one of Sarah’s favorites.
After that, they opened presents. Sarah received a card making kit from Ginny and Kate and a video series from her sister. As she opened her presents Kate and Lucie took videos and pictures of every little thing she did. She couldn’t stop laughing. Their mom gave them cake and fruit and sent them down to the basement to watch a movie. After the movie, Ginny and Kate had to go home. Sarah and Lucie were sad but they had had tons of fun.
As she went to sleep, she thought about the day. She thought about how much fun she had with her friends at the church and at her party and how much fun she had had with her family that day. Sarah Claire Walker decided that she had never had a birthday as good as this one was.
Later that day they all head to Columbus for Sarah’s birthday lunch. She decides to go to Brio where they can watch the chefs cook. When they get back home Sarah opens her present from her parents. She receives pajamas, a DS game, and two headbands. They have to leave quickly so that they can make it to the church youth group family game night. Because it is Sarah’s birthday, her mom had ordered a cake to serve and everyone sang happy birthday to her. They played game after game. They had to grab cotton balls with their noses, bounce a ping pong ball on pizza boxes, and play knock out.
Sarah falls asleep in the car on the way home. The day had been so much fun. She couldn’t wait till the next day which was her birthday party.
It is Saturday, December 11, 2010. Sarah is pacing in front of the front door. She cannot wait till they come. It is her birthday party. There is a knock at the door. Sarah yanks the door open and she is met by her friend Virginia “Ginny” Lark and her sister Kate.
“Happy birthday!” exclaims Ginny.
“Thank you!” replied Sarah. She and Ginny watched as Kate and Sarah’s little sister Lucie go up stairs. They didn’t mind.
Sarah took their present and led Ginny to the basement and told her what they were going to do.
“We made chocolate covered fruit and we’re going to watch The Christmas Carol,” said Sarah.
“That sounds like so much fun!” says Ginny. Talking was one of Sarah and Ginny’s favorite things to do so they talked about their lives, the night before’s church youth group game night, and their Christmas plans. Finally, Sarah’s mom called them up for supper. They had hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls with cheese in them. It was one of Sarah’s favorites.
After that, they opened presents. Sarah received a card making kit from Ginny and Kate and a video series from her sister. As she opened her presents Kate and Lucie took videos and pictures of every little thing she did. She couldn’t stop laughing. Their mom gave them cake and fruit and sent them down to the basement to watch a movie. After the movie, Ginny and Kate had to go home. Sarah and Lucie were sad but they had had tons of fun.
As she went to sleep, she thought about the day. She thought about how much fun she had with her friends at the church and at her party and how much fun she had had with her family that day. Sarah Claire Walker decided that she had never had a birthday as good as this one was.
Chapter 3: Christmas Activities
The next big thing that Sarah did was the Christmas band concert. This was Sarah’s first concert where she got to play with the band. She was very excited and nervous. She was wearing her black velvet dress and her snowflake pin which she had been given by her mom.
She was doing a solo of Deck the Halls on the flute. She was on second, right after a boy in beginner band who was playing Jingle Bells on the saxophone. After the boy had finished, Sarah, with her flute and music in hand, walked up to the music stand and started her solo. She played very well and bowed at the end. She was very proud.
Sarah was sitting with her parents, grandmother, and sister when she suddenly realizes that she left her band folder in the band room! She doesn’t know exactly how to get back because she doesn’t go to the school. She runs frantically around and finally spots it. She hurries back as fast as she can.
She gets back in plenty of time before it’s time for the steel drums to play. She goes up onto the stage with the rest of the band and they start playing Silent Night. Everything goes swimmingly until they get part way through Mozart’s Sleigh Ride and not everyone goes to the correct spot in the music. They have to start over. Sarah is so embarrassed! They do it well the second time. They now take the steel drums away and go to get their music and instruments.
Sarah and the others go on stage and start warming up. Once everyone is set they begin to play An African Carol beautifully. They play several other songs and end with their traditional Saints Hallelujah. As the audience exits the conductor talks to the band about when they start back up and things like that. Sarah couldn’t wait for band to start back up in January.
The next big thing was of course, Christmas. It was a wonderful Christmas. They got up and Sarah and Lucie read the Christmas story in Luke 2 with their family. After that they opened their stockings. Sarah received shoes and an outfit for her dolls and a bag for her point shoes that she had been wanting. There were even sock monkeys! Everyone’s stockings were loaded with candy as always.
The presents were wonderful as well. Sarah and Lucie gave their mom a comfortable mat to use when she cooked and a membership to a cooking website. They all gave Mr. Walker clothes from his favorite football team. For both Sarah and Lucie their favorite present was the same. They each received a Kindle. They were so excited. As Sarah went to sleep she thought, like after her birthday party, how much fun the day had been.
She was doing a solo of Deck the Halls on the flute. She was on second, right after a boy in beginner band who was playing Jingle Bells on the saxophone. After the boy had finished, Sarah, with her flute and music in hand, walked up to the music stand and started her solo. She played very well and bowed at the end. She was very proud.
Sarah was sitting with her parents, grandmother, and sister when she suddenly realizes that she left her band folder in the band room! She doesn’t know exactly how to get back because she doesn’t go to the school. She runs frantically around and finally spots it. She hurries back as fast as she can.
She gets back in plenty of time before it’s time for the steel drums to play. She goes up onto the stage with the rest of the band and they start playing Silent Night. Everything goes swimmingly until they get part way through Mozart’s Sleigh Ride and not everyone goes to the correct spot in the music. They have to start over. Sarah is so embarrassed! They do it well the second time. They now take the steel drums away and go to get their music and instruments.
Sarah and the others go on stage and start warming up. Once everyone is set they begin to play An African Carol beautifully. They play several other songs and end with their traditional Saints Hallelujah. As the audience exits the conductor talks to the band about when they start back up and things like that. Sarah couldn’t wait for band to start back up in January.
The next big thing was of course, Christmas. It was a wonderful Christmas. They got up and Sarah and Lucie read the Christmas story in Luke 2 with their family. After that they opened their stockings. Sarah received shoes and an outfit for her dolls and a bag for her point shoes that she had been wanting. There were even sock monkeys! Everyone’s stockings were loaded with candy as always.
The presents were wonderful as well. Sarah and Lucie gave their mom a comfortable mat to use when she cooked and a membership to a cooking website. They all gave Mr. Walker clothes from his favorite football team. For both Sarah and Lucie their favorite present was the same. They each received a Kindle. They were so excited. As Sarah went to sleep she thought, like after her birthday party, how much fun the day had been.
Chapter 4: Dance
Ever since she could remember, Sarah had been dancing. Sarah had been taking part in ballet since she was three. She didn’t know that soon it would come to an end for her. This was her last year in her dancing career. This going to be the most difficult year as well.
When Sarah was ten she would go to beginner band from 6:30-7:00 and then head over to dance from 7:30-8:30 on Thursdays. The next year Sarah moved up to advanced band which met from 7:30-8:30 and steel drums met from 8:45-9:30. She wasn’t able to attend her old ballet class and because of this had to move up to the next level of dance. This scared Sarah. She was only 11 turning 12 in a few months while they the next youngest was almost 14. The other girls were also so much better than her. She was scared she was slowing them down.
Pointe wasn’t any easier. Sarah didn’t originally want to take pointe that year but she ended up taking it anyway. She really struggled in it. A whole hour of being on her toes and being yelled at by her teacher really frustrated her. She tried her best in both of her classes but she could never seem to do very well.
Eventually it was recital time. Sarah always got so nervous before things like this. She was worried that she would drop her scarf that she danced with in ballet or fall in her pointe dance. Everything did go fine though. She danced both of her dances on both nights and had fun. She did almost forget her dance in pointe and she did drop her scarf but she enjoyed it.
After the dance season was over there was the question of continuing dance the following year. Both Sarah and Lucie were struggling and they weren’t sure they wanted to continue. They were always busy and Sarah couldn’t stand that. They decided that they wouldn’t continue it. They decided to take up tennis instead. This made everything easier. When school started up they would have nothing on Monday or Tuesday, AWANA on Wednesday, Sarah would have band and drama or art while Lucie would have just band and every other week there would be art, there would be nothing on Friday or Saturday. At the beginning of the school year Sarah joined a middle school tennis team where they had 3 games on week days and practice on Saturdays. That went from the end of the summer through a few weeks into the school year.
Sarah occasionally missed dance but she continued her gracefulness in manner and continued to be flexible. Her schedule was so much better and it made her happy.
When Sarah was ten she would go to beginner band from 6:30-7:00 and then head over to dance from 7:30-8:30 on Thursdays. The next year Sarah moved up to advanced band which met from 7:30-8:30 and steel drums met from 8:45-9:30. She wasn’t able to attend her old ballet class and because of this had to move up to the next level of dance. This scared Sarah. She was only 11 turning 12 in a few months while they the next youngest was almost 14. The other girls were also so much better than her. She was scared she was slowing them down.
Pointe wasn’t any easier. Sarah didn’t originally want to take pointe that year but she ended up taking it anyway. She really struggled in it. A whole hour of being on her toes and being yelled at by her teacher really frustrated her. She tried her best in both of her classes but she could never seem to do very well.
Eventually it was recital time. Sarah always got so nervous before things like this. She was worried that she would drop her scarf that she danced with in ballet or fall in her pointe dance. Everything did go fine though. She danced both of her dances on both nights and had fun. She did almost forget her dance in pointe and she did drop her scarf but she enjoyed it.
After the dance season was over there was the question of continuing dance the following year. Both Sarah and Lucie were struggling and they weren’t sure they wanted to continue. They were always busy and Sarah couldn’t stand that. They decided that they wouldn’t continue it. They decided to take up tennis instead. This made everything easier. When school started up they would have nothing on Monday or Tuesday, AWANA on Wednesday, Sarah would have band and drama or art while Lucie would have just band and every other week there would be art, there would be nothing on Friday or Saturday. At the beginning of the school year Sarah joined a middle school tennis team where they had 3 games on week days and practice on Saturdays. That went from the end of the summer through a few weeks into the school year.
Sarah occasionally missed dance but she continued her gracefulness in manner and continued to be flexible. Her schedule was so much better and it made her happy.