Sophia is our family’s caboose. Our beautiful brunette bookend, and she turned 17 today. During Sophia’s 17th year, she stretched herself and took on challenges. Opportunities to help her grow mentally, musically, physically, socially, spiritually, and academically. She took challenging classes at school, continued with volleyball at the YMCA, added voice lessons through Julie Reeds’ “Elite Vocal Academy”, continued in her leadership role at church by serving in her Young Woman class presidency and sitting on the Stake Youth Council; helping plan Seminary Graduation and Youth Conference. She auditioned and claimed a spot in two school choirs. She also auditioned for Regional Honor Choir, was Co-President of the Hiking Club at school, spoke in church, got her drivers license (much to her chagrin), learned how to manage the last year as the only child at home, and much, much more. She misses her siblings fiercely and loves spending as much time as possible with her sisters and video chatting with her brother weekly who is currently serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During her 17th year, Sophia bought herself a plane ticket (for the 3rd time) to go visit her sisters in Utah for Spring Break. She also was a bridesmaid for her cousins (Carmen) wedding in the Spring and attended FSY (For the Strength of Youth) for the 3rd year in a row. Let’s not forget the hours of babysitting the neighbor kids and also spending time with her Uncle Daniel and helping out her GiGi upon occasion. All of these activities took hard work or sacrifice in different ways. Finishing out her Junior year was rough with several missed school days during the last quarter due to a couple of trips and getting sick, but Sophia pushed through. We are so proud of her tenacity and efforts to continuously improve herself and always show up as a great friend, a considerate daughter, and altogether awesome human being. I learn so much from her genuine caring nature and the thoughtful ways she shows up each day to every situation. She is the real deal and we are so blessed to have a front row seat in watching her become the beautiful person she is growing into. We love SOPHIA!
