Maaike 2011

Maaike has been getting a little camera-shy lately; I guess that's part of growing up.  Even as the goofy side of her leaves, though, there is a grace and beauty that takes my breath away at times.  Here is a flashback of Maaike in 2011:

She's a good sport to include her brother in most of what she does - Happy New Year!

When SHE controls the camera, she has no qualms about posing!  Maybe she'll be a photographer, or movie director!

After a busy final year of Middle School (with lots of choir performances and drama -- not related to the classes), we went to Utah and Idaho for a summer trip.  One of the first things we got to do was see a brand new cousin, Anders.  Born in China and visiting the States for only a short time, we were lucky to meet with him and his family (Paul & Cami Kartchner, Kaitlyn and Dixon) and have lunch at a restaurant before they flew away to China for another year. 

Other trip highlights: 

 ... learning to drive a boat.....  and a four-wheeler....

 ...watching Fourth of July fireworks in the rain (??)....

....playing in the mountains....

...celebrating a birthday in Idaho....

 ...and just being together.  It was a fabulous trip!

After that trip, we came home and had a friend birthday party for Maaike .... and two of her friends who had birthdays close together.  It was a luau theme, and the girls did a great job planning and decorating, and had lots of fun:

Now that's she's 14, Maaike gets to go to church dances.  She was soo excited about the first one, and honestly, it made me nervous for her to have such high expectations.  But she had a fantastic time, and was asked to dance a lot!  (Probably because she looked so pretty!)

(Well, it's ALMOST a  real smile!)

Her favorite birthday present

(that's she's wanted for just forever!):

Maaike also participated in a summer drama workshop, and that was a lot of fun for her.  

She was the Black Knight (top row, second from left),

and got to have a fake mustache: 

Near the end of the summer, we took a quick day trip to Corpus Christi (the North side this time).  We took one of Maaike's friends with us, and had a fun time.  Came home hot, tired, sandy.  Good times!

Last party of the summer was having Maaike's favorite cousin fly into town for a few days.  Maaike introduced Shay to her friends, and their favorite pastime; trying on formal dresses at the mall and taking pictures of themselves!  Silly girls!

But they also take silly pictures at home:

This might be their true personalities!

Then, high school.  Sigh......

She looks way too grown-up!

Look at this smile!  

She really lights up a room!

High school was (and is) and adjustment, but we have had lots of family fun along the way.  A recent trip to the zoo was a lot of fun for all of us:

And Christmas... she's always a good sport to sit on Santa's lap.  

"If you don't believe, you don't receive" at our house! ;-)

And one of our favorite traditions; the Nativity on Christmas Eve:

The Goudys have been blessed this year;

and one of our very best blessings has been our children.

Maaike has a particularly sweet, gentle spirit, 

and loves to help others.  We love her 

and are thankful for the good person she is!