Emma

I know it seems like I have writers block, especially since I made a commitment to blog something everyday. And yet I haven't written much at all.
Mostly it's because I have a bunch of stuff going on in my head and I don't won't to post a "heavy" blog.
That is why my next three posts will be about my children. They make me happy. When I think about them I smile... and I hope that when you read about how I see them, that you will smile too.


Emma Grace just turned 8 last week. When I think back to the week she was born, I remember the cool autumn air and sitting on my parents back porch drinking sweet tea. Nate and I were so young and naive. We had this parenting thing all figured out and we were going to rock it. We both loved kids, came from large families and had babysat hundreds of times. We were pros.

Our first taste of parenting and our first glimpse into Emma's personality and my actual parenting style ( as opposed to the one that would magically come upon me when I gave birth...right) came about a month or so before she was born. Let's just say I didn't take the greatest care of myself and Emma did NOT find this to her satisfaction. I began experiencing high blood pressure and some major swelling. Eventually, it was this high blood pressure that landed me in the hospital 3 1/2 weeks before my due date, getting prepped for induction. I went in on a Sunday afternoon and pitocin was started at 1 AM Monday Oct 21st. After 12 painful , and rather trippy hours of epidural-less labor, Emma finally made her appearance, red-faced and screaming and telling the world of her injustice. And oh... so, so beautiful. To this day, I have never seen a more beautiful newborn baby... and I have two more kids.

Life changed forever that day for Nate and I. Every idea about parenting we had came crashing down for what would be the first..but not the last, time. Things were rough, to say the least, those first few months as I battled postpartum depression on top of sleep-deprivation and Emma refused to nurse.

Eventually... Emma and I... we found our way. It hasn't been easy as we are so much alike yet so very different. Emma is still the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen. She has smooth, pink skin and sparkly blue eyes and a smile that will melt hearts.

Not only is she beautiful... she's smart. And I meant it... she really is smart. I'm not being all crazy like she's a prodigy or anything. I mean that she's a deep thinker. This year I have had the privledge (and the headache) of homeschooling her. While I really don't think we will do it again, I have so enjoyed getting to get a peek inside her head. Emma thinks of questions that I would never think to ask. She has a beautifully compassionate heart. I love to hear her thoughts on how we can, through Christ, make a difference in this world. I am amazed at her tenderness towards "the least of these", be they animals or little children or maybe the mentally handicapped. She shows a great wisdom in her actions, thoughts and words towards them.
She has taught me so much.
And she's funny! She loves to make people laugh, especially her dad. I can tell that for her to get an honest belly laugh from her dad is like winning the gold! And when we get an honest belly laugh from her....it is the sweetest, most adorable sound!

Emma Grace... has lived up to her name. Emma- Healer and Grace- God's unmerited favor and empowerment. Through loving her, God has healed places in me that I didn't even know were broken. In teaching her and raising her and struggling with her, my eyes have been opened to so much more of my shortcomings...yet even more of God's grace.
She is my Emma Girl.