Miss Emma Joy, eight years old.

Since the last little girl birthday, we've had yet another one.
On January 9th.
why yes, I am way behind.

But this girl deserves a post of her own too, and when it comes to blogging, "better late than never" is a motto by which I must live.

We celebrated Emma's birthday this year by going to the park with family on the Sunday afternoon before, where we opened presents and had cake and ice cream and the kids played and the adults froze to death and my husband started feeling distinctly not well.

At least the kids had fun, right?

The next day, on her actual birthday, I was left feeling a little lost. I had a husband who was home sick with the stomach flu, we were all exhausted from the weekend, and there weren't any real plans in place to celebrate in any way. I knew that we had to make it special somehow though-- birthdays need to be special! So, when we were all finally ready, minus Daddy of course, we went out for a late lunch at the Marketplace, followed by a hot chocolate at Starbucks and a movie rental from Blockbuster (birthday girl's pick. Ella Enchanted.) And even though it wasn't exactly what one could consider a well-planned out day, it ended up being really fun, and I think Miss Emma enjoyed herself. I know I enjoyed the time with my sweet girls, and conversing with my brand-new eight-year-old over chinese food.

Eight!! She's eight. Another year flown by. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I woke up at 3:00 one morning, two days shy of my twentieth birthday, with the contractions that I knew meant I was going to be a mother for the first time-- and soon. When we welcomed our Emma Joy into the world a mere 4 1/2 hours later (now that was a blur), little could we know what it would mean to be parents, or what joy she would bring to our world.

It's been an amazing eight years. A time of growth and challenge, change and wonder, joy and delight, love and learning, and every other thing that comes when you bring a child into the world. I'm so glad and so grateful that God brought this child into our world.

Here's to our eight-year-old, our firstborn...


our charming little fashionista...


our practical perfectionist, our particular and planned-out little person...


the big sister, our serious thinker, our smarty-pants...


our sometimes-so-very-silly, crazy, playful, loving, can-drive-you-crazy, funny, sweetheart of a girl...


our darling and lovely daughter.


I've cherished these eight years, and I know I've learned a lot as a mama-- and I know I still have much, much more to learn. This child of mine has been there for my mistakes and our triumphs, and I can only hope and pray that I will set an example for her that is worthy of the young woman I so desire her to become.

I think, by the grace of God, she's well on her way.

And until she becomes that young woman, I'm going to soak up every childish moment I can with our Emma Joy.

Happy eight years, Emma, my dear, you are loved more than you can even know.