Pink Bows and Tiny Toes

Emily: "Corny dogs are made of goodness." 

On Monday night Emily and I had our first slumber party.  She has a daybed in her room with a trundle underneath and I have been telling her that I would sleep in her room with her sometime...well, I wanted to keep my promise to her, so we finally did it!  We read LOTS of books, sang songs, and snuggled in each of our beds.  We even came out and tickled daddy then ran back to our room...oh, she loved it!  I loved hearing her voice whisper over her bedrail once I was almost asleep..."Mommy, my foot itches.  I need some lotion on it here and here and here."  Once again, almost asleep and I hear "Mommy, let's trade lovies.  I think you should have Shamu and I should have Easter Bunny."  I love this little girl more than words can say.  She cried last night because I wouldn't have another slumber party...I know there will be many more in our future.

We visited Love Creek Orchards in Medina, TX yesterday to enjoy the pumpkin patch!  We went with our good friends Brian, Gabi, Ben, & Grace Barrick and Liz, Tanner, and Avery Collins.  The weather was beautiful and it was such a fun outing!  Emily had several firsts...holding a baby chick and riding a pony!  She also went through a hay maze, climbed and jumped off hay bales, touched a goat and sheep, got super close to a HUGE turkey, rode a hayride, and took lots of pictures! (Of course I had to bribe her with sour candy!)  Grant was a trooper and happily walked around with daddy in the Bjorn until the very end.  Thanks for planning the outing, Gabi!

"Dear God, Thank you for the apples, oranges, and strawberries.  And for the farmer'a market, the sellers, and the pieces of bread.  Thank you for all the animals, the stables, the stars.  And for the bed I sleep in.  And for living in my heart. I'm so happy because you live in my heart." This is what Seth and I heard on the monitor tonight after we put Emily in bed.  We were sitting outside in the back and looking at the starts and we heard her singing "When I am afraid I will trust in you" and then she said the prayer above.  My eyes teared up and my heart was so joyful thinking of her and how precious she is to me.  Soon after she said her prayer, we heard "Mommy..." in the monitor, daddy went to check on her, and then before I knew it, she was sitting outside looking at the stars with us.  I think her prayer touched daddy's heart too.

Oh, after not writing for over a year...and for over a year before that, I have been discouraged in the blog world, but I think I am coming back and for good this time! This time will be a little different...Mommy has taken over the keyboard (sorry, Emmy) and my hope is to write down the happenings in our house. I'm sure most of my postings will be about my precious kiddos, but we'll see where life takes me! It does make me sad that I don't have so much of Emily's last 2 years documented in some way and I am realizing that I am forgetting so many of the priceless things that she has said and done. The things that come out of her mouth really do make me laugh at some point everyday. I am so thankful, Emmy, for the personality God has given you. I am in love with your sweetness, tenderness, and humor. I also can't believe how smart you are. Just so mommy and daddy can remember, these are some things you have said and done lately... * "Daddy, you're just tri...