Happy Birthday Emma!

(This is more of a journal entry. Might be kinda boring for the average reader)

Today was Emma's 4th birthday. WoW! I have a four year old. She was so funny opening her presents. No matter what it was as soon as she opened it she would say "Ohhh, CUTE!!!" I wish I could just record how she said it cause it was the same everytime...like it was clothing, which she didn't get. There were even two boxes that you couldn't tell what they were except this tiny picture in the corner, but she still said it was so cute. So this is my tribute to my beautiful daughter, EmmaLee.

Emma started out her fourth year as quite a shy little thing. She began preschool in KY at a lutheran school and was the baby of her class. She couldn't speak as well as the rest (she has always had a bit of a speech impediment) and her teacher often commented that she was really easy going, but didn't really play with the other kids because they couldn't understand her. As a parent, I was so heart broken. We all want our kids to be happy and never get their feelings hurt and other kids be mean to them and don't want them to feel left out. Jack and I spent a lot of time praying and crying and worrying, but at a parent-teacher conference Mrs. Simmons told us something that put things in a new perspective and wefelt a lot better. She said that other kids want or need something and they ask for it. Because Emma had a hard time communicating in words, she has had to use her brain more to find a way to communicate which in the long run would really benefit her. What a good way to look at it! So the last half of the year we watched Emma grow up. Her confidence boosted, she became a lot more social, and her speech improved LEAPS and bounds. She does so great now talking and has really come out of her shell and introduces herself to any other child she has the chance to to see if they can be friends (even if it is just at the mall while the moms are looking at clothes).

Emma is auch an example to her mom. She has always had a bit of a temper, as we all do, and has only known to express it by letting out this awful sounding scream to let out the frustration. She never hits and usually goes to her room to scream like this, but it can be heard from outside, it is so bad. So this is where the example part comes in. I can honestly say that I can visibly see her everyday trying so hard to control her temper. She will start to get frustrated and start to take deep breaths and keeps repeating "mommy, I'm calm" or "mommy, I'm happy." That's hard for a grown up to do and she's only four. What a strong spirit. I know reading this probably doesn't give this incredible feeling of love, but I'm just so appreciative of her that I'm in tears as I type this. She's is constantly working on being better, and I only know this because whenever i talk to her about behaving a certain way and giving suggestions on how to do so...the very next day she is practicing those suggestions. I constantly find her in her room with a bible or book of mormon (the church kid version) and she will simply ask me to come sit down by her and read to her about Jesus. And she knows the first five Articles of Faith by heart. I have an awesome daughter.

We had a party for her at school and her teacher made her a crown that she got to wear all day as her special day. Her class colored cards for her and I brought in cupcakes and stayed for the celebration. I'm so glad I made the decision to keep her in the younger class. She is so comfortable in there and I could tell the kids in her class were so sweet. She has some cute little girlfriends in there, too, so it's fun for me to watch Emma interact and be so excited to see her friends. We have really missed her friends (Sarah, Brooklyn, Bryson) (more too, but these were the main) (don't want anyone to think we didn't like 'em!).

All in all, I know the Lord blessed me with a strong, sweet, little woman to be a leader for the rest of our children to follow.