A Very Belated Birthday

My very grown up nine year old enjoying the freshly fallen snow

Emily and some of her friends

As you can see the girls were thrilled to see snow!

Tasting the snow

Posing for pics , trying hard to smile and not laugh

Our corny little goofballs

My favorite of all the pics from her party. Emily with her favorite friends.

Dancing around- so excited to see her friends from her old school.

Working hard on their snowflake theme crafts.

As I have previously stated I have been quite sorry with the postings, especially in November and December. I plan on trying to catch everyone up on what our little family has been up to. November 17, 2010 was a sad day for me . It was on this day that I came to the realization that my little girl was growing up and no matter what I did there was nothing I could do to stop it. This was the day that she turned nine. Alright, it probably wasn't on this exact day, it was over the past few months that I had really seen a change in her. A change both physically and emotionally, especially the latter. She was starting to become more like a little lady than a little girl. She is maturing, she is growing up.

We had a little party with some of her favorite girls . It was snowflake themed and so much fun to do . We had pizza, veggies, fruit, cupcakes and a cookie cake. We did snowflake bags, painted snowflake ornaments and snowflake decorations. The last time we had a party with her school friends they were in first grade. It was so fun to see how all the girls had grown and matured and how much more independent they had become. As we sat there doing our crafts the snowflakes started to fall, an unexpected treat for a snowflake filled day. They took one look outside at the snow, and these girls- the ones who are growing up before our eyes, rushed outside to run and play and giggle like little girls should. It was a perfect ending to our party.

I do not want it to all be about Emily. We must not forget that my wonderful husband also has a birthday that week. He has and probably always will, get pushed to the wayside on birthday week in our family. That is fine for him, he wouldn't have it any other way. But November 19 will always be an important day to me. That is the day that my husband, my friend, my soul mate, my partner in parenting, and my rock to lean on came in to this world. To me that is worth more than words can express.

Happy Belated Birthday (in the blog world) to two of my favorite people in the world. I love you both.

Beach- A Little Late

Emily getting her feet in the sand

It's a big one!!

Drew trying to keep up with the real fisherman

Emily

Alex cheesin in the sand for me

My favorite pic of the week. Three of my favorite people .

Emily looking beautiful on the beach

Pretty beach view

An attempt at a picture of all three. Unfortunately the Sun was in their eyes

Beautiful sunset

Brandon and Emily clowning around

As I have been a really crummy person lately at keeping up with my blog, I thought I would try to catch up and post some of my favorite moments of the last few months. These are pics of our beach trip to Topsail Island in October with Billy's wonderful family.It is nice to revisit them right now as we have had an unusual amount of cold weather lately. It has been a bizarre winter already. I know Ohio girl complaining about the winter in NC, right? I guess I have gotten used to the climate down here and can't handle it like I used to, but anyways- the beach. We had a great time at the rental house and loved spending time with the Ridgeways and Bradleys. The weather was a little cool due to a hurricane the previous week, but warmed up our last two days there. I am always amazed at the beauty and the relaxing effect of the beach.

Angel Wings

Being a mother has its ups and downs. I am thankful to say that in my journey of motherhood I have not had many downs other than the normal run of the mill things. I am thankful that my journey of motherhood has been easy so far . I feel for those who have not been so lucky. Those who have had trouble conceiving and those who have suffered the unthinkable loss of a child. I am constantly reminded of how many blessings we have had in our lives , but also how quickly things can change.

I guess that there are many reasons that this has been on my mind lately. One- someone whom I love dearly dealing with unexplainable losses. My heart goes out to her and to her I say I love you and keep your head up. And two, Meg. I have never met Meg, but Meg and Emily were school mates at her old school . They never were in the same class, but I am sure they crossed paths . Meg was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor called a glioma, less than a year ago. We heard about her from a mutual friend and also from the local paper. We followed her progress through a journal set up with a site called Caringbridge. I would check back often to read of her journey and her fight against this horrible disease. Emily would sit there and read with me and I would explain how something like this could happen to someone so young, someone her age. Kids associate things like this with adults. Not other children. It was hard . Hard for me to think of . Hard for her to think of. I think it probably seemed more real to her due to the fact that they knew the same people. She would look at pictures and see her former classmates, her first grade teacher now teaching Meg third grade, a friends mother painting with Meg. I think that made it hit her harder. A lot of questions from her. Questions that I honestly did not know how to answer. Meg made her television debut Sunday night on the Style Network. She was on Kimora Life in the Fab Lane a gift from Make A Wish . She had a makeover, got to walk the catwalk and attend a Chanel theme party for Kimora's daughter's 8th Birthday. Meg passed away the next day. Emily and I read the news and we sat there and cried together. I tried as best as I could to explain it to Emily. But how could I really explain it if I didn't understand how something like this could happen . How ones child could be taken away from them. I felt such sorrow for her parents. Maybe connecting myself so much more as I sat there with my daughter of the same age. I could not bear to think of it, had it been my child that was being written about. What if ? I explained to Emily that she wasn't in pain anymore and she went to be with Jesus. She was with the other children that have passed away. She was being looked after by those older and looking after those that had died younger. I hink that Emily found some peace with that thought. Thinking of her up there with other children. Thinking of her healthy and happy once again. I think that I found some solace in that thought. For now I continue to think of her family as they go through this difficult time. I have often heard a parent say that their child has earned their Angel Wings. As a parent I like the thought of that. I pray that they can find some peace that there is one more Angel looking over us all.