A Big Birthday, and More Remembrances

I so vividly remember walking into the delivery room with a gardenia plucked from the bush outside our door on the way to the hospital, the long night of labor, the welcoming...it's a girl!...the excitement of waking up those first mornings, how we would both marvel at the baby sleeping (sometimes) at the foot of our bed, the clarity of joy and beauty that is in many ways unique with a first precious child.

Our Emmy is almost a month into seven years old. Her big day was just a few days after our arrival back in Bangkok, so in some respects it was a blur of jet lag, not to mention a little brother who was sick with a stomach virus. But we celebrated and cherished our little girl anyway, and her wish was for a watch and a Bible, so it was a joy to fulfill those.

We celebrated a week later, after some of the initial chaos of transition had lessened, with a pool party. Some dear friends have a son who was turning five, so we combined the parties and had a really great time. Here are a few photos from her birthday and party...





Seven- it feels like crossing a threshold. I am literally watching her change before my eyes. She's maturing in every way, and it blows me away that I have the privilege of coming alongside this sweet girl in her journey. I can ask her to set the table or hang the diapers out to dry, we can laugh hard together over a silly game of Go Fish or a line in Anne of Green Gables, we struggle through math concepts, enjoy breakfasts out together on grocery shopping mornings, and just generally have fun being together. She is incredibly silly, loves to read, can be a doting or bossy or torturous big sister (depending upon the brother and the moment!), is sensitive and has a faith in Christ that is real and growing. I pray frequently for the grace to grow in relationship with my girl as she does the work of growing up. She is a priceless treasure.
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And back to Georgia...this pretty much epitomizes our trip, and every trip we make to the States. So many dear people to see, so many miles to drive! We really did visit with so many wonderful family members and friends, and we always left homes and events marveling at how rich we are in relationships- thanks be to God. There are so many more people and events than we even captured on film (we take far too many pictures as it is, but there are a number of loved ones and special events that I think, "we didn't get a picture of that?") , but these are a smattering of some of the good times we shared with people, including time with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, a girls' trip to Charlottesville with Brea to see Nells and her sweet babies, reunions for Em with her dearest cousin and her old Bangkok friend Gracyn (whose whole family we loved being with)...

(always a sword, even on the tractor!)

We even got to see "Aunt Melanie" for a day in Locust Grove! We'll be seeing you back here, soon, Melanie!

postscript- When I look back at these GA photos, do you know what I think? I think, "We weren't sweating."- ah, the joys of springtime! It's crazy hot here in Bangkok, and we do have a lovely glow almost all the time.