April Fool's and a Happy Birthday to sweet Emma!

This morning, the kids came down to breakfast to dine on 'ostrich eggs.' At first, they stared blankly at their plates, then finally they started poking and then tasting. At last, they cracked a smile:) (Thanks for the idea Melissa!)

For lunch, JP and I met Emma for lunch at the school cafeteria. Since chicken burger with mushy fruit cocktail didn't wet my palate, I brought Arctic Circle happy meals for all of us. Tonight she had her two favorite friends over for cake and ice cream and her grandmas and grandpas and Aunt Nancy from Missoula. We had Tres Leches cake (so yummy) and white cake with cream cheese frosting.

Today is Emma Ann's seventh birthday. She came two weeks early so when we made calls from the hospital to let family know we were in labor, nobody believed us, given the date.:)

Emma was born weighing 7 pounds and 18" long. She had a fine crop of BLACK hair. She has been a wonderful daughter. Emma, I love how you are so unique. You do cute things that make us laugh, like last fall when you wore your swimming suit underneath your clothes to school for weeks because they were your 'garments.' Or last year when you used to smell things to tell if they were waterproof or not. Or like yesterday when you were four layers of clothing to school, including your Halloween socks. My nickname for Emma is "Punky Brewster." Anybody remember that sitcome from the late '70's and early '80's? That's Emma's sense of style and spunk. I also love how she is a hugger. She gives lots of hugs. She is a very smart student. She is a good peacemaker and babysitter. She is a talented little violinist with better technique and tone than some of my advanced students. Her favorite food is noodles and grilled salmon with butter sauce. She is playing soccer with a lot of confidence this year! And I love that she tells us she has "the power of speed." My favorite quality about Emma is her relationship with the Holy Ghost. She often tells me that she can feel the Holy Ghost because she is happy or she is sharing, or she told the truth. She also has a genuine faith in her Heavenly Father to pray anywhere anytime. She recently told me that she prayed 'silently in her head' that a certain thing would be okay when she was at school. And it was. How happy she makes me because she has learned at an early age how to identify the Spirit and that she has power to pray because she is never alone. We love you Emma! You are a joy!