Birthday girl

 TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT EMMA:

1) I love how sensitive she is.  She feels things deeply and cares about people and causes.

2) I love how funny she is.  She doesn't command the room like Braeden, but she is just quietly witty all the time.  For example, recently in our family group chat we were talking about who should be the king of America--you know, like you do.  Emma texted this:

3) This probably is an extension of the preceding one, but I love her quirkiness too.  She maintains a long list of potential band names and album names.  Only she knows why some qualify for one and not the other.  She has certain numbers she avoids because they're bad luck.  She knows about astrology and astronomy and personality tests.  She does sudoku puzzles that are so hard they would feel like torture to me.  (No numbers, just a few circles and some rules....) She's unique, that one.

4) I love how smart she is.  Marianne told me the other day that Desi said, "Adam and Emma are so smart it's scary."  They are smart, but I'm brave so I'm not scared.

5) I love the way Emma wants to help people she loves and I love how she understands me.  I explain something to her about how I feel and she nods and says, "I know." And she does.

6) I love how independent she is...even though it meant she moved away.  She is never happier than when she is figuring things out on her own and doing her thing.  And she makes things happen when they matter to her.

7) I love how loyal she is to her brothers.  She would fight to the death for either of them and we all know it.

8) I love how talented she is musically and artistically. 

9) I love her devotion to the Gospel.  Like everything, (except her eyeliner and lipstick) she is quiet about it.  But when I told her it was weird going to church alone for the first time in my life when Adam got his current calling, she said, "Yeah, I've been going to church alone pretty much since high school."  And she just quietly has.  I love that she doesn't go out of peer pressure.  (Who am I kidding?  Emma has always been impervious to peer pressure, for better or worse.)

10) I love that she is our daughter.  Emma adds beauty and light to our lives.  And razzmatazz.

Happy Birthday Emma Jayne!