Emma’s Birthday Letter

Dear Emma,

We celebrated your twelfth birthday this last Friday in Phoenix, just like you wanted. It was such a fun time for all of us. I just wanted to write you to tell you how proud I am of you, and how much I love you.

Your smile (even when you try to keep it hidden) lights up my days. I love it when you laugh. I love to hear you laugh out loud, you don’t do that as often as you should, I hope to hear it a lot more in the coming years.

You are such a beautiful girl! You have such a soft spoken nature about you when we are around others….then when we are in a small family setting, you LOVE to talk. I love that you love to discuss your live and everything in it with me. I hope that never changes. I want to hear about everything you do.

I love what a great big sister you are. You love your brother so much, and he adores you in return. You have your moments when you antagonize him just because you can, but what sister doesn’t? You have been such an invaluable help to me over the last little while with your brother. I have loved being able to leave him with you knowing he is being taken care of. Thanks!!!

(While I realize this is a picture of Nathan, I wanted you to remember how creative you are, you turned him into a winged dinosaur complete with head spikes and claws)

I love that you love to cook and be creative. Those are two of my favorite things, and I hope we can do more of them together in the coming year. You are my helper and and my friend and I want to be the same to you.

You have turned into such a lovely young woman, and I am so extremely proud of the progress you are making. I am so pleased that you want to make the right choices and that going to The Temple to do baptisms is so important to you. It is just what Heavenly Father would have you do.

I love you and am so proud of you!!! Happy twelfth birthday Peanut!

love,

Mom

(your brother loves you so much!!!)

I love this look of excitement and happiness on your face on Christmas morning.

You are so humble about your achievements