Emilie Turns Seven Years Old

It is hard to believe our Emilie is seven years old. Here are a few pictures of when she was a baby followed by her special birthday celebration.

We were so blessed to have a home birth.

Here she is just moments old.

A little out of sequence :~) She's almost two months old here.

Daddy and Emilie sharing time together

I think she's only a day or so old here.
Proud big brother and big sister, before they thought she was annoying.

So sweet!

She loved to wrestle with her daddy.

Sadie waited a long time for a little sister.

Precious!

This was taken just before Emilie was born.

They were so excited. Look how young they were!

You lookin' at me?

about 6 months old

Sadie helping Emilie lick the icing off the candle from her second birthday.

Her first birthday was intruded upon by a certain Mr. Charley who none of us Floridians will ever forget.

Just after her first birthday.

Cookies anyone?

And now here she is helping in the kitchen again.

Cracking an egg for her birthday cake.

She did a great job!

(please ignore the bleach bottle on the counter)
Wearing the bracelet made by the Stricklen girls.

Yum!

"I can almost taste it!"

We set the table with the fancy china for such a special occasion.

I think she's having a good birthday.

Baked chicken, green beans, and baked apples.

Sadie made the dress Emilie's wearing as a very special gift. It matches a skirt Sadie had made for herself. They wore their matching outfits to church on Sunday.

Licking icing off candles is "tradition".

(Fiddler on the Roof reference)

Present time!

Hugging "Drandad"

(the name Sadie gave him when she was wee little)

Hugging Mimi

"What is it?"

Can you tell she's excited?

Thank you, brother.

Believe it or not this reaction is over Vienna sausages!

"Shoes just like Sadie!"

The big surprise!

I think she's happy.

My mom made a Raggedy Ann doll for her.

I couldn't choose between these pictures.

She had a really good birthday and felt very special.

Daniel and Sadie gave her this pioneer outfit (sans kettle). The outfit was originally Sadie's given by our dear friend, Mr. Razey.

Emilie has truly been a blessing to our family and we continually praise the Lord for her.

A family visit

My Uncle Ben passed away this past week and so we headed to Brooksville for the funeral and a little family reunion. I asked Sadie to go around and take pictures and here is the result of her efforts :~)

Emilie with my cousin Lori and her daughter Hannah.

My mom and I conversing with someone. I don't think Sadie captured our best side.

My dad, my cousin Mike and me with a fingerprint on the lens.

Daniel

It took Emilie and Hannah a while to warm up to each other. We ended up staying quite late so the girls could have time to play together.

I should have brought the kids' swimsuits so they could swim instead of just sit on the side of the pool. Poor Hannah really wanted to get in the pool and ended up getting her shorts wet.

Sitting around visiting with my cousins and their grown children.

Boy does time fly!

My cousin Sharon was a gracious hostess.

It was so nice meeting and getting to know my cousin Darlene's son, John and his wife, Sheena.

John just returned from his second tour in Iraq.

This concludes the pictures of people.

Sadie then proceeded to the garden. I'm grateful for the pictures because I never ventured to the backyard and so I would never have seen Sharon's beautiful landscaping :~)

I wish I had taken the time to visit this serene garden.

Okay, she did take one other picture of a person... herself :~)