THEY were Right

December 21, 2011

Dear Emily,

THEY said it would happen.  THEY told me so.  THEY said that I would be totally smitten by you, and that I would love being a GM.  And I laughed.  Umm…I said…I  know I will enjoy having a grandchild, but I don’t think I will be “smitten.”  I’ve had my miracles…two of them.  And as much as I love my own children, and as excited as I am for Jay to be a daddy, I don’t think that I will be as obnoxiously silly as other GP’s I’ve been around.

Well…look at me.   THEY were right and I, most definitely, was wrong.  I am completely smitten by you because you are so amazing.  In ten days, you will be six months old, and you have such a deliciously wonderful personality.  Happiness just oozes from your very being.  And as a result, everyone, especially your BB, is captivated by the joy of you. 

Last Thursday you spent the night with me on a school night for the first time.  Your mommy and daddy went to a Christmas party in Murfreesboro with his faculty, and since the party was scheduled to last until eleven o’clock, I volunteered for you to stay all night .  Of course that meant that I would have to hustle to get you to Miss Peggy’s on Friday morning so I could be at school by 6:30, but I knew I could do it. 

You fell asleep in the stroller at 7:30…no problem, I thought.  Twenty minute nap as usual, play until 9:30, and into the “pack ‘n play” for the night!  I’ll be in bed by ten.  MY PLAN – NOT YOURS!    Nope.  At nine o’clock you were still snoozing in the stroller.  Yikes!  Forget the pj’s, forget the cereal bottle…gently move baby from stroller to bed – no good.  As soon as I moved you, you woke up, and I braced myself for a long night; however, a dry diaper, comfy pajamas, and a cereal bottle put you right back to sleep so I crawled into bed by ten!  The plan was on!

Until three a.m. …I awoke to sweet sounds coming from the “pack n play”….please go back to sleep.  I still have an hour and a half before the alarm goes off.    Fifteen minutes later…sweet sounds had turned into fussy sounds, so I reluctantly dragged myself from a warm bed, slipped quietly into your room, and peered over the side of the playpen…when you saw me, your face exploded into a gazillion smiles while your arms and legs gyrated with excitement that squealed BB!  I thought you would never come!  You are exactly the one person on the planet I wanted to see right now at 3:15 a.m.!  Let’s play! 

And that’s when I knew THEY were right.  On a cold, rainy Friday morning when I had exams to give, papers to grade, and student drama to resolve later in the day, absolutely NOTHING was more important to me than playing with you at 3:15 a.m. …especially one more hour of sleep.  How could I possibly care about sleep when you wanted to play?  No way!  I am totally, unabashedly, obnoxiously SMITTEN by you.  And I am not ashamed to admit it…..THEY were right.

A ROSE FOR EMILY (sorry Mr. Faulkner)

November 20, 2011 

Dear Emily,

Today, an exceptionally special event occurred in your young life.  You were given infant baptism.  Infant baptism is a ceremony in which your parents and your church family recognize that God is active in your life even though you are not yet aware of Him.  As your parents held you in front of the altar, the pastor asked them and your church family to commit to support you as your grow in your faith.  Hopefully, someday you will make the choice yourself to commit your life to serving God and His church, but you will not be baptized again.  That special event takes place only once in your life. 

For your baptism, you wore a pink dress, pink tights, pink shoes, and you had a pretty pink bow in your hair.  You looked beautiful!  Your daddy held you in your favorite position, facing frontward sitting on his arm.  When Pastor Steve put the baptismal water on your head, you hardly reacted. 

Emily and Pastor Steve

I wanted a red rose for your baptism.  When your daddy was baptized, your great-grandmother placed a red rose on the altar for the minister to use in the ceremony.  I still have it pressed in the family Bible.    On Saturday, I looked all over Lewisburg for a single rose…no luck.  The flower shops were closed so I went to the cut flower cooler at Kroger.     Evidently, November is not the time of the year to purchase a single rose, but  I promise that someday you will have that red rose.

Baptismal water and roses are only symbols. The water symbolizes the Holy Spirit at work in your life while the red rose is a symbol of love.  Had there not been any water and even without the rose, the significance of the ceremony is still unmistakable:  God is caring for you and guiding your parents as they teach you about Him.  God loves you very much, Emily. You are a child of God!

Emily and Parents

CHANGING EMILY

October 22, 2011

Dear Emily,

Autumn is my favorite time of the year.  I love the changing of the seasons from the sultry days of late summer to the cool, crisp days of the fall.  I love the feel of a warm sweater on a chilly morning and the weight of a cozy blanket on a cool night.   I love the colors of the season….red, orange, and gold leaves under a clear blue sky.  And I love that as the days get shorter, the lamps are turned on earlier, and life seems to slow down.  

You are changing too.  You are becoming more independent.   You turn your head to look people in the eye when they are talking to you.  You are interested in knowing what is going on around you and insist on being held facing forward so that you can see.  No more cuddling you in my elbow!  Sometimes you get tired of being held at all and want to be on a blanket on the floor where you can entertain yourself.   You have discovered that you have feet, and you spend lots of time trying to grab them!  You like to talk too!  I don’t know what you are saying, but you have great conversations with lots of facial expressions (Most likely you are saying BB is the best!).  

Your hair is beginning to grow. The color is still debatable, but it most definitely has a hint of red; however, I don’t think it will be curly. Thank goodness!  Let’s hope that is one trait that you did not inherit from your BB!

Someday you will look at your baby pictures and you will ask about your eye.  That’s when I will tell you the story of the little girl who once had a “strawberry” birthmark on her left eyelid. By the time you are old enough to read this letter, it will be gone. I am sure of it.   The doctors at Vanderbilt are treating it, and your church family is praying for it to be gone….that birthmark doesn’t stand a chance!   

Seasons change and so do we. Change is part of God’s plan for nature and for our lives.   Sometimes adjusting to change can be difficult for people, but most changes are good because change enables us to grow.  Life certainly would be dull without change.  But Emily, one thing is constant and certain.  I love you, your family loves you, and God loves you...and that, my beautiful little girl, will never change.

EMILY AND UNCLE ROBERT

DRIVING MISS EMILY

Dear Emily,

      I began driving when I was about twelve years old.  I learned to drive where most country girls learned to drive…on the farm in the hay field and on the back-country roads on the way to my grandmother’s house.  By the time I turned sixteen and actually got my license, I was a confident driver. I was fearless.   While driving an automatic transmission was easier, I preferred to drive a “stick shift.”  Popping the clutch and smoothly changing gears never got old.  In fact, my first car was a five speed Chevrolet Vega.   Eventually, I traded in the five speed for an automatic, but I have never lost my love of driving, and I am still confident in my ability to get behind the wheel and go anywhere I want to go…still with little trepidation. …until now.

      Now, when you are in the car with me, I feel like a moving target.  I am amazed at how careless other people drive when you are riding in the backseat of my Camry!   The road is much too narrow!  That car is coming across on my side….I just know it!  Why is that car riding my bumper?  Surely he knows that he is too close….he is at least within fifty yards!  Yikes!  I realize I am gripping the steering wheel while little beads of sweat trickle down my back.  Will I never get home?  The four miles from Miss Peggy’s are filled with danger, and I breathe a sigh of relief when we arrive safely on Mahaley Road.  Whew!

      You and I have lots of places to go and lots of things to see.  Eventually, I will relax when you are with me and I will own the road once again.  But for now…I am so intensely aware of the precious cargo in my back seat…for now other drivers need to get out of my way….Emily and I are on the move! 

SUNSHINE - LOLLIPOPS - RAINBOWS

September 17, 2011

Dear Emily,

“Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,

Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together,

Brighter than a lucky penny,

When you're near, the rain cloud disappears, dear,

And I feel so fine, just to know that you are mine.”

We have a song… you and I…you spent the night with me again last night.  You slept in the “Pack and Play” next to the sofa, and I slept…well, I lay on the sofa all night listening to the sweet sounds that you make.   This morning, I put you in the bouncy seat on the counter, and I sang these words to you:

“Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,

Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together,

Brighter than a lucky penny,

When you're near, the rain cloud disappears, dear,

And I feel so fine, just to know that you are mine.”

I danced and sang, and your face erupted in smiles, (yes, multiple smiles) and deep dimples.  You and I agreed on the spot that this song will be our song for always.  You are only twelve weeks old, but I will sing it to you every time we are together until you can sing it with me, and someday, when I can no longer sing, you can sing it to me.


Emily....

You are sunshine.

You are lollipops.

You are rainbows.

You are wonderful.    

  

EMILY TIME

September 12, 2011

Dear Emily,

You are ten weeks old and you weigh nearly twelve pounds.  The hair on the back of your head is light brown, but is falling out (that happens with babies). You still don’t have much hair on the top of your head.   Your eyes are definitely blue and you definitely have two dimples when you smile.  You are awake more often and now you hold your head up so that you can see what is going on around you.  When being held, you don’t like to lie down, but prefer the upright position.  Your little legs are strong, and you seem to delight in being pulled to a standing position.   As you grow and change, you are a healthy, happy girl!

Other changes are happening as well. Last Tuesday, your mommy went back to school so you are now staying with a baby sitter, Miss Peggy.  Miss Peggy has the reputation of being an excellent baby sitter.  Everyone that your mommy and daddy talked to about their experience with Miss Peggy raved about her relationship with their children.  Another good thing about staying with Miss Peggy is that her house is close to your house.  The down side is that your mommy teaches at a school that is forty minutes away and your daddy is assistant principal at two different schools.  He could be twenty or thirty minutes away.   Since both of your parents have to work late some afternoons, they have a difficult time getting back to Miss Peggy’s house by 3:30.  That is pick up time for you.

So here comes the really good part!!  On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, I get to be the one to go get you at Miss Peggy’s house!!  I told your parents that I would be glad to “help them out” and pick you up twice a week so that they could feel comfortable staying late at school.  I tried to sound really generous in being willing to arrange my schedule for their benefit.  I think they believed me!!  I don’t think that they have figured out that my motives are purely selfish!  Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, I get to have you all to myself!  Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon I get to be the one to rock you and feed you and sing to you and play with you!  All by myself!!! 

Yep….Tuesday and Thursday afternoons …that’s my Emily Time!  No cooking, cleaning, washing, or talking on the phone for me on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons.  I won't be planning any lessons or grading any papers.  Oh no...not on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons!   All of that boring stuff will have to wait because you will grow up all too fast,  and I don’t want to waste a single moment that I can share with you.   Who knew that being your BB would be so wonderful!

Entertaining a Princess

August 20, 2011

Dear Emily,

You won’t remember it, but last night was a special night.  Last night was the first time you spent the night at my house.  Your mom brought you over about six because she and Simon were headed out to meet your daddy at a football game.  When she called to ask if you could stay during the game, I suggested that you just spend the night so everybody at your house could sleep all night.   Your mom said yes!!  I was elated.

Your mom made sure that you had plenty of formula, diapers, changes of clothes – everything that you might need for an overnight visit.   At first you were not happy….you cried; you screamed; you pulled your little legs up into a knot and scrunched up your face.  But then you went to sleep…for all of thirty minutes!  When you woke up, you were much happier.  We played until 11:30 when I gave you a late bottle and tucked you in for the night. Since I don’t have a baby bed, I made a pallet for you on the floor in Uncle Robert’s room, and I slept in his bed.  Actually, “dozed” is a more accurate description of the night for me.  I had been allowed the privilege of caring for you for the entire night…I wasn’t about to let anything happen to you on my first watch!!

About two a.m. you let me know that you needed attention.  You weren’t kidding! Your diaper was half off and every stitch of your clothes was wet!  Yikes!  Grandmother failure!  I had to strip you down to the skin and start completely over!  Since the pallet was wet too, you and I slept for an hour in the recliner before I put you in the stroller to sleep the rest of the night. You were up before the sun.

This morning we rocked, we played, and when we strolled down the road in front of the house, you went so sound asleep that your daddy had to wake you up to take you home when he came at ten.  All in all, it was a successful first over-night stay.

No, you won’t remember last night – you are only seven weeks old.  But I will. You won’t remember that you were wet in the middle of the night – but I will remember how cozy you felt in my arms at two a.m.; you won’t remember that you were hungry – but I will remember the sweet sounds you made as you drank that two a.m. bottle; you won’t remember the hour you slept on my chest  - but I will remember how blessed I felt to have you there.  I will remember, and someday Emily, I will share the memory with you.

Daddy's Girl!!

Dear Emily,

     A lady always knows how to make an entrance, and Emily, you have certainly made yours!  When your parents went for their weekly doctor’s visit, Dr. Taylor decided that the next day, Friday, July 1, would be YOUR BIRTHDAY!  Immediately people began to scramble to change plans and make new plans so that they could be at the hospital for your arrival.  The waiting room was full.  Simon, of course, was there.  Both sets of grandparents, aunts, cousins, and friends all gathered to get the first glimpse of Baby Emily.  Your daddy looked funny in his scrub suit when he came out to the waiting room to give an update to the crowd.  Things seemed to be going slowly.  But about 12:30, you arrived in the nursery and the crowd moved to the window to “ooh” and “ah” and to take pictures.  Since your mommy was still in the recovery room, your daddy was the parent in the nursery with you.  Within minutes, you had wrapped your tiny fingers around his finger and his heart….you are Daddy’s girl from the beginning!

BIRTHDAY BROTHER!

June 18, 22011

Dear Emily,

Although his birthday is not until Tuesday, we celebrated Simon’s 9^th birthday today and what a celebration it was.!  Seventeen people showed up at your house to eat hotdogs and potato chips.  For dessert your mommy served an Oreo ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.  It was delicious.  And presents….so many presents!  He got money, swimming trunks, a music cd, a badminton set, a basketball …. And those are just a few of his gifts!  Your mommy and daddy gave him a basketball goal to set up in the back yard.  The plan was for everyone to go to the pool after lunch, but the weather didn’t cooperate so Simon performed a magic show instead.  He had practiced his routine so he could make things appear and disappear.  He is actually quite good.

I first saw Simon when he was three.  He came with your mommy to watch Jay coach a basketball game in Lewisburg.  He marched in the gym waving a little American flag like he was leading a parade and when he saw Jay, his face lit up like a Christmas tree.   I could tell the feeling was mutual for Jay.   Three years later, your mommy and daddy got married, and I didn’t just get a terrific daughter-in-law,  I got the double blessing of a grandson too. 

Simon will be a wonderful big brother.  He is smart, he is funny, and he is already crazy about you!    And as you grow up, you will be crazy about him.  Although brothers and sisters sometimes fuss, sometimes aggravate and tease each other, he will be your hero.  You will love each other more than you can imagine.  He will be your confident, your advisor, and your defender.  Other people will come and go in your life, but as long as Simon is around,  you will have nothing to fear.  He will always be your big brother and there is nothing in the world that will ever be worth more than that relationship.     I think you are a very lucky little girl!

I love you both!!

BECOMING EMILY

June 9, 2011

Dear Emily,


The invasion of the thirteen-year cicadas is nearly over.  Cicadas are insects that have lain dormant in the ground for thirteen years and then suddenly, Mother Nature sounds the alarm, and they emerge from their long sleep. Still wrapped in their protective shells, the cicadas attach themselves to trees and buildings where they gradually wiggle free from their protective covering, leave it behind so that they can lay their eggs before they die and begin the process all over again. This process is part of God’s plan for the cicadas.   And while they are busy laying eggs and flying from tree to tree, they "sing."  They sing in harmony with a distinct rhythm that rises and falls with a cadence.  They sing loudly and seemingly, joyfully.  Some people don’t like the “noise” of the singing, but I love it.  Now their short visit is nearly done, and we will have to wait thirteen more years for the cicadas to return.

Many things can happen in thirteen years.  Thirteen years ago your daddy graduated from high school.  Thirteen years before that, he was starting kindergarten!  And thirteen years from now, you will be----- well, you will be THIRTEEN!!  You will be a teen-ager!  Wow!  And you will have experienced so many “firsts.”  Your first steps, your first word, the first day of school…possibly your first kiss, first love, first heartbreak.  You will be standing on the brink of womanhood.  By the time you are thirteen, you will have glimpsed the woman you will become.  Your personality will have begun to assert itself, and you will have realized some of the activities that you like to do, and others that you don’t. You will have chosen friends and rejected others.   In other words Emily, you will be becoming YOU!! God has a plan for your life, but you are the architect.  You get to choose the life you want to build.  Seek God’s plan and choose wisely and He will bless the life you build.

Yes Emily, in the next thirteen years, you will slowly wiggle out of the protective shell of your parents’ guidance, and you will spread your wings.  Fly Emily!  Fly high and fly strong! And most of all…..don’t forget to sing!!!

I love you!

HAPPY TRAILS!

June 7

Dear Emily,

Last week a friend brought her six-year-old grandson to see the horses. He had never seen a horse before, but he wasn’t afraid. I saddled Charlie Horse and little Clark climbed right on as if he had been doing it everyday of his life. I led him around the front yard in a circle…the same circle where I led Simon, Laura, your daddy, Uncle Robert…all on their first horse ride. And it’s the same circle where I will lead you someday on your first horse ride.

I have been riding horses since before I can actually remember. My earliest memories of horseback riding are with my grandfather. He had a white mare (that’s a girl horse) named “Miss Jimmie.” He had named her after my grandmother. I don’t know why. When I was a little, little girl, I would sit on the front of the saddle as he rode Miss Jimmie around the farm. Eventually I got old enough to ride by myself. I named my first horse “Reddy.” That was because he was red! When I was in the third grade, my daddy bought the pony that was the love of my life…her name was Baby Doll. She was spotted black and white with glass eyes and I adored her. She had a wild streak, but that just made her that much more fun to ride. I spent hours riding her around the farm or to Grandmama’s house. Sometimes I would give her a bath and show her in the local 4-H shows. She nearly always won a ribbon. I kept Baby Doll until she died and buried her on the farm.

Now I have six horses. And they are like family. June actually belongs to Uncle Jimmy but he never rides her. Maggie is the alpha horse (that means she is the horse in charge!) and is the mother of the other four horses. Delta is the oldest of the four siblings and the most spoiled. She is more like a big yard dog than she is a horse. Harry Potter is next. He tries to evade being caught, but once the saddle is on, he is a peach. Next is Charlie Horse…my favorite. Charlie’s grandfather was a world grand champion walking horse named Ebony’s Masterpiece and class always shows…for man or horse! Charlie is black with beautiful ears and a sweet disposition. Finally, there is Cisco. He is white with brown spots and is full of mischief, which gets him into trouble. In fact, the vet had to come recently to put stitches in Cisco’s back leg.

Horses are like people. If you treat them with love, kindness, and respect, they will respond the same…most of the time. Sometimes you meet people and horses that don’t fit the mold, but they are rare. God’s world is more beautiful when experienced from the back of a horse and problems never seem as challenging. So get ready Emily….I can hardly wait until you and I saddle up for that first ride!

SHOWERS OF LOVE

June 6, 2011

Dear Emily,

One more month…July 6^th…at least that’s what the doctor and the calendar say. But I think you already have a mind of your own, and you will come when you are ready. And I think that you are planning to be here sooner that July 6. You have grown so much that your mommy is running out of tummy for you!

While we are waiting for you to decide, exciting things have been happening! It seems that everyone is thrilled that it is nearly time for you to make your appearance. Lots of people have celebrated your pending arrival. Your daddy’s basketball team, the faculty at his school, the faculty at your mommy’s school, close friends and family…. all have helped your parents prepare for you to be born. Even your church family gave a shower (a party) for you and mommy. There was a beautiful teddy bear cake, there were lots of gifts of clothes and toys, but best of all, there was lots of love….all for Emily.

One more month....!!

BUTTERFLY BLESSINGS

May 2, 2011

Dear Emily,

Although April has been quiet, May is shaping up to be very busy as your parents continue to prepare for your arrival. Last weekend your daddy painted your room. Even though he painted it the same sage green, the room now looks fresh and clean again. The next step was to set up your crib. Finally, your daddy and Uncle Robert moved the changing table upstairs to your room. Everything is coming together!

Your room is another confirmation of God’s blessings for me. When I was a little girl, that room was a storage room…just like the majority of the upstairs rooms. The wallpaper, a huge apple pattern, was torn and stained, evidence of the time when my aunt and uncle had used the room as a kitchen. The floor was not painted or refinished. Junk was everywhere. A sidesaddle, an old chair, football equipment, and later, Uncle Jody’s military uniforms hung on the walls on bare nails. Boxes of books and items inherited from my grandmother’s house cluttered the floor. The room was a mess! As I cleaned out that room and remodeled the house, I did so with the prayer that God would grant me the opportunity to live in that house again. My vision was to use that room as a study, an office, or a small guest room.

God didn’t answer that prayer. Instead He has given me a much more wonderful blessing…a blessing that I didn't anticipate...your family! Three years ago, Simon claimed that room as his and filled it with his toys and other “boy stuff.” Now, he has moved to the room next door and that ugly old kitchen is being turned into a beautiful nursery. Soon your mommy will put the finishing touches on the walls…butterflies! What a great choice to decorate your room because your room is like a butterfly. A butterfly begins life as an ugly caterpillar but eventually evolves into a beautiful creature. That room has evolved from the unsightly space of my childhood into a cozy, inviting nursery… a special place for you to play and learn and dream and grow: a beautiful room for a beautiful baby girl.

I love you, Emily!

MAKING ROOM FOR EMILY

April 3, 2011

Dear Emily,

Your grandmother has a confession to make…I am a sentimental pack rat. That means that I keep things that no longer have any real use or real value. I keep these things because they remind me of another time and the people who used them. For example, many of the toys that your daddy played with when he was a little boy and some of the clothes he wore are packed away in a closet at my house. For years I have kept similar things packed away at your house because your house is the same house where I lived when I was a little girl. Most of the items packed away there are things that belonged to my parents. These things have little or no “monetary” value and are no longer useful, but I have continued to hold on to these things because they remind me of my parents and my childhood. But this week, I let it all go. I boxed up clothes, blankets, and household items that my parents had used and took them to Goodwill. Why? Because those things were stored in my old bedroom in bureau drawers that Simon now needs. Why does Simon need my old bedroom and the bureau? Because the room that Simon has been using is being turned into a nursery. Why is Simon’s room being turned into a nursery? To make room for you, Emily Michelle! You will soon need a room of your own.

So this week I have sorted through all those treasures again and have overcome the sentimental temptation to find another place to store my mother’s sweaters, my father’s pajamas, and the ugly squirrel ashtray that sat on a table in the front room throughout all of my childhood. I cried a little bit over the memories, but every time I hesitated to put something in the Goodwill box, I would think to myself…”making room for Emily…making room for Emily. Letting go of the old to make room for the new.” And you, little girl, are the new… a new life and a new generation. God’s promise of new joys and new memories.

THE CRADLE

March 15, 2011

“Rock-a-bye Baby, in the tree top.

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall.

And down will come baby, cradle, and all.”

Dear Emily,

Your cradle is waiting for you! But not just any old cradle. Old yes…126 years old to be exact…but very special. When you come home from the hospital, you will sleep in the same cradle that your daddy slept in when he was a new baby. In fact, I slept in it, your great-grandfather slept in it, and your great-great grandfather slept in it!

William Harris Ogilvie was born in 1885, and the cradle was originally built for him. One of four children, he grew up on the same farm where your great Uncle Jimmy lives now. He married your great-great grandmother in 1917 and moved her into the same house with his parents. Together, they managed the farm and raised a family of four sons, one of which was your great-grandfather. All four of those sons slept in the cradle. Three of those sons married and their children (nine in all) slept in the cradle as well. Then the tradition started again with the next generation – your daddy. Now it’s your turn! You will be the fifth generation of Ogilvies to sleep in this beautiful cradle.

Special babies who have grown up to do amazing things have been rocked in this cradle. Farmers, teachers, doctors, accountants, and even a nationally known athlete have known the security of sleeping in this heirloom. But none of those babies was any more special than you are Emily Michelle Brown. The world, your family, and your cradle await your arrival! You, no doubt, are destined for greatness!

PINK

February 20, 2011

Dear Baby Emily Michelle Brown,

Yes!! You are a girl, you have a name, and you weigh approximately nine ounces! I have now seen your ultra-sound pictures that show your arms, your legs, your head, and even your nose. (I think you look a lot like me!) Your pictures even show you making a big yawn! You are already amazing!

So, little girl Emily, it’s time for your grandmother to start thinking “pink.” Since I have never had to think “pink” before, I am wondering what to buy for you first. Hmm…I’m thinking a pink basketball! Since your mother is barely five feet tall, I suspect that you will not be tall either so probably you will have to be a point guard. That’s great! Your daddy played point guard and that is a very important position on the basketball court. Since the point guard is the player who is responsible for bringing the basketball down the court and directing the other players, she has to be really good at dribbling and controlling the ball. She is seldom the high scorer for the game, but she is the quarterback for the team and the team runs more smoothly when she is in the game.

When your daddy played, his number was #12. He was a good player. The players on the other team could not steal the ball from him because he was so quick. He could nearly always break a press and he could “read” the floor so well that his passes were like lasers to the places where his teammates were about to be just in time for them to score. (Those passes are called “assists.”) When he was a junior, he scored the winning basket in the semi-final district championship game against Middle Tennessee Christian School. Our team was behind by one point with about ten seconds left on the clock and MTCS was at the foul line. The shooter missed the foul shot; Andy Blackwell rebounded the ball, and passed it to your daddy who was all the way on the other end of the floor, just outside the three-point line. He caught the ball, squared up and shot….swish! just as the buzzer sounded and we had won the game. Fans from all over the gym swarmed to the court to celebrate with Forrest and your daddy. Forrest went on to win the district and the region…all the way to a sub-state game. This is an exciting story in your family and you will hear it many times!

In fact, Emily, your family has many exciting stories to share with you. But the most exciting story in our family right now is the story of the day your mommy and daddy called to say “IT’S A GIRL!” Wow! Think PINK!! AWESOME!

BITS AND PIECES

January 9, 2011

Dear Baby,

Mommy and Daddy went back to see the special doctor this week. The special doctor said that the test results are good and that you will be, most likely, a healthy baby. Chances are very small that you will have an abnormal chromosome or an extra chromosome. This is good news because sometimes when the mommy’s age is past thirty, the baby’s chromosomes don’t develop in a normal way.

“Chromosome” is a big word for a little baby! What does it mean? When God created you in Mommy’s tummy, He took special bits and pieces from Mommy and special bits and pieces from Daddy to make you. When God created Mommy, He used bits and pieces from her parents to make her; when God created Daddy, He used bits and pieces from his parents to make him too. Now God has mixed up all those bits and pieces again to make you! And all those bits and pieces are stored in your chromosomes. You can’t see your chromosomes, but someday you will look in the mirror and see that you have eyes the same color as your daddy’s eyes or a nose that is shaped like your mommy’s nose. The color of your eyes and hair, the shape of your nose, and even the way you will smile some day are mixed up in your chromosomes. That mixture is special because you are the only person who has it! So, while you are growing in Mommy’s tummy, God already knows what you will look like because you are God’s special creation.

PICTURE PERFECT

January 1, 2011

Dear Baby,

You are beautiful!! I know this because I have seen your picture. Your mommy went to a special doctor who made a picture of you growing in Mommy’s tummy. The picture is called an ultrasound and it is very fuzzy! Mommy had to point out your eyes and your legs for me because you are only about two inches long in the picture! To be honest, you are pretty funny looking in the picture …sort of like a little mouse! But every month you will grow a little more and a little more until you are longer and have strong arms and legs. You will grow a nose and two ears, ten fingers and ten toes. Your heart and lungs will grow strong so that you can breathe and live outside of Mommy’s tummy. It will take a long time for you to grow big enough. The special doctor said that you will be ready to come out of Mommy’s tummy on July 10. That day will be your birthday - the first day we will see you and hold you. The first day we will know the color of your eyes and hair, and the first day we will hear your cry. Then, every year for the rest of your life people will celebrate your birthday on July 10. You will have a cake with candles, ice cream, and lots of presents…all to celebrate the day that you came out of Mommy’s tummy – But I don’t have to wait for that day to know one thing about you because I know one thing about you right now…you are beautiful!