After the beautiful snowfall, Em and I were going to attempt to take some senior pictures. But, she has done something to her arm and is in a great deal of discomfort. We just couldn't get her comfortable enough to relax and enjoy. But, I wanted to focus on her today and this was one of the most recent shots I have.






Check out the snow on the rails!!

























Erin (and the little ones) decorated the window for Daddy's birthday.


Today's post is dedictated to my baby girl, Emily. She is feeling a little left out with my blogging. Sometimes, the kids let me know when they have not been mentioned in awhile. This morning, Emily gently reminded me that I never write about her. Then she proceeded to tell me that I put up video's of Erin and Sam's band concert, but not her choir. It wssn't on purpose. In fact, when I sat down to Em's concert, I was very sad because I realized that I had forgotten my camera. I would have posted it if I had been able to take a video. I love her concerts and I love hearing her sing. She sings with a joy in her voice.

This morning, I was listening to CHuck Swindall in the car. He was speaking on raising daughters. I immediately was drawn in. As he spoke, he shared the importance of a father "dating" his daughter and how she learns about love through her Daddy's love. THen he switched and shared about how a daughter often learns discernment and wisdom through her parents, but especially through the talks she shares with her mother. Emily and I use to have long talks about life. We don't have them so often anymore, though. That saddened me. Life seems to have taken over and with Emily's work and the little ones, our conversations are fewer and fewer. But I did rejoice in the memory of the many times we have sat and just talked about life. I need to make more time to do that much more often.

I had entered into the message half way through. Soon I realized that he was speaking on the proverbs 31 woman and raising daughters to desire to be that woman. He mentioned what men looked for in a woman....even the wildest of men. They long for a woman who is pure; one of virtue. The moment a young woman gives into the desires of the young man, he loses respect for her. He continued to speak, comparing women who focus on their beauty verse a woman who seeks to focus on her character and Christ. As I listened, I was rejoicing and praising God for Emily and the young woman she is developing into. Though she is beautiful, her focus is not on her outer beauty. She doesn't mind wearing clothes that aren't name brand. She doesn't want to wear make-up. SHe doesn't care about every hair being in place, in fact, to save money, she often cuts her own hair. She doesn't look to fit in with the popular kids or even with the crowd. She isn't trying to "keep up with the Jones". She doesn't shun away from the outcast for fear of what others might think. She is who she is. She isn't perfect. In fact, as I shared with her this morning that she is such a beautiful example of a young lady striving to be the proverbs 31 woman, she emphatically reminded me that she is failing all the time. She was so concerned about her failures that she wasn't seeing her desire. No, she isn't perfect... just ask her sister or her brothers. She knows that, I know that, and the Lord knows that. But... she is in love with her Savior and striving to seek his will for her life.

And, just as I glow with joy over something in each of our children's lives and their accomplishments, I glow with joy over the character of our young, beautiful, sweet little girl, Emily.