Queen O' Spunk

I was going through more of our Michigan pictures tonight and had made a couple of collages of beach pictures, but for some reason kept going back to look at this one. The lighting isn't just right and it's probably not technically a good photo but my goodness I can't help but smile when I look at it. Emma was in heaven all week at the beach, running around in her little swimsuits, skitting in and out of the water, playing in the sand, aggravating her siblings ... just being her stinky little normal self. But oh the joy I get from watching her, she's got to be the orneriest little dumpling that ever lived. But I love every little inch of her short little body. It's impossible to look at her and not smile, even when she is being a stinker. It's impossible to walk by her and not pat her or mess with her. It's even more impossible to not love her with every ounce of your being. It's just not.

It's funny too to watch people interact with her and for so long I assumed it was because of her being Chinese but now I plainly see that it has absolutely nothing to do with her ethnicity and everything to do with her spunky personality. You can pretty much bet that anytime we are somewhere such as church, ball games or school events that someone is hugging on her or in some way messing with her. Then again, it could have nothing to with her personality but everything to do with her big ol' dimple and smile.

She told me the other night that she "loved me before she was even born" and went on to tell me that she prayed and asked that her mom be Carolin and her dad be Brian. It brings tears to my eyes just typing this story. Not only is she ornery beyond measure, but she's so loving too. What a blessing that child is.