Tomorrow Super Ems flies!  Monday, Emmie will meet Dr. Steinberg and then have an MRI and angiogram.  She’ll lay flat for 4 to 6 hours and will probably stay overnight in the hospital.  Thursday, November 15th is go time. 

In honor of our amazing superhero, I thought i would share a small piece of my heart observations that I wrote back in May.

The alarm starts blaring letting me know that it’s 7 am.  The latest I should possibly sleep before we’re super behind on our seemingly never-ending busy days.  My brain tells me to move but my body is begging me to stay still and rest longer.  I roll over and see Emmie asleep on Mark’s pillow. As usual, she came sneaking in during the night needing our snuggles and she gently fell back asleep.  I watch her quiet slow breathing and am reminded, once again of how precious this gift is. This happens almost every day. I am in awe that I get to cuddle with this almost four year old or hold her hand as she drifts off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

This morning, I decide to roll over and let my body win.  I close my eyes but our superhero stirs beside me. Nope. No more sleeping today.  She rolls over and with sleepy eyes and a groggy-waking-up voice calls, “Mama.” She waits patiently for me to roll over and look at her.  

“Yes, baby.”

“I love you.”  She reaches for my hand and smiles contentedly.  

This little girl who has been through so very very much in such a small amount of time and she still smiles constantly in wonder and awe at the world around her.

She amazes me that at four years old, she can strut into a doctor’s office and pretty much have everyone wrapped around her finger as she smiles and offers up high fives and hugs.  She has an insight into how to interact with everyone…humans and animals…that far exceeds her age. Maybe it’s her experience but maybe, it’s also how our God has equipped her to deal with all that is ahead in the life she has.

The sweet, unexpected “I love yous” are just the tip of the iceberg of what I have learned these past four years of living with a super hero.  

Number One:  All mornings should start out with love.

At parent observation class for ballet this year, she sidled up to each person in class…her friends.  One friend was just not having it that day and crossed her arms and poked out her lip and looked at her mama for rescue.  Eventually, Emmie moved on. A day or so later she said, “Mama, I sat by E in class and she didn’t like that.” I agreed and we discussed how maybe she should ask if she can sit by a friend before she does so.  She agreed.

The next week, she remembered our conversation and told me she would ask E if she could sit by her this week.  But then she went a step further. She drew a picture for her and made sure to present it to her after ballet. E’s face lit up bright as the sky and Emmie was thrilled she had made her friend happy.

She’s intuitive to the needs of others (most of the time…she still is very much a self-centered typical four year old) and wants to show love to those she cares about.

Number Two:  Always seek out ways to make others smile.

With Emmie’s age, we are entering a new era of tests, pokes, and understanding.  She’s become more aware of it all. We’ve always been honest with her about what is going on but that doesn’t mean that she isn’t scared or doesn’t get sad.  On her new brace day this year, after two hours of fitting and waiting, she had to cry. And it was okay. Cuddling up with daddy we told her to let it out and cry it out.

Number Three:  Sometimes life is hard and it’s okay to cry.

Days with a four year old are filled with questions.  There is so much learning at this age. Emmie is no different than other kiddos her age.  Her questions range from “What age are you?” to “Will you read me a story?” And if we’re discussing an activity, she lights up like a Christmas tree and says, “I so excited for that!”  She truly is. She finds joy in going to the store, church, doctor’s offices. There’s joy in seeing a dog on a walk or a fish at the fish shop. She gets equally excited watching her siblings at awards ceremonies or swim practice.  

Number Four:  Find joy in the “every” things.

We don’t have a clue what her future is going to be like.  But, we can look back on her life and how she has grown. God has taught us so much through our superhero as she grows.