Emma's 13th Birthday Celebration

 This was no ordinary birthday.  Our 2nd oldest was turning 13!!  We are blessed to have another young lady in our home.  Unfortunately the label "teenager" comes with a bad rap.  We have decided to use the term young lady (or in our son's case young man) when they reach 13 in our home.  It is a standard to live up to and it comes with a certain amount of responsibility.  So on with our celebration ~


Emma asked for sausage, egg, and cheese bagel sandwiches with fruit and milk for breakfast.

 

 

 

And Cowboy Calzones for supper!

 

 

The cake ~ 2 layers of chocolate cake with ice cream in the middle. 

And pigs.

Emma LOVES pigs.

The potbelly variety to be exact.

She has one, her beloved Hazel Nut!

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

She said, "That is the cutest cake I have ever seen!" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the gifts ~

 

 

          Sam and Joe got Emma a pocket knife that she has wanted for soooooo long and

 

Gus and Henry got her a small purple camouflage Swiss Army knife for her purse.

Hey, she's a very active farm girl who needs a knife.

 

Even farm girls need to look pretty!  Emma got some Honey Bee Garden pressed powder

with a compact and a quilted zippered bag from Mom and Dad.

   

 

Hazel Nut (the pig, remember?) got Emma a purple flower to hang above her bed. 

(Emma's bed ~ not Hazel's)

 

 

And from all the sisters ~ a memory foam bed topper!

 

 

 

At 13 Dad presents a purity ring to our daughters. He asks them if they will accept it on the condition that they allow him to protect them and their heart until one day God brings them a husband to take over that role.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

 

 

 

 

                                       

 

Emma and Dad's hands on his Bible.

 

 

Another really special thing that we do with our children when they turn 13 is we take them

to a hotel for an overnight stay.  Mom takes the daughters and Dad will take the sons. 

So Emma and Mom went into Madison for our Mother/Daughter Overnight.

 

 

 

Sisters and best friends.

My 2 young ladies before I left with Emma.

 

 

 

Madison, here we come!

 

 

 

Our hotel.

 

 

In our room.

 

 

Hanging in the cozy hotel lobby.

 

First we went to Whole Foods and did some shopping and had a late lunch.  Then we went to the

Dane County Humane Society just outside of Madison.  Emma LOVES animals and wanted to stop

by the shelter.  We left empty handed.  Ha!  It was the most beautiful shelter we had ever seen. 

They even had a barn with farm animals.  It was unreal.  Wish I had gotten some pictures there!

 

 

 

 

Next we went to Barnes and Noble and looked at books and Hobbit things and had a frappuccino at the on site Starbucks!

 

 

Then we did some shopping at a near by department store.  Oh, the many hats of Emma!

                           

 

These hats were actually called "church hats" in the store! 

Make sure you don't sit behind Emma

at church!  

 

 

Emma chose Olive Garden for our special evening meal.  It was so special.

 

 

Calamari, chicken and dumpling soup with bread sticks, and

 

 

Emma's favorite ~ MEATBALLS!! 

 

 

Tiramisu with a birthday candle.  Can it get any better than that??

 

 

So after our meal we headed back to our hotel and stayed up until after 2am laughing,

praying, talking, and just being girls.  We had an amazing time.  I love this girl.

 

So the next morning we went to the hotel breakfast and we were sang to by our server.  He

imitated several singers and was soooo good.  Again, didn't have my camera for that.  Bummer.

 

 

 

We did some thrifting and found beautiful tops and skirts for both of us!  Hannah too!

 

 

And then a stop at Cool Beans Coffee Shop for a Chai Tea Latte.  Me and this girl Emma,

we are cut from the same piece of cloth, I tell ya.

 

 

And of course, before we head home we stop at Potbelly for lunch.  And yes, we told

our sandwich maker all about Hazel Nut!  (Emma's potbelly pig, remember?)

 

 

Tuna melt and Oreo shake, please.  Thank you!

 

AND FOR THE ICING ON THE CAKE ~

 

Yes, I know, they look like they were made just for Emma ~

 

 

 

AWESOME.

 

I am so very blessed to be Emma's Mama.  I thank God that He chose me to teach and train

her to be a Godly, virtuous young woman.  Wow, what a calling!  Lord, help me to point her to you

in everything I say and do.

I love you Emma ~ more than you will ever know!