10/22/2000

Five years ago right now I was on my way to Boone Hospital to have Emily. I won't relive every gruesome moment, but a short summary. We got there on Sat nite about 10 pm and she waited unti 11 am to meet us. Then she waited until 1:30 pm to go to the NICU. We didn't bring her home until she was a week old. Mark was working here in Indep and I was in JC waiting on the house to sell, then add a newborn in the NICU! Crazy! Seems like it was forever ago and a minute all at once.

Anyway we have started a grand weekend of celebrating. The school girls were home today so we went to Build-A-Bear. Em has never gotten to be the lucky one that brings home the box of Bear paraphaliea. She has always been "the watcher". So she was thrilled to get to have the whole B-A-B experience. She and Abby (and Kat, too) played all the rest of today with their bears, trading clothes and taking turns in the stroller. :) So sweet.

Tomorow she wants to go to Big Biscuit, a mom and pop restaurant that she has been to w/Jess and me. The biscuits are as big as the plates. Not sure if that will happen, since she always orders the pancakes and her mom makes the world's greatest buttermilk pancakes, just like her gramma used to make. Special times make me miss mom and dad---we took them to the nursing home 4 years ago tomorrow, on Em's 1st b-day. Bless all our hearts.

Another highlight of tomorrow will also be the visit from my old college friends, Steve and Sandee (Wood) Holloway. They live in St Louis and are on their way home from vacationing in Colorado with their 4 kids. They have stopped by the last 2 years. So fun to share old HU stories. :) We will have a Cardinals Pity Party, to be sure.

I'm hoping that it will be a nice night so we can go the Enchanted Forest to see Halloween critters, hear spooky stories, have a hay ride etc. We'll see. I try to live each day to the fullest.

We are hosting our fellowhip group here on Sun nite. May as well, while the house is clean. Lol. Just chili and stuff. Will be a nice time.

So I'll try to learn how to post some pictures on Monday. I took some at the Mall, so sweet. Happy Birthday to our Sweet Em!!