Meet Virginia

Over the past few months, I’ve become a world class traveler.  With the exception of one weekend, I have packed up my car on Friday mornings and taken a weekend road trip out of this place for the past 13 weeks straight.  So. Much. Driving.  I will say that I have become an exponentially more efficient packer.  (I don’t think “packer” is a word.)  Really, you should see how quickly I can throw everything needed for the weekend into a bag.  Packing used to be quite the ordeal.  I’ve come a long way.

Last Saturday, I hit the road to Charlotte for my niece, Emerson’s, church dedication.

The tables at the church were all set with little glass containers of goldfish, animal crackers, and puffs for all of the little kiddos being dedicated that morning.

When the pastor asked all of the parents of children being dedicated to stand up and be recognized, Em excitedly clapped for herself.  It was too cute.

Later on in the service, the parents of the children being dedicated were asked to read a letter they had written to their children out loud to their families and friends sitting around their table.  I, obviously, cried during this part.

After the service, the church held a reception for all of the children and their families and friends.  They had a professional photographer taking pictures, and the best part…

… cupcakes!

Emerson picked out vanilla with sprinkles while I chose chocolate with caramel frosting.  Although my cupcake was quite scrumptious, I quickly realized that I had made the wrong choice when my sister’s friends Molly and Rebecca bit into their cupcakes and found…

… cookie dough!

Of course I snagged a cookie dough cupcake for the road, but I accidentally left it at my sister’s house and never got to taste of it’s goodness.  Ellen, I hope you ate that thing.

Emerson approves.

Most people say that Emerson doesn’t look much like my sister Ellen (blonde hair and blue eyes where on earth did you come from?), but I think they look pretty similar in the picture below.

Really, Em looks just like my brother-in-law, Terry.

Scroll on down and see what I mean.

Also, Sister Fail, I never mentioned that Monday was my sister’s birthday.  (I was too busy fighting off roaches)  I know you wouldn’t guess, but Ellen is 8 years older than I am!  Do you think we look alike?  People are forever telling us that we look like twins, but we don’t really think so.  I think that we favor each other in some ways (same hair, same body type), but I think our features are pretty different.  Anyways, she is gorgeous, so if people say we look like twins, that is a compliment to me.

I sure do love sweet Emerson and all of the joy that she brings to my life.  I’m often perplexed at how it must feel to be a parent.  How will I, someday, have more love in my heart for a child than I have for my niece and nephew?  They aren’t even my own, and yet I would do anything for them.  You parents out there, how does your heart not simply explode?  It’s a mystery to me!

Hopefully one day I’ll be able to explore the answers to that mystery myself, but until then, I’ll just keep loving on this sweet girl.  She is definitely worth the drive, no matter how far.  The cupcakes didn’t hurt either.