Emma

When Emma was young we always called her the peacemaker...now as she got older that wasn't always true (just ask her siblings). She was the child that would drive me absolutely crazy, yet could also always make me laugh...it's how she got herself out of trouble a lot I'm afraid to admit. She was stubborn...I used to joke and say "When Emma was good she was very very good, but when she was bad she was horrid." Where Becca and I would have it out with one another one minute and then all would be forgotten 15 minutes later...Emma on the other hand...oof she was hard! When she started to argue with you you just want to give in, because you knew you were in for the fight of your life!

Emma has always been tough, and a girl you could count on. If something needed to be done, she could do it. I have watched her in parking lots go up to people and help them load their heavy groceries...not because they asked, but because she saw a need and knew she could fill it. Once when Seely was around seven the kids were playing outside...Seely was hanging from the door of a dog kennel, and I will never understand how, but he swung his leg and impaled it on the door latch. I was inside, so while Linnie(I think) came in to get me Emma had to lift Seely up and proceeded to push his leg off the latch. I will never know how she did that, but goodness I'm thankful she did...because I don't know what I would have done. By the time I came out of the house and saw him I was panicked enough. The latch had gone all the way to the muscle area! A trip to the children's hospital, and a bunch of stitches later we were back home. Emma has always just known how to take care of things. Since Emma was little she has loved horses...I never understood it...my grandparents had cattle, but we were never around horses! We used to joke that she was just born with horses in her blood. When she was 3 Santa brought her a "FurReal pony" she named him Trigger...she loved him...he lives in the attic now, but I seem to recall a night when she was in high school that she and Ava (Ava had one named Pepper) brought down Pepper and Trigger and rode them in front of the TV while watching a horse race on youtube...Pepper and Trigger were fast! For years Emma asked for a real horse...in fact for one of her birthdays we took one out on trial...she was so excited, but the horse wasn't a good fit for us so we had to wait and try again. She took riding lessons for years, and through that met the most wonderful people that are still a part of our lives today. She did horse camps during the summer, volunteered at the barn, anything she could do to be around these animals she loved. It was at the barn that Butterscotch and Quigley (along with nnumerous other horses) became part of our lives. (I completely forgot that Becca took up horseriding for a short while...I'll include a picture of her with Butterscotch) When Emma was in 4th grade we started school at PCAL...school wasn't her favorite, but she survived it. She was more interested in being outside or at the barn. It was through PCAL that she met Ava. Those two became fast friends because of their mutual love of...can you guess...horses! Not long after Ava went from best friend to sister, and changed our lives and our family for the better. We had been in 4-H (remember the chicken debacle) and through that we learned that there was a program where she could raise and train a foal! She worked so hard to get things ready. She went and looked at the foals and fell in love with one. It was a family affair getting him home. Zac, Kiki, Jess, Kyle, Bella and Poppy all helped clear land and get the fence built. Poppy brought his truck and trailer down, and they went and brought the new foal home. Emma named him Chief. The night Chief came home Emma and Ava took camp chairs out to the pasture and sat there half the night with him...I think they would have slept out there. Chief was the absolute best foal. He had personality, he was sweet, beautiful...soon we were all in love. Sadly Chief passed away from a bad case of colic, and we were all devestated. A few months later we tried again...this time with a full grown rescue horse we named Oakie. Oakie is as stubborn as a mule. I remember after we first got him, she would be on him trying to ride and he would just stand there...I can't tell you how many times I heard "Mom, he doesn't work!" Oakie is still with us today...he still doesn't work...in fact I'm pretty sure Oakie thinks he's a dog and would come in the house if we let him (I've actually seen him try and climb the back steps) All through junior high and high-school Emma babysat for different families. She's great with kids (sometimes I think she's kind of mean haha) but kids (and parents) absolutely adore her. Once she graduated from highschool she got a job as a para at our local elementary school. She worked there for one school year. Today she is happily married, and expecting our first grandbaby!! A baby girl due in just a couple weeks! We are so excited, and I am so thankful that she has a wonderful, loving, and supportive husband, who is willing to let her have her dream of staying home with baby Parker. I am so so proud of Emma and Corbin, and am so excited for this family and life they are building.

Time Flies-Becca Edition

I truly wish I had kept up with this, It's such a great way to record memories, and I love looking back...but I didn't...so I'm going to attempt to write a summary of each kid. Things will be left out, I'm sure of it, but I'll do my best. Some day I hope my kids are able to find this, and maybe remember some of these things...and know how they have always been my greatest blessing. Becca...Becca did dance for a little while (I blogged about some of that...it was a love hate relationship) As a child she was creative, so smart, strong willed, and incredibly dramatic! She loved crafts (I do not). she enjoyed learning...but wanted to learn about what she chose and on her terms. She was never easily pushed around...I remember a time during Bible School, all the little girls fought to sit next to her, and she did not care...it annoyed her. I didn't understand it, they all wanted to be her friend, she could have been the "popular" one, but she was not interested in the least. She did everything on her terms...and please do not crowd her lol. Ohh the dramatics with this one...There are so many stories, (and truthfully not much has changed) Once (acutally pretty sure this happened more than once) she fell and skinned her knee, don't get me wrong...I'm sure it hurt...but she decided she couldn't walk for days.

Although she's dramatic, and has been known to panic over small things, she is also calm and a voice of reason when big things happen. When Seely was a baby, and Emma was almost 5 she was bitten by our dog...I was in Seelys room changing him whe I heard it, and as I came out the door, Emma was walking down the hallway blood covering her face...I honestly wasnt sure if she had an eye there was so much blood. She was in shock, I couldn't think...I remember pulling her to me, then realizing I had to get Seely off the changing table before he fell, then realizing I had no idea where I had laid my phone...I don't remember panicking outwardly, but inside I was absolutely frantic. Becca would have only been 6 years old, she said Mom, I'm going to go get Aunt Carol to call Dad (why didn't I think of that...I have no idea) She walked to Aunt Carol's, who then came over and started the process of calling Josh, and the ambulance. I remember Becca saying, we just need to pray Mom...so we did that too. I will never forget how proud I was of her in that moment. She knew what we needed to do, but more importantly she knew who we need to call out to in times of trouble. Emma ended up with a nasty scar...but that's for her story:) Another example of Becca's calmness during medical emergencies came when she was a teenager. Our house was full of kids, I was cleaning, and all of a sudden I didn't feel right. My heart was beating fast, too fast, and I felt as if i might pass out. I remember making my way to Becca's room and sitting on her bed. She immediately knew something was wrong, so I told her..."I'm not sure what's happening...and I may pass out...but I think I need to go to the hospital." We of course called Josh (because he's always our first phone call) Becca then helped get me to the car and drove me to the fire station (it was quicker than waiting for the ambulance to find our house) I was so worried about her seeing me like that (honestly there was a part of me that thought I might be dying and was terrified of scarring her for life) Becca was calm, and did exaclty what she needed to do to take care of me. (not her story, but just to close it up...my heart rate was 263 BPM, they wound up transporting me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with SVT.)

We homeschooled up until Becca was in 6th grade. At that point she told me she wanted something else, we found a small private homeschool/private school hybrid, PCAL. I was so worried about Becca starting there...she has always been so strong willed, that I wasn't sure she wouldn't walk out of the classroom if she didn't like it lol. This school turned out to be one of the best things we did. During our time here Becca decided she would like to join the swim team in Conroe (she's always loved the water) She tried out and made it, attended practices, and then at the first meet was like nope, this is not for me (insert crying eyes here) Me, being the mean mom I am, have always told my kids when we commit to something we finish it out...and this was no different. So for the entire season, I tortured myself and her by dragging us to the meets where she never competed...but we got our volunteer hours in. It was legitametly torture...A summer of sitting outside in the Houston Texas heat! But you know what...the kids are grown now, and not a one is a quitter! (in fact sometimes they have to remind me...Mom Parker's aren't quitters, if we've committed we finish)Yea, Yea, Yea.

Today Becca is still dramatic, and very strong willed...she is also one of the smartest, most creative, amazing person, ever. She can do literally anything she puts her mind to...and she's self taught! (cause Lord knows I am not creative) She draws and paints with watercolor, she sews, she crochets, she has gorgeous handwriting...gosh, I really could go on and on. After graduating high-school she started taking online college classes and working. She got a job at an elementary school as a paraproffesional and absolutely flourished. She is amazing with kids (especially special ed and those with behavior issues) She loves with her whole heart...gosh she makes me proud.