A Year Full of Joy

The question Joey and I are most often asked  - besides "Are ALL those kids yours?!?!" - is "Sooooo, are you guys done having kids?" We smile and say, "Probably." I distinctly remember in the middle of Emerson's delivery thinking, "I am NOT doing this again! What kind of person would do this FIVE TIMES?!?!?!" There are, of course, a long list of logical, financial, and personal reasons to call our family complete. But the reality is we just don't know. Over the past ten years God has given us such a huge heart and love for children. Our home is so full of laughter, and love, and blessings. We have enjoyed this season in our lives more we could ever have imagined...so "never" is a hard thing to say.

Of course, all these feelings are amplified today because on the eve of Emerson's first birthday I'm a little nostalgic. Emerson Joy Walls was unexpected, but she has brought more joy into our lives this past year than we thought possible. We thought we were pretty maxed out on joy and then here she came, bringing with her a whole new dimension of love and light into our home. She has such a sweet, vibrant personality, lots of spunk mixed with an easiness that comes with being fifth in line. She adores her brothers and sisters and they shower her with attention and affection...she may be a bit spoiled, but how we've enjoyed watching them dote on her, play with her, and care for her. 

Emerson loves snuggling, eating (you name it, she can grind it up with her four teeth), animals, dancing, her blankie (which she sucks on constantly), her toy train and her baby doll. She is not quite walking yet - she's taken a couple of steps - but will be there soon enough and in the meantime we're enjoying her being little for just a bit longer. She can sign "more" and says "Mama," "Dada," "Bubba" (for her brothers), "yes," "bye-bye" (while waving), and ""nana" (for banana). We're looking forward to celebrating her this week and looking toward watching her grow in the coming year! How thankful we are for our sweet Emma Joy!