Happy birthday, Emmanuelle Grace.
Today has come too fast. What I once thought was eons away has quickly eluded me and stands closely in front of me requiring acknowledgement. You’re 13. You’re beautiful and deep, and you constantly try to figure out how to grow up and understand more of your observations. Know that you are surrounded by people who are fast to love. You will be met with people to cheer you on. We love you, Monkey and pray your birthday verses with you. We are so proud of who you are. 
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asdf?Some Favorites:
- Clothes: Maxi Dresses, TShirt + Leggings, Poofy Tulle Skirts
- Food: Bacon, Fried Pork Belly, Shrimp, Salmon, Pizza @ the mall, taro bubble tea slush, Nutella
- Instrument: Violin, Uke, Voice
- TV Shows: Fuller House, Star Vs. Forces of Darkness, Nick Shows
- Movies: Mamma Mia “HWGA”, “Greatest Showman”, Pitch Perfect 3
- Songs: Mamma Mia Soundtrack, Greatest Showman Soundtrack, Kina Grannis, Songwriter Vibes, Imagine Dragons, Pitch Perfect 3 Soundtrack
- Color: Tiffany Blue
- Hobbies: Listen to music, Singing, texting friends, Indoor rock climbing, rollerblading, writing songs, playing her uke, Playing Pokemon,
- Loves: Musicals, Swimming, Washi Tape, Sleepovers,
- Places: Beach, B+N, Target
Notables:
- She continues to write songs. On my birthday, her gift to me was a song she composed. She had us both crying.
- She’s a go getter: she tried out for violin regionals, choral regionals, joined Peer Leadership, her first year in her school musical.
- She continues to be in the music ministry in our church: she helps her dad during worship sets (voice, violin). She sang a solo for the retreat. She sings in the kids’ choir during holidays.
- She moved into our new house.
- Moved into a new school and made new friends.
- Joined chess club last year.
- Playing book 5 of her violin.
- Played a duet in her school orchestra spring concert.
- Continued to take PAMA and is now a high green belt.
- Started learning how to cook and use the stove.
- Learned how to do the laundry + added that to their chore list of cleaning their rooms, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathrooms, taking out the trash, and vacuuming the floors.
- Attended her first sleepover + independently makes her own hangout activities with friends.
- Rode her first ever tallest roller coaster in Great Adventure during their Music in the Parks event.
This year, when the family woke up, we read her Life Bible Verses as a family on our bed and prayed for her new year. She then opened gifts and got ready to go to Hershey Park where we met up with the Ngs, Rabanillos. Later that day, my brother’s family joined us. So it was a full day of water activities and some rides here and there. That Sunday, all the families (minus Kris’ fam) stayed at Lolo + Lola’s house for dinner, where Emma blew out her birthday candles on the cake that her Tito Fred bought for her + Zara’s birthdays.
Thank You Lord, for helping us get through this year. Emma at 12 wasn’t the best year- with so many changes and challenges- with her health struggles and questions, and getting us through a new school…but Emma’s smile never changes- her laughter continues to shine in our family. As she passes these next few years, help us encourage her to become the woman that sees her worth, despite the challenges around her that might indirectly or directly try to dissuade her for believing she is not enough.
