“Mama, look! I set up a birthday party for you!”
– Emily, very excited, showing off her carefully arranged tea party set, 2 weeks after her first “non-family” birthday party

“You did? Oh, I didn’t know it was my birthday.”
– Mama, who isn’t due for a birthday for a couple months yet

“It is! It’s your… [thinking hard]… 15th birthday!”
– Emily, trying to think of a big enough number

“OK, animals, you all go in the ark so you don’t get destructed!”
– Emily, playing “Noah”

“Dear God, please help me to stay in bed and not get up and go to Amanda’s room and turn on the light and tell her to get up and take her in to my room and bounce… (pause) … because I’m not supposed to do that.”
– Emily, at nightly prayers, surprising everybody but God

“Dear God, thank you for a nice room to sleep in…”
– Emily, doing a scan around the room

“Emily, how about saying ‘Thank you’ for something you can’t see?”
– Daddy, trying to inspire her to be more creative in her prayers

“Dear God, thank you for my heart… and for You…”
– Emily, praying creatively

“… And guess what else, Grammy! They have ice cream at Chik-Fil-A!”
– Emily, all excited to be in the car on the way to her favorite restaurant

“They do! Is that a hint?”
– Grammy. There was a brief silence, suddenly followed by a very enthusiastic

“YES!”
– Amanda

“That turtle sure is gone.”
– Emily, looking in the back yard for the turtle we saw before church

“Are you sure? Turtles don’t move very fast, so he might be around here somewhere.”
– Daddy

“Well, if you see a rock with orange spots on it… it’s the turtle!”
– Emily

“Mama, after I hold on, can I have a blueberry please?”
– Emily, watching Mama make blueberry pancakes

“Hold on.”
– Mama, in the middle of pouring batter into the pan… who suddenly realized what Emily said… and how often I must say that…

“Amanda, what’s it doing outside?”
– Daddy, admiring a terrific thunderstorm through the office window

“It’s kabooming!”
– Amanda, admiring the accompanying sound effects

“Guess what?”
– Mama to Amanda, cuddling before naptime

“What?”
– Amanda, who knows how to play this game

“I love you!”
– Mama, making Amanda smile

“Guess what?”
– Amanda to Mama, continuing the game

“What?”
– Mama

“Jesus love me too!”
– Amanda, quite pleased

“Emily did a good job in school today.”
– Mama, to Grammy

“Is that so! Are you a smart kid?”
– Grammy, to Emily

“Yes, I know everything.”
– Emily, with great confidence and satisfaction