birthday & ballet

Emma turned 4 this past week!  We love that she was celebrated near and far.  If only every little girl in the world could be celebrated by so many!!

Thought you might like to "hear" the birthday party planning process: 

Emma, would you like to have a party for your birthday?  YES.  

Where would you like your birthday party?  Mid-ships.  

What would you like at your party?  balloons and cake and some people 

What kind of cake?  pink...with white icing.

Which people?  (she proceeded to list a whole bunch of people...some on the ship...some off the ship...it was pretty much everyone she could think of that loves her)

She knew just what she wanted!  So we had a party in mid-ships with cake (and a few other goodies) and balloons and wonderful people (though not all of the people that we wish could've been there...but our budget doesn't quite cover flying people to the Congo for a 45 minute birthday party....)

Africa Mercy birthdays are special....surprisingly simple and tremendously meaningful.  

Looking at her semi-up-to-date scrapbook

Some of the special adults in Emma's (and the rest of the Cash Family's!) life

Opening presents.  Gift giving on the AFM is sweet...

And we thought we'd share some pictures from the ballet performance that happened a few hours before the party.  We love that our girls get to learn ballet in a completely God-honoring and worshipful way.  Their technique isn't perfect...but we don't mind a bit.  Perfect isn't the point.

Caroline's age group danced to "Silent Night."  Emma's class did a fun little somethin' somethin' to  Jingle Bells! (you can watch it by clicking the words).  And then all of the classes (minus the littlest ones) did a LOVELY dance to Bebo Norman's "Come and Worship"

Painting her nails for the performance! 

Caroline & sweet Gracie girl

Miss Suzanne fixed her hair extra special!

Dancing with a candle (electric...not real) to Silent Night

"Come and Worship"

Sweet Sisters.  They have their moments. 

So there ya go with a few more thousand words worth of glimpses into Cash Family life.

Ballet & birthday...what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!!

Surely there will be more to come!