Emma

I just found this picture Dane took at Christmas time, and I had to put it on. It's our family with our sweet old friend, Emma. When we were growing up, Mom thought it'd be nice to have a little help around the house, so she hired Emma to come a few times a week. I think Emma really liked being at our house, and Mom and Dad were so sweet to her, so she stayed around for several years. Still to this day, I remember her rocking me and singing to me in our garden room. I also remember that she wore a white dress with her hair in a bun, and she always smelled like peppermint. She called my mom "Miss Jill" and Mom remembers her as one of the most positive ladies she's ever met. When it was a rainy day, Emma would always say, "Don't worry, Miss Jill. It'll clear up!" I love that.
The best part about Emma is that when we visited her this Christmas, we found her to be the same optimistic person we always knew. Now in her nineties, she lives alone in a run down house that felt the effects of the hurricane, and she stood the whole time with her cane and reminded us that God is good. It was such a wonderful experience to hear her tell stories about growing up and always believing in God. She also commented about the youth at her church, who are always in a hurry; she thinks people need to slow down and enjoy life. Of course, it melted my heart when she asked where her baby Christina was. It had been so long, that she didn't recognize me. I'm grateful she's part of my memories of growing up. Here we are on her front porch.