My Elle -

My darling, sweet Elle. :)

Today it is your birthday, and I missed you SO much, because last year I was with you, celebrating on one of the most epic birthday weekends ever ... with Rach. :)

It was SUCH a blast, and just thinking about you makes me all smiles and then all tears. :)

It was such a wonderful and special time with you and I'm not sure that I ever really thanked you for it all!! Especially our tour of St.Louis on Sunday evening ... falling asleep between routes of parks and museums and fountains and getting out in the freezing freezing cold to take a picture and then hop out to walk downtown. :) It was so so fun. :D

(Christina "Elle", me, and Rach)

The memories are so full, just from everything we packed into those few days! The radio control, Rach and I singing and dancing in the back seat, your stunned voice saying "this is NOT Country!", you making us listen to other music, while Rach and I sang Miranda Lambert and all else, yeehawin', and learning we had the same evil giggle. ;D hahahah. Eating chocolate and other food, flipping channels, walking downtown to Busch Stadium, walking EVERYWHERE at night in the freezing cold with our bodyguard, Lincoln. Walking all those steps to the St.Louis arch, talking and sharing and laughing and laughing and .... ;) being together. Texting in the middle of the night, and pretending like you weren't. Allll the inside jokes and memories that come from having a hotel room for 2 nights with us 3 girls.

I truly wish I could have come back this year for a re-run. :) But hopefully, you will visit me this summer, and I'll take you to the beach and we can stream the Beach Boys for hours. :D

Thank you for being the friend I could call and cry on the phone to, we've shared in some hard valleys together, talked and talked and solved the world's problems and given our own back into the hands of our very capable Savior and Father, we've understood pain and looks when everyone else was oblivious to how much it hurt just to be there and smile. We've rejoiced and laughed and been so thankful .... and here it is another year going strong. :) And our Father is still ever faithful, gracious and merciful in His abundant blessings to us. :)

Happy Birthday to you!!!

I love you so so much!! Thank you for being such a dear friend to me, my Elle. Miss you.

Many hugs ... Love, Jemmie.

~ Psalm 143: 8-10 ~

"Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust;

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; In You I take shelter.

Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness."