Dear Emma

Dear Emma,

Happy birthday to my wonderful friend and sister! I hope that you are enjoying your vacation immensely, and I can’t wait to see you when you return!

When I walked into Training 1 two years ago, you immediately caught my eye. I remember thinking, “Wow… she’s really good.” Sure enough, you were, are and continue to improve each and every day.

You would never guess how many conversations we have about you on Instagram. Somehow, no matter what dance-oriented picture I post, Moriah and I end up commenting, “That looks like Emma,” or “That’s something that Emma would do.” That picture that we took after recital? I had to post it! Moriah said, “[I] will miss her SO stinking much! Love that girl!”

Cassi, complete with a sad-face, commented, “[I] will miss her… like, a lot….”

And what was my caption? I said, “There are no words, Emma. I just love ya to death. And I’ll miss you. We all will. But remember: we’ll always be here for you, so don’t be afraid to come back, Emmy… <3”

It’s true: we’ll all miss you, and we wouldn’t hesitate to take you back in a heartbeat.

Despite all of this, I am more than proud of you for making the decision to further your dance experience. I want you to know that Jesus has your back; He can make all of your dreams come true! If at any time you just need a hug, come on over to Training 3! We definitely do hugs.

Things to remember: we love you; we’re proud of you; don’t ever wear black and brown; stay weird; never call Moriah by her real name (whoops…); this is not the end.