Celebrating Our Joyful Light: Life with Our Sweet Girl, Eminence

April 03, 2025 by Katie Travis |Leave a Comment

Meet Emi – Our Silly, Strong-Willed, Side-Eye Queen

Shout-out to our happy-go-lucky sweetheart, Eminence—our silly girl with the most epic side eye!
She lights up every room with her joy and curiosity.

Her latest saying that has the whole family laughing?
"Excuse me. What time is it?"
It may sound simple, but to us, it’s a major win.

Echolalia and Joyful Communication

Emi is Autistic and has challenges with verbal communication.
Hearing her repeat lines from her favorite shows, like this one, is truly heartwarming.
If you recognize it, you probably love the show as much as she does!

Echolalia is often how she expresses herself—and every new phrase is a celebration.

A Pandemic Baby with a Powerful Start

Eminence was born on April 2, 2020, just as the world began shutting down due to the pandemic.
She arrived seven weeks early, and we spent 15 long days in the NICU.

Daddy wasn’t allowed inside—except for dropping off clean clothes and picking up milk to freeze.
We stayed connected through video calls, but for new parents, it was incredibly hard.

Still, we were filled with hope and gratitude.

Teaching From the NICU: A Story of Strength

At the time, I was a high school Spanish teacher.
I made a tough choice: to forgo maternity leave and continue teaching—right from the NICU.
I posted lesson plans and kept my students moving forward, all while watching over our tiny fighter.

Why?
Because we didn’t know what was ahead, and I wanted to save every sick day I could.
Looking back, I’m still amazed at how we made it through.

Our Bilingual Beauty

Emi surprises us daily with her resilience—and her language skills.
Hearing her drop Spanish phrases like it’s second nature fills us with pride.
She’s bilingual, brilliant, and beautiful.

She reminds us that communication comes in many forms—and all are valid and valuable.

Thank You, God, for Emi

We are so thankful to be Emi’s parents.
She has taught us more about love, patience, and joy than we could’ve imagined.
To our sweet girl: You are deeply loved, exactly as you are.

The Light of Our Lives

Every smile, every giggle, every new phrase is a gift.
Eminence, you are our sunshine on cloudy days, our laughter in chaos, and our miracle in motion.

Thank you, God, for making us Emi’s parents.
We wouldn’t have it any other way.