Birthdays

Birthdays have some how evolved into a really big deal for me and my sister.  We don't care that much about presents and things like that, but it's the one day out of the year that is yours and it's fun to celebrate.  When Joey's birthday was approaching after we were dating, he told me birthdays are not a big deal to him and he didn't need me to do anything special.  To which I exclaimed, "What?!?!?  This is the day that I get to celebrate that you are ALIVE!!!  Of course it's a HUGE deal!  If you weren't alive, then who would I be about to marry?!?!?"  He replied, "Well, when you put it like that..."   So he very graciously put up with a whole birthday weekend in Dallas, complete with a birthday crown I got for him, I have pictures somewhere, but I am not so sure he would want them published on the web...

I know some people hate to grow up, but I have enjoyed my life more and more as each year passes.  Every year is something special to me because every year at this time I get to look back and reflect on what all the Lord has done in my life and how grateful I am to Him that He spared my life when it could have ended so many years ago.  I deserved death and He gave me life! This year is particularly special because of not only celebrating my life, but the life that is growing inside of me. 

Two years ago on my birthday it was first one after Joey and I were married and I was certain that I was pregnant.  It was a Saturday and I told Joey all I wanted for my birthday was a fishing trip just the two of us.  That is actuallly what I asked for the year before and when we got on the water the weekend after my birthday, he stopped somewhere and asked me to marry him.  So my plan was to get him to go back to that same spot and tell him we were going to have a baby.  But it became clear before we left that we were not pregnant.  I was a little disappointed, but by that point we had only been trying for about 4 months so it wasn't so bad.  But last year on my birthday we had been trying for a year and 4 months and the fear was beginning to mount.  The first year I was certain that by my birthday the next year I would either have a baby in my arms, or at least growing in my belly.  So by the second year I began to wonder, will we still be without a child next year as well.  How many birthdays will come and go without, or will we ever have a baby at all.  (I plan on writing some more posts about the struggle I went through with this and how the Lord helped me to draw closer to Him as a result of the fear and pain of not being able to conceive)

So here we are this year and it just so happened that this month's Dr. appt fell on my birthday.  So it was super special because I got to spend a little extra time with Joey in the morning and eat breakfast with him and then we got to hear the baby's heartbeat.  It was beating so strong and so fast, Joey said it sounds like she is playing the drums in there!  So it was a great day to celebrate the fact that I am alive, not just physically, but spiritually as well.  And celebrate the blessing God has given me with Joey and our soon to be born daughter.  I also got to be with some wonderful friends from church and my wonderful second family.  It was a great day!

Birthday Pics!!!!