HaPpY BiRtHdAy to ME!!!!!

 For my 25th birthday Paul took me to H& M @ Scottsdale Fashion Sq. Mall for new clothes! Then Tiffany & Amanda came over to eat cake and hangout! (Best friends since 4th & 6th grade! LOVE YOU GIRLS!) And Paul took me out to dinner at Baci's Italian, and then we hit up Harkins for Fast & Furious 5!  :)

I turned 25 on May 11!  Crazy how fast time goes, and how much I have 

survived/ accomplished in my life.  Therefore......10 major events in my life that have happened

 just since my last BIG birthday (turning 21): 

1. Said "I DO" to my hubby the month before!
2. Had my first adventure living in an apartment, the 2nd place I'd ever lived (yep, lived in the same house, same bed room for 21 yrs.!)
3.  Graduated from ASU!!!
4. Found out I was Prego  :)
5. Took care of my mother for the last yr. of her life, planned an entire funeral, sold my moms house, and visited her grave, and died a little inside.
6.  Moved into OUR first home!   (And was asked by our neighbors to be their surrogate!- I said yes,  however, they are  hoping to get prego on their own first . . . . to be contd!)
7. Had a baby! (After 9 months of intense sickness!)  She is so worth it!!!!
8. Was a YW leader and now a Primary teacher in church love teaching our 7 yr. olds!
9.  Put one dog down (Summer), got a new dog (Rigby), and still love the other one, too (Noel)!
10.  Dealt with extreme loss, heartache, stress, depression, a rough start to marriage, loneliness, and a broken self---- but I also FOUND peace, healing, strength, love, friends, motherhood, a closer relationship with God, and a relationship with Paul that truly testifies that love conquers all.

My life is and has never been easy- I have known that from a young age. I've often asked myself, why me?  I have often been jealous of friends and loved ones who could not comfort me in my times of sorrow- why not them?  Misery loves company...  BUT, the Lord has a plan for me.  I am stronger and am becoming the person the Lord wants me to be.
Sometimes when your heart is shattered, the Lord gives you a moment to step back and cry.  But then he asks you to collect all the pieces.  It is not an easy process, but He is there to help you pick them up.  Then He hands you the glue and tells you you can do it.  And then you have to figure out how to put it back together (with His help of course).  And as you work on it, some of the pieces are a little bit different, but they are better, and you are better, and slowly but surely you start to see your heart taking shape again. And you fill it with experience, hope, and empathy.  And somehow, the beat is even stronger... And so is your soul.
Despite all my trials, my life has been very blessed.  I look forward to the future!  It's been a crazy 1/4 of a century- can't wait to see what the rest hold!