Bittersweet 4th Birthday

Bittersweet 4th Birthday

Like this morning, four years ago today I was up bright and early. I had butterflies in my stomach and was so excited to be heading to the hospital for my third c-section! God had been good to us, He had blessed us with another child...later to find out another girl! She was born at 12:35 p.m. to a very proud mommy and daddy and two sisters at home. Her first birthday was like all other first birthdays, party with cake and presents and lots of fun! The second birthday holds many more memories for me. Mike had worked third shift the night before and when he got home, he thought we ought to take her out for the day for her birthday. The bigger girls were in school, so we had "baby" girl to ourselves that day. We went shopping and out to eat lunch. That night we gave her our presents and ate dinner, but her party was scheduled for the following weekend. But, in between her second birthday and the "following weekend".......daddy met Jesus. The day after Mike died, someone asked me what my plans were for her birthday party and I told them, I wasn't going to take that away from her so we would be having it as planned. We did, but I was in such a fog. The pictures reveal the sadness and shock, they show the rawness of that time. She was having a lot of fun, as all two year olds do at their birthday party. See, the sadness for me today is that she had her daddy here for two birthdays and now she's been without him for two birthdays. Half of her life she has already been without her daddy. Two is such a young age, she only has one major memory of him. All the other memories are those that have been told to her. Mike loved all of his girls SO much. He always said to me, "Mommy, no matter what she will always be your baby girl." Those words are spoken often when talking to her about her daddy. I am sad that he was here for only two years of her life and now already she is without him for two. But, last night after her party we were talking and I reassured her that she would spend many, many, many more birthdays in heaven with daddy than here on earth. And, her response was WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO~


Gotta love the excitement of birthdays in heaven in the eyes of a 4 yr. old! Take a minute today and hug your spouse tight and just think of all the birthday parties you have had together with your children...each one is a blessing!