On this day, many years ago....I was born.

and I looked really little in my dad's big hands....

this birthday doesn't feel very fun...(yet, anyway)

It will be the first birthday without my dad here on Earth.

It hasn't even been a month.

And I miss him so much.

I missed not waking up to his usual birthday message singing his "birthday song"

(not the average Happy Birthday, because my dad never did anything "average"...ha ha)

But my sister did call and sing it to me in a message, and it made me happy.

(my mama, holding me, after I was brought home from the hospital)
I am so thankful to my beautiful mama, who was pregnant with me and then had to go through all the hard work of labor to get me here! You have a whole new appreciation for your mom once you've had to go through labor! ha ha ha
I always want to buy my mom a present on my birthday, because she had to go through all the pain on this day, years ago! I love you mama, more than words can say!  I have been so blessed to have you as my mama. The most amazing mama, that continues to teach me and inspire me every day!
And my mom, told me she has made me the best Mud Pie Ice Cream Cake from scratch- I can't wait to try it! She is the most amazing mama! God truly blessed me when he let me have the parents I have!

This was my first birthday...
me, the little 1 year old in the picture (ha ha) and my dad.

And my very first birthday cake!
Me and my mom laughed as we looked through my baby book yesterday, and read that it was a "Mud Pie" ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors- Mud Pie has been one of my favorite desserts my whole life! ha ha ha

 Me in my dad's arms...
I miss him so much it truly hurts my heart. It seems hard to have a birthday, less than a month after news that your dad has moved onto heaven already. It's hard to feel really happy. But I know my dad would want me to have fun. My dad always made everything fun! So, for my dad in heaven, I will try to have fun dad- because I know you want me to. I know God will let my dad's love shine down on me today...and for that I want to be happy.

Just one of the great perks of heaven- you don't have to worry about aging up there! ha ha ha

 Makes me start singing that Rod Stewart song, "Forever Young"! ha ha ha
 I'm thankful God has blessed me to be alive another year. I pray that I can inspire and encourage others this year, and help bring comfort to hurting hearts, that would be the greatest give I could, not get, but that I could give.
I don't care about what I get...I care about what I can give.

Happiest of birthdays to everyone who's birthday is today too! I send everyone big hugs, birthday or not...and if I had a big party we could all eat cake together!

huge love and can't wait to eat the cake my mama made me, kandee with a virtual birthday hat on...
and hooray for not needing to count "years old" in heaven!

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