One Year Later

Well, Madden turned One on Friday of last week. Her family came over, and we went swimming, opened a few gifts, and sang happy birthday. I definitely teared up while we were singing. I'm tearing up now as I write this.

 Madden walks, no runs, everywhere. She knows what sound a dog makes, woof!, and once she sees my dog she crawls up next to him and will bark and cuddle with him as long as she can. Madden is a sweet, loving girl and I am so head over heels for that little girl. She has everyone wrapped around her chubby little fingers. Those blue eyes of hers are intoxicating, and I feel like when she looks at me she knows exactly who I am. She makes me want to be a better person, and she has made me a better person.

Swimming with her was a blast. This little girl loves to play in the water. After swimming we went back to my house where my mom had made some food, and a cake for Madden. After singing Happy Birthday (and tearing up quite a bit), we let Madden have her first cake. She loved it! She attacked it with both hands (while sitting in my lap) and eventually stopped using her hands and just shoved her face in it! Later that night at her grandparents (oh yeah, TWO parties!) she had another cake and just demolished it as well. That night her mom told me she just ran around the house until all that sugar was gone and she collapsed onto the floor. She threw up too. She knows how to party!

This year has been one of the most rewarding, difficult, emotional, and amazing years of my life. I made a beautiful baby girl, hand picked her parents, became super close with her family, grew as a person, watched Madden grow in a loving and wonderful home, went through a depression and came out on top, have two more days of class and then I apply for my Associates Degree in Arts, found amazing part time jobs, met supportive people who are always there for me, and met a man who completes me in every way.

I'm so thankful for this wonderful life I have been given, and the wonderful people who contribute to it. I went through something that is one of the toughest things a person can go through, and I came out a stronger, more loving person than I ever thought was possible for myself. I am incredibly blessed.

Voices of Christmas

Yesterday, I performed in a Christmas choir. We had been practicing since October, and it was so fun to finally perform for an audience. Two nicely sized audiences. From the feedback I’ve been getting we sounded spectacular. It’s so wonderful to know that all the time and effort we put into it paid off.
At the second showing my family and boyfriend all showed up. It was neat to look out into the crowd and see my mister smiling up at me.

However, the smile of the night goes to little Miss Madden Rae who made an appearance with her parents.
I saw them sitting in the crowd and nearly started crying multiple times while on stage. I had to force myself to look away.

Madden got a little bit fussy, and her dad was standing with her in the isle right next to where Jeremy was sitting. He said afterwords that they looked familiar and he kept looking at them too.

After the show I rushed into the crowd to look for them. I had a few other girls who knew Madden was there rush with me too. They wanted to see her. I stood on benches to see over the crowd and look for them haha.

Finally I found them and just ran over and hugged Stacy. Madden was asleep in her fathers arms.
I reached out to hold her and she woke up a little and started to whine the saddest little cry I’ve ever heard. I started crying with her. All my girl friends just fawned over her cry and I felt a soft touch on my back. It was Jeremy and he was smiling at me and kissed my forhead.

I didn’t know if I was ready for him to meet Madden yet, but I know he understands how much she means to me. Justin and Stacy seemed to like him too.

Eventually Madden woke up and was happily cooing and kicking her little legs everywhere. I had her turned around so she could see everything but I could tell she was smiling. It was really hard to not cry more.

After we said our goodbye’s, Jeremy and I headed for his car and he put his jacket around my shoulders and held me close as I started to cry again. Saying goodbye is always the worst part for me.

Can I just say that I have one amazing man in my life? He puts up with me and my crying, treats me like a queen, and keeps a permanent grin on my face. I am happy. But it still feels like a part of me is missing once I’m sitting in bed alone again.