First Birthday as Makenna's Momma :)

The best gift I have ever gotten: Makenna!

Opening my cards from Makenna & Evan.
Makenna is "sampling" the information for my birthday whale watch
Evan & I are going on while on Kauai!!! My husband knows me too well!

Birthday family portrait.

Being one that has always coveted birthdays I knew my view of birthdays would once again change as I added the new role of momma. As I predicted new emotions surrounding my day of birth entered into the picture. The amount of gratitude I feel towards my mother for doing a great job of raising me in a home of love and support is indescribable. During the day with my girl I kept looking at Makenna, taking her in and thinking about her birthday. Her birth story. How blessed am I to have such a daughter. To have such a mother. Makenna and I are lucky to have such strong women in our lives. I think of my birth story and how different it is from Makenna's. How my life will be different from hers in many ways, but hopefully she will look back one day as she gazes at her child and feel the same gratitude. The sacrifices one does for love. The devotion. It was a beautiful day spent with my girl. That evening I celebrated with Evan and my other parents. It was a simple day, but in its simplicity it was great.