Me at 33

Today, as I begin my 33rd year, I feel incredibly grateful. This week I was reminded of how precious life is when my dear friend lost her sister in a tragic accident. I cannot imagine the pain that her family is feeling as they prepare for tomorrow's funeral. I am so blessed with a loving family and so many close friends. I try to tell you all that I love you as often as I can but it still isn't enough. Thank you all for enriching my life, loving me unconditionally, and for inspiring me to be the best I can be. Thinking back to birthdays past, I realized that the challenges I've faced in life have come in 10 year intervals. 13 was such a tough age. I was awkward and having a hard time processing all of the emotions I felt. I know if it was hard for me, it was 100 times worse for my parents. 13 is synonymous with doors slamming, hateful words, and lots of hysterical crying fits. The next hard time came around 22. Kevin and I packed up and moved across the country. We were living thousands of miles from our friends, family and from a comfort zone. We drained what small savings we had to get there and worked in dead end jobs that barely paid the bills. We knew no one and had nothing. I can remember feeling so sad and empty. On the flip side, the perseverance we had and how we pulled together as a team made us who we are today. We made such a great life for ourselves and grew together to become what we are now. Just when we started to feel comfortable it was time for another curve ball. This has once again been a rough patch in my life. This move and Kevin's new job have been a challenge. I know that we're going to come through this with flying colors and we'll be better and stronger than ever. We have so much to be thankful for; a healthy baby, a fun-loving vivacious daughter, a beautiful home, a picture perfect neighborhood (with family down the street!), our four crazy brothers, our supportive parents (even when we make spur-of-the-moment decisions that may not make a lot of sense), our close knit group of friends. I could go on and on and on. My goal is to make my 33rd year the best one yet. With so many great things to focus on I am hopeful that it will be a piece of (birthday) cake. Thank you for making my birthday and every day so happy. I love you all!