This is a picture of me when I turned 20 years old. It was my first semester of college. I was a confused freshman. I was coming to the end of a complex relationship. I was insecure. But most of all I was learning a lot about who I was and who I wanted to be.
It wasn't long after I took that picture that I found the man of my dreams. 6 months later Ben and I were married and the following January I turned 21.
This was the best year of my life so far. I have been challenged in ways that have brought me to my knees many times. I have been pushed to my "limits". I have learned, laughed, and loved more than I possibly could have imagined that I would. Over the last year Ben and I moved approximately 3 times. I have had 2 different jobs and even attended Cosmetology school for a while. Through all of my experiences I have seen the Lords hand in all that I do and where I end up. Every place that we have moved has been for our benefit. Every job and every minute I spent at school was for me to learn and to grow. I truly have felt Gods hand in my life over this last year. Ben and I spend a lot of time praying and trying to find our Father in Heaven's will for us. We have done our best to follow his will and we have seen real miracles in our life as we do so. One of the biggest blessings and miracles we have received over the last year was the blessing of getting pregnant. Today is not only my birthday but it marks the 20th week of my pregnancy. We were able to see an ultrasound of our little girl yesterday and she is completely healthy. Just another blessing from God.
As I laid in bed this morning I rolled over and thought to myself "I don't even care it's my birthday." At first I thought, "what a horrible attitude Jaimie, you do to care that it is your birthday". But something I realized is that it wasn't a bad attitude that made me think this. It was the fact that as I get older I realize every day is a gift. Every day brings something new for me and even though I get older on this day every year it doesn't make any other day less special. Today birthdays just feel like a day to remember the blessings I have received over the years and the blessings to come in the years to follow.
This coming year Ben and I will welcome our baby girl to the world. This is the biggest blessing I could ask for. As I blow out the candles on my cake my only wish will be that my baby girl will be healthy, strong, loving, generous, and love her Father in Heaven above anything else.
This year I cannot concentrate on myself. This year I feel too grateful for what God has blessed me with to feel as though I deserve more just because I am turning one year older. But I guess maybe that is what getting older is all about..... Learning to love God, learning to be grateful, learning to use everyday to serve him, learning that family is everything, and learning that through the Lord anything is possible.
Today I am grateful. Today I have grown. Today I am blessed. Today I am 22.
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