"I hope that 29 is better then 28"-- well not really...

So as many of you know Thursday was my birthday.  It was pretty low key.  I took a 1/2 day because I had an appointment in Waukesha and Nick and I went out to one of my favorite restaurants in Brookfield, WI.  It was good but not as great as I remember.

At dinner I said, "I hope that 29 is better then 28."  But once I said it I realized that isn't really true.  While the last month of 28 was not good, the other 11 months of it were.  Last year on my birthday I was pregnant.  Nick and I still had not told anyone but we knew about our little one.  We had fun keeping the secret and planning how we were going to tell everyone.  On Easter, we sent a package to my niece Ruby announcing that the stork would bring her a wonderful gift in the fall- a cousin!  For my parents we had them follow an Easter egg path to the nursery and for our friends we made cards that read "last fall we expanded our house by for feet (with little doggy prints)" on the front.  The inside read "this fall we will add two more" (with little baby feet).

In June, we had a great weekend with our Michigan friends when we all got together for Carlin and Jake's wedding.  In October, my little Olivia was born and I felt a love greater then I knew existed.  Just a few weeks later, we celebrated with our friends again in Appleton for Abby and Randy's wedding.  I was more thankful at Thanksgiving this year then I had ever been before.  Nick and I both graduated from college in December and as I rung in 2011 with my family I was truly happier then I have ever been.  Then in January, my sister had Ivy.  A little peanut but a healthly little girl to compete their family and give Ruby the sister I know she would have missed had she ended up with a brother.  In the beginning of February, the Packers won the Superbowl and we had a great time on vacation to Mexico.  Finally, I spent Valentine's Day at home with my family- Nicholas, Olivia and Miller.

Looking back, until February 17th, 28 was a really good year.  My goal moving forward is to keep that in my heart.  I can't forget all the joy thing being 28 brought me.  That would be unfair to Olivia- for the pain of loosing her can not overshadow the joy she brought.