Happy FIRST Birthday baby girl!

On December 16 our baby girl turned ONE! What an emotional time! I have spent the first half of the month in tears. Looking back one year ago, I never would have thought I could have made it through where we have been. We have been blessed beyond belief. We have seen things that before I wouldn't have necessarily considered a miracle, but now feel surround by them always. We have been loved and served by so many. We have struggled and been tested and it has caused us to grow. I look at Grace daily and feel so grateful for everyday I have had to spend with her over the last year.

If I could have, I would have invited everyone I know to celebrate Gracelyn's birthday with us. There are a lot of people that I wanted to come that have helped us get through everything. People that understood what making it through the last year meant. However, we kept it very small and just invited our family over. Most of them didn't and can't understand what December 16, 2010 meant to us. I hope they never have to.

I decided that she needed a "Sweet Celebration." The day before her birthday we spent the day with grandma Hales making her a SWEET cake, full of candy.Since we would have enjoyed a dinner of cheerios, crackers and peaches if we ate Gracelyn's favorites, grandpa and grandma brought us pizza instead. Thank you!
We waited for our cousins and then let Gracelyn open her presents. With the help of her cousins and brother she did great. She was spoiled. Mr. C has a squishy people that she always steals, mom and dad got her a pink one of her own. She got lots of clothes, a soft heart blanket and a barbie bike from grandpa and grandma Hales. She got a card with money from papa and grandma Cheryl. Grandpa and Grandma great gave her a knitted blanket. Jared and Amber gave her a soft pink teddy bear. Aunt Camee sewed her a darling owl blanket. The Bloxhams gave her a bag of clothes and p.j.s. Her brother gave her a book and shirt.

Gracelyn wasn't shy when it came to her cake. The girl loves to eat. Who can blame her? We sat her in her high chair and let her go to town.
We sat up a candy buffet with thank you bags for those that came and for those that have been part of what we have gone through.As part of Gracelyn's birthday we have the chance to put together comfort baskets for the heart families that would be at Primary's over the holidays. A young man in our ward decided to do this for his eagle scout project and it made Gracelyn's birthday celebration so much more special. I am so grateful to him for the chance he gave my family to be a part of it. He did a great job. The baskets included treats, a blanket, a darling pillow, a water bottle, a stuffed animal, word search books, tooth paste and tooth brush, Paul Cardall's book Before My Heart Stops...The families will love the baskets!