The Birthday Celebration

Brian and Rory celebrated her birthday by taking a father/daughter camping trip. From what I hear, she didn't stop talking the entire time although she did do a lot of entertaining herself with a whole pile of seashells . . . she just didn't stop talking even while entertaining herself. Sounds just like her.

And I guess camping is alot of work (I wouldn't know) because my kids always sleep on the way home. Hence, the tired face.

This is the first birthday for either of my kids that did not involve any grandparents, but we had Uncle Michael, Aunt Liz, and Addison to help us celebrate. The only thing on Rory's birthday list was a DS; and she made sure to remind us of this pretty much every day since her last birthday (Camden got one for his 7th birthday, and she was not going to let us forget it).

Waiting patiently to open presents. She would like everyone to notice how long her hair is getting.

Tackling Camden in excitement once she opened the DS. Camden was a trooper and kept this a secret for an entire week. I think he was as excited as she was.

We Facetimed with my dad so he could watch part of the festivities, and then we Facetimed with Grandma (who is in OK with Becky, Micah, William, and Xavier). This was when William and Xavier were singing happy birthday to her.

ice cream cake (coincidentally the same one Camden requested in July)

The required family shot. We were dodging rain bullets at this point.

And one of my favorite things? She received these silky pajama bottoms with a Hello Kitty top and eye mask. She wore this eye mask for the rest of the day and when I went to wake her up this morning? She still had them on. Cracks me up.

While I was working on my Thousand Gifts journal this morning, I was reminded of how on Rory's 5th birthday, I made the trip with Brian and Rory to Nashville. We left Rory with some friends while Brian and I met with Dr. W to hear confirmation that my initial 6 rounds of chemo had not worked. After meeting with him, I started up a new chemo cocktail. I came home feeling sick, nauseous, and sure that Rory's birthday would be forever marred by that doctor's appointment and subsequent chemo. I remember calling Becky and crying as I told her that I was scared I wouldn't be alive for Rory's 6th birthday. Two years later and this memory did not even surface on her birthday, much less the worry that I might not be here for the next one. And I know for sure that the only thing Rory remembers about that day is that she had her mama and daddy all to herself; we took her to get a feather in her hair and for lunch at her favorite chicken place (McDougals); and that she got to stay with some of her mama's friends, who made her feel very special. 

God is good.