Happy Birthday

We have lived out on our own for an entire year today! Which might seem silly and pathetic to some, but to me this is a huge and proud moment! I honestly didn't know if I could do it. We lived on our own for 6 months when we first got married but when I got so sick I didn't think I would be able to be a "normal" adult again. But here I am. I have a happy and very smart daughter, who has never been want for any necessities. I have worked at the same company for 8 months this week, and lived on my own for a year. I do all the laundry, all the dishes, I am the homemaker, the mother, the wife, the decorator, the grocery shopper, the Audrey picker-upper, I can do this. I can have a happy and healthy life. I can function and live my life. You have no idea how huge and momentous this is! And all of this has taught me some significant life lessons:

1) It DOES NOT matter what you go through in your life. You can change how YOU react, and how YOU change your life for the better or worse.

2) You can do hard things. You can overcome. With sheer determination, a lot of work, and hopefully some support. But you can overcome, I can overcome the things that I've gone through.

3) Although being an adult is hard and a lot of times you want to rob a bank, it is the best. Having my own home, my own family, my own rules - it makes me really feel like a wife and mother. 

4) I can be a mom, and a good one at that. Do I have room to improve? OF COURSE, but I love Audrey. I am a good mom, she is happy and healthy, she is smart and funny, she has always been taken care of.

After dealing with the abuse, I honestly didn't think I could even stay on Earth any longer. It seemed too hard and too impossible. But I have worked my butt off and done everything I can to "re-arrange my stars", to put the past behind me, and to realize what a happy wonderful life I have ahead of me. So Happy Birthday dear home that I love so much, and Happy Birthday to Functioning Adult Allie. Welcome to the world. 

She was so excited about the cupcakes until I put the candle in. But she still is ADORABLE.

She wouldn't even look at us. :( Poor girl, where on Earth did she get this fear?