Cherie~

Today, my youngest daughter, Cherie, turns 9.

9!!! (omg)

Life is kind of crazy, ya know?  You live your life and make your plans and do your thing and you think you have everything figured out and that you're in control.  You've got the great job and the 2 kids and all the stuff that goes with that...it's all smooth sailing and you think "this is it.  this is what's meant to be.." 

Only, it's not. 

Because one day you just feel like crap and you realize "Hey, I've been feeling like crap for about a week now, what gives?" And casually, a friend says "Haha maybe your pregnant!"  You laugh it off (because omg no way) but the idea just festers all day so you stop at Target on the way home from work and buy a pregnancy test and drive like a maniac to get home because by this time you're CONVINCED that you're pregnant so when you get in the house you run straight the bathroom and your husband is all WTF and you tell him what you're doing and he just sits there on the floor outside the bathroom door in complete shock and 90 seconds later you realize that YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO CHANGE FOREVER.

Fast forward about 8 months and you're holding the most beautiful baby you've ever seen.  And you think: "How was I ever happy before this moment?" Because even though you actually were happy and everything was already pretty perfect, you had no idea that there was more happiness available to be had.  There was more completeness out there.  And the sweetest, most vibrant little person in the world was about to change the world forever and make it absolutely SPLENDID.  And for the last 9 years, a day hasn't gone by where I haven't looked at that gorgeous face and thought "omg she's perfect!"

I love you Cherie!

Happy Birthday!!