Hannah's birthday party

To my little girl, it was a fabulous day. She had balloons and cake, the only thing she asked for. A few of her friends came over to play in the pool/sandbox/playground and, as my friend Courtney pointed out, Hannah does better with smaller crowds. All of her favorite people from Montana were here, including three babysitters who are basically like surrogate aunts as well as her adopted grandmother. There was a fun cake, presents, and great weather. So, to my little girl, the party was a success. She didn't even know she was having one until after the yard was decorated and she asked me "Why do we have balloons, mommy?"

To me, it was a continuation in my Montana challenge. The crowd was not something I was expecting. One gal was on vacation, one had a suprise visit from a mother-in-law, one woke up with a sick child, one had to keep a child home for discipline issues, and another had to go out of town to visit family that day. Only two didn't RSVP. All had very good reasons, but it was still hard for me to press through the unloved feelings and the longing to have all of my best girlfriends (and their children) living right beside me like they always have (or as I've always wished they could be!). God is teaching me a lot about loving others. Unfortunately, it is taking me feeling unloved in a miriad of situations to realize what it takes to love people. It's something I've always struggled with (I'm not a very emotional person by nature) and I knew the lesson would have to be learned at some point. Doesn't make it any easier. To Becca, Christi, Jamie, Mary, Caryn, Grandma, Nenang, Jennifer, Amber, and (the list could continue) I wish you could have been there to eat sunshine cake and sing to my little girl.

Three years ago my precious little girl came into the world. (Hopefully, in four weeks my last little boy will be here!) She's a cutie, isn't she? :)