3 Years Old Already????

It has been such a crazy weekend, I am just now sitting down to blog about my baby girl's 3rd birthday....

Oh Bentley......how you make my world complete.  I probably always go back to this, but this is just one of the many ties that bind us....
Three years ago, so much happened.  My world changed in so many ways, I really could have come unraveled at the seams.  But between God's grace and your smiling face, I persevered.  First, I knew my company was going down and in flames.  That was so sad to me....I really enjoyed working there and I also met tons of great friends.  Many of which I am still close to today, in fact, even closer to today than I was then.  I had been with Royce for 6 years and I was pregnant and emotional and it was really hard to let that chapter of my life close.  I knew I was going to stay home once you arrived (due date 7/27/08), but I was going to work until you graced our presence. 

Then, on March 30th, the most traumatic event that has happened in my 33 years (at that time) took place.  I lost my father on a Sunday morning and it was the toughest time in my life.  I so wanted to crawl in a hole and die really.  I had Riley, but Casey took great care of him knowing I was hurting so bad.  But you were a part of me....you were 100% dependent on my actions.  On one hand, that was so tough on me, but on the other hand, I HAD to go on, for your sake and mine.  One day when you are pregnant with your child, you will understand how your emotions are just slightly out of control and you will appreciate this situation.  Between you and the good Lord, I made it...every day.  I ate, I rested and I cried a lot.  Time passed and some complications arose.  My body could not really carry you any longer.  So on June 26th, I woke up having contractions about 3 1/2 minutes apart and called the dr.  He told me to come in and we would just deliver you.  You were 5 weeks early, and the nurse was talking to me about how you would spend time in the NICU since you were early and that would be normal.  But God didn't think that was really what you needed.  He knew you needed to get me through the hurt that came along with you being the only grandchild that Tom Oliver never met.  So that is just what happened...you went to the NICU for about 4 hours and then you were sent to me.  You were fine...lungs, blood sugar, heart rate -everything!!!  Steven sent my placenta off to the lab to be tested and the results showed that my placenta was failing so that you probably would not have made it through the weekend (you were born on a Thursday). 

You were a miracle to me in so many ways and you still are.  I love you more and more every day and I believe that I am the lucky one.  I thank God for you everyday because I lost one of the most important people to me and less than 3 months later I gained a different one. 

Happy birthday baby girl....Pawpaw Tom would be so proud of you!