Birthdays

Day 12
I turned 22 today.  Interestingly enough, it was also on the 22nd of January; some consider it my "magical" year.  It's also my last birthday as an unmarried woman.  Wow, talk about a reality check!  But really, I just get more excited when I think about next year when I will be able to celebrate my birthday with my husband.  It's a good thought.
I'm thankful for birthdays because they celebrate life, and with that is the recognition of the blessings that God continues to give, beyond the birthday gifts.  This week has been a bundle of blessings: my fiance got a better job, my birthday, quality time with my roomies, seeing my grandparents, gathering ideas for the wedding, etc.  It's encouraging to look back at the week and count the many blessings God has given.  Each day is a blessing and birthdays celebrate the blessing of another year of learning, growing, and becoming more like the person God wants me to be.  I hope you can look back at the birthdays you've had or celebrated with someone else and realize that each of those years was a blessing from God, no matter how rough or hard that year may have been.