...firsts....

...so, there are always "firsts" in the "journey to a new normal" and my birthday happened to be the "first" - first hurdle for us to overcome. November 18 came with the alarm ringing at 6:15 as so many days before . . . another morning, another day to face in the new life we are living, another day to CHOOSE to either serve GOD and honor Rick's memory or to challenge God's plan for our lives. I chose the first . . . . I will not dis-honor GOD or Rick's memory by doubting that God has a plan for our lives . . . and daily it is a CHOICE! :)

My beautiful girls awoke with greetings of Happy Birthday Mama which immediately lifted my spirits! :) When I got to school/work, the "spoiling" just continued!! :) There were so many Happy Birthday wishes and little gifts and words of LOVE that it was just AMAZING!! :)

I was initially taken "aback" when I received a bouquet of flowers that said "Happy Birthday, Love you Bud" . . . this is the "nickname" Rick & I have always used for each other . . . I was QUITE certain that no matter how much I LOVE him, I also KNEW that he was NOT organized or enough of a "plan-aheader" to have ordered the flowers ahead of hunting season to have delivered so when they arrived, I read the card, put it in the envelope and took a few deep breaths! Tessa was in the office, so I showed her the card and she responded, with a smile and a huge HUG "That's why we had to go to Debackers last night (the ice cream shop - you have to go PAST the flower shop on the way to get ice cream!)" :) It then made sense and she told me that Nick was even in on it, and figured it would make me cry! :) I did tear up several times during the day, but more from beautiful memories and the ♥LOVE♥ that I was enveloped in and being "spoiled" with!!

A little later in the day, ANOTHER bouquet arrived, this one from the "Big Kids"!! (which included the grand-kids too)! :)

After work, we headed to supper with my parents at the Little Nugget and it was so nice to get out with them doing something "normal", enjoy a goodd meal as well as a lot of laughs!! :)

After eating, we came home for cake & ice cream - Mom went and got Gramma Dodo and we all enjoyed some time together.

Auntie Peggy also came over right as we got home from eating - perfect timing and she brought rosettes - one of our FAVORITE treats. She also brought a BEAUTIFUL picture that they had taken on the morning of November 6.  It was one of the most beautiful sunrises ever, and even more special was the fact that they caught it, captured a BEAUTIFUL picture and thought of US!! :)  They captioned the photo also, for me, the caption reads "11-6-2011 - Rick's first morning in Heaven" and the kids one reads "11-6-2011 - Daddy's first morning in Heaven".  What a TREASURED gift - from them and from the LORD! Again, ANOTHER reminder for us to TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS.  God is watching over us and He did not leave us alone, or without hope for the future!  What an Awesome GOD we serve.  He has proven Himself faithful over and over and over to us in recent days!

So, we made it through this "first" without our dear Rickey and thanks to the LORD and a huge number of friends & family, we not only survived, but enjoyed the day!  I had well over 100 Birthday greetings left for me on facebook as well as so many calls, texts, visits and hugs!  Thought this Birthday was very DIFFERENT from years past, it was still a good day in my book and I am very thankful for that!  Blessings were abundant, and God's grace was AGAIN sufficient for us! :)