Happy 1st Birthday!!

Well one year ago today at 12:27pm, my beautiful daughters were born.  I can't believe its been a year - seems like just yesterday.  I wasn't sure what emotions I would go through today but for the most part it has been a good day. How could it not be - I have a miracle sitting in front of me.
Thank you to everyone who sent "birthday wishes" and "thinking of you" wishes.  You have no idea how much those meant to us.  It is comforting to know that people haven't forgotten about our girls.  That is a fear of mine that because Rebecca was so young and only a handful of people got to meet her in person, that she will be forgotten.  But I know that that is not the case - she touched so many lives while she was here.
 
Brandon was scheduled to work today but he was able to get off for about 7 hours to spend the day with us.  After the girls got out of school, we went out to the cemetery and had a birthday party.  Unfortunately, because the ground has been so wet they were not able to get the foundation set for the stone.  So after the cemetery we went to place that did our stone.  It has been done for a few weeks and they put it outside for us to see and get pictures of.  It is beautiful!  I wanted to share some pictures from today....

I put a hat next to Joanna in memory of Rebecca.  This picture is priceless.

We decided a tradition of ours will be to let a balloon go on her birthday with a note letting the person who finds the balloon know how old Rebecca would have been.  It was overwhelming to see the pink balloon going up in the air as I haven't seen that since her funeral.

Brandon and I went up to Cincinnati this weekend to attend Lindsay's (Joanna' primary nurse) wedding.  When she scheduled it on the girls birthday weekend I knew God had her do that for a reason.  You see Cincinnati is my second home.  I love going there because it houses my best and worst memories.  I feel a closeness up there that I can't describe.  God knew my husband wouldn't just take me up there for a weekend on the girls birthday weekend, but he knew that is where I needed to be.  We got to see so many people up there who will forever be a part of our lives.  

To the NICU staff who took care of our precious girls:  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  You will forever be a part of our lives.  Don't ever think that what you do is forgotten.  There is not a day that goes by that you ALL are not thought about.  I love each and every one of you.  

Happy Birthday Girls!  Mommy loves you!