28

My sweet babies! I loved celebrating with my crew!

I'm 28 today! It was a wonderful birthday with plenty of cake and lots of sweet cards, phone calls, and gifts from my friends and family. I feel very loved and blessed tonight and I'm so thankful for the 28 years God has given me. Having Bruce here this year for my birthday was really special - he was gone last year and it just wasn't the same celebrating without him. Getting to have cake with my babies and my husband was the best birthday gift of all. My sweet in-laws kept the kiddos last night and gave us a night off. Bruce and I spent yesterday and this morning just hanging out doing things we normally don't get to do. We went to the pool yesterday and this morning, I took a nap yesterday (I can't remember the last time I took a nap!) and we slept in until 7:30 this morning (if you have little ones, 7:30 is LATE!). We went to dinner last night and watched a movie when we got home. It was a relaxing 24 hours that we needed.

My 27th year was a great one. It was definitely a year of change as we got settled into our new home, Bruce settled into his new job, and I decided to go back to school to become a nurse. This year I ran my first half-marathon, went to my ten year reunion, potty-trained Owen, made new friends in our new city, walked Bourbon Street with Bruce and friends after Alabama won it's 14th National Championship, learned I actually have a green thumb, and made it through our first deployment since having children. I also got called "Ma'am" by the bag boys down at the Piggly Wiggly more times than I'd like to admit, but hey, that's okay. I like where I'm at and life is good! I like to think that we only get better with age. ;) I know this year will be full of great things, plenty of challenges, craziness, and probably a few surprises along the way, but I'm a year older and feeling a little wiser and ready for whatever this year might bring!

How cute is this cake? The babies loved it! I thought it was perfect
that there were three little fish on top.

So I know I've been a terrible blogger this past month or so. Studying has occupied every single free moment I have during the day and blogging has been put on the back burner. The good news is my biology final is next week and I have an "A" average right now! Woo-hoo! I really need to hang on to that "A" because I'll apply for the nursing program in a couple of months. I have enjoyed school so much this summer! I'm already looking forward to fall semester. I know now that I definitely made the right decision about going back to school and I can't wait to start the nursing program. I promise I'll take more pictures of our sweet kiddos and update the blog more often after my exam next week. Until then...