The Difference A Year Makes

A year ago today…
I was in great pain.
I had never met Madeline.
I was clueless about how to be a mom.
I was used to sleeping through the night.
I didn’t know how to breastfeed, bathe, or dress a baby.
My heart wasn’t nearly as big as it is now.

During the last year I have…
Grown more patient.
Learned to multitask.
Become better at living out my priorities every day.
Grown to cherish my time alone with Daniel more than ever.
Learned to let go of a lot of little things that don’t really matter.
Grown to love my sweet girl more than I ever imagined and learned to cherish each day.

I am a year into parenthood now, and I would never choose to go back. Sure I miss having a full conversation with Daniel of more than two sentences at a time. And I am more thankful for grandparents than I ever imagined that I would be. (Hooray for free babysitting and date nights!) But I get to live every day of my life now, investing in the heart and mind of one who is dear to me and dear to the Lord. Sweet Madeline. Watching her grow has made my head spin. I never knew that it would really happen so fast. The expressionless blob that she was a year ago has turned into a crawling, squealing, flirtatious one-year-old with a definite mind of her own. All in one year’s time. Oh that God would change me in such profound ways in only a year.


Then



Now



Then



Now



Then



Now



Then



Now



Then



Now



Happy First Birthday, Madeline.