My 26th Birthday is Tomorrow!

Everyone has a defining moment (at least one) that happens each year so when you look back on that year/age, you can define it by that one HUGE moment.

Here are mine:

*I started dating my ex-husband when I was 15.
*We got engaged when I was 16.
*We got married at 17.
*We had our first child, Bella, when I was 18.
*We hit a rough patch in our marriage and separated for several months when I was 19.
*When I was 20, we had worked things out and finally were able to move out of our parents’ house and got an apartment.
*We had out second child, Nolyn, when I was 21.
*At 22, my ex-husband left our family and moved in with a co-worker with whom he had been dating during our marriage (unbeknownst to me). [Side note: 2 weeks after our divorce was final, he married the woman]. She doesn’t “allow” him to see his children so since then, my children have had very little interaction with him.
*At 23, it was my first time in my adult life that I was “free.” I “made up for lost time,” as they say, and did a lot of stupid things that looking back, I really shouldn’t have done.
*At 24, my precious, baby girl was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was crushed. I was angry. I was hurt. I was scared. I felt alone. I straightened up my life and put all of my energy into my daughter, her treatments, learning about cancer, learning about alternative medicines, etc.
*At 25, I almost lost my princess. She got the flu and because of the chemotherapy and weakened immune system, her condition escalated quickly. She was hospitalized for a total of 71 days and was on an oscillating ventilator (machine that was breathing for her) for 5 weeks. There were many times where I didn’t know if she would make it through the night, but God spared her because she has such a calling on her life and now has a WONDERFUL testimony for Him. One of her oncologists, Dr. Lew, even calls her “miracle girl.” 😀

Now I’m sitting on the eve of my 26th birthday (February 2nd). I’m thinking about how crazy my past few years have been. I’m looking forward to the coming year and seeing all that God has in store for me. I am praying for a defining moment this year that is positive and can bless others. 🙂 I’m praying for peace. I’m praying for understanding. I’m praying for God’s will to be carried out in my life. I’m praying that God uses me as a vessel to carry out His plan and bless others.