Dusk til Dawn: Caleb's 1st Birthday

So we finally made it!! Our little one turned one last week and after learning from my mistakes of Soren's 1st birthday, I was bound to make this as stress free as possible.

Nearly 4 years ago, I was so excited for my boy's 1st birthday. Soren had had such a tough start in life that celebrating his first birthday was just a miracle beyond our beliefs. So of course, I decided to throw a huge party at our home to celebrate this momentous occasion. I started planning several months in advance and wanted everything to be perfect.

But...shortly before Soren's birthday I came down with shingles. Yes, at 27 I broke out in shingles. Now why, you ask and how, does a 27 years break out into shingles when the average age range of shingles is 55? Well it was because of stress. I stressed myself out so bad with party planning, and Thanksgiving, and Christmas (Soren's birthday is December 7), and with everything we had been through to get Soren to his 1st birthday, my body just could not keep up. I had gotten myself so worked up over silly things that my system just said ENOUGH!

So needless to say for Caleb's birthday I tried to keep myself as calm and relaxed as possible. I decided to to do at the park (so that I wouldn't have to stress out about my house getting dirty). I also planned way in advance making a lot of the decorations on my computer and ordering the cake and bouncer way in advance.

The day of the party had come and I realized something, it was all done. i allowed family to help me put this together and thanks to my aunt, cousin, sister and mother-in-law the party was a huge success. Not only because the party was a lot of fun for kids and adults but that I was able to stay relatively calm throughout the whole thing. Yes, I had my moments of panic when it came to finding circus animal crackers at the last minute for the goody bags, but I got through it without tears (yes, folks that's how bad I used to be).

And if I could...I have to say the biggest reason for my calmness is that I realized after shingles what was really important in my life. It wasn't the parties or how clean my house was or is, but that I focus on what blessings God has provided to John and I in our lives. I realize that every day I trust The Lord more knowing that I will give back my children to Him (hopefully).

So remember, it really isn't about how clean your house is or how extravagant the party, it's about what you have been blessed with!