28

It's my birthday! And what a year this past one has been. A year ago today my parents were out in Louisiana visiting. While my mom wasn't feeling her best, she did feel well enough to bake me a birthday cake. She pulled out my copy of Joy of Cooking (which used to be hers) and made White Cake #2, which she frosted with satsuma frosting using the satsumas from out backyard. I don't have a photo of it, which is unfortunate since it's the last cake my mom ever baked for me.

Here I am a year later, a married woman and barely a month away from my mom's yahrzeit. A year ago I was looking forward to my wedding, but never could have guessed that my mom wouldn't be there. I never would have known that the year ahead would feature an amazing day, but one I can't quite call the happiest day of my life due to who was missing.

I'm hopeful that this next year is better. I'm not necessarily expecting better highs (after all not much tops getting married), but I'd like to have far less lows. And considering where I was a year ago today, who really knows what the next year will bring. So to close, here's me and my parents on my original birth day, 28 years ago.
As a birthday present to me, I'd love it if everyone could de-lurk themselves and say hello. I do my best to keep up with all my followers, so if I'm not already following your blog I'd love to be. Be sure to leave your blog url (even if you think I'm already reading) and let me know where in the world you're blogging from (or if you don't have a blog, then where you're commenting from). (I beleive I got this idea from Amber who did the same from a few years ago, and I've been wanting to do the same ever since.)