365 short days

In just the past 365 days, my life has turned upside down & round again. As a birthday-reflective journey, travel with me through the past 12 months, if you will.

29th Birthday: March 16: Max & I have been apart for 6 weeks, apparantly on different pages about the future of our relationship. I'm preparing for a date with a friend's friend.

March 18: I'm on said date. Have emailed Max about credit card issues, inquired as to his wellbeing. His reply: I'm miserable.

March 19: I return from date, miserable with torment about Max. Call j.weber (now Stevenson) crying.

March 19: I receive letter from Max, written 1 week ago, mailed on my birthday. Contents: I love you because... I love that you... ... continue for 3 pages.

5 minutes later: I call Max. DAMN voice mail.

2 hours later: We talk, for the first real time in months, probably. Agree that misery is mutual, and that we are finally on the same page. We arrange for him to come to Jackson to visit.

March 21-22: Max is in Jackson. We talk and talk and talk and talk. We start planning our wedding. Finally, Max formally proposes on the way out the door. =)

March - July 22. Wedding planning, culminating in amazing ceremony & entire weekend of family & friends surrounding us with abundant love.

Late May: My parents' divorce is final. Have not talked to father since Christmas '05.

End of June: I leave my job in MS, move to B'ham. Put off finding "real job" 'til after the wedding. Have one serious prospect of job.

Post-Honeymoon: Job falls through. Pregnancy revealed.

August - January : I apply for & interview at many jobs, all of which are futile. Apparantly, everyone finds another employee is better suited than the pregnant woman.

September: I accept job at Hobby Lobby frame shop to pay for health insurance which has now sky-rocketed due to pregnancy.

Late September: Max gets called to accept new position at East Lake UMC due to former pastor's death.

October, November, December: life continues. Belly grows. Baby Boy Blalock will be here April 23. Holidays.

January: New Year's Resolution: quit job at Hobby Lobby, temp until baby is born. Figure out rest later.

January 28: get keys to new parsonage. Start move-in process that will eventually take until Feb. 14 to be complete.

February, March: unpacking, preparing for baby. temping occassionally. baby showers hosted by friends, family, churches. Abundantly showered with gifts from sisters (still getting hand-me-downs after all these years!)

March 10,11: friends painted nursery since I can't and Max was out of town. No ability to wait until post-birthday weekend. Anxiously awaiting dry paint to apply border & set up furniture.

March 15: Non-communicative father makes first contact in 15 months.

March 16: 30th Birthday. 38 days until baby blalock is due. Max has something planned, but I don't get to find out until after work today. Will update later.

I'm really hoping that 30 isn't as tumultuous as 29, or even 28. Hoping that exciting 1st's with our little guy will be the highlight of the year. Hoping for a safe remainder of pregnancy & delivery for myself & other friends who are pregnant.