34 years ago yesterday, I woke up, got dressed, headed to my English teaching job, got a bit into 1st period of the day, felt something strange, looked down, couldn’t see my feet or the floor beneath me because I was almost 8-months pregnant (back then, we measured in months, not weeks!), asked a student if he saw blood…

He didn’t.

I thought maybe my water had broken.  But it was May 22nd and my baby wasn’t due until June 26th.

I sent that same (probably traumatized young man) student to get my husband, Barry, who taught at the same school… waited for Barry to quickly get our car, drove to our hospital, got admitted because yes, my water had broken, and I labored for 32 hours.

Our first little tiny 4 lb. 9 oz. baby girl, Audrey Allison, would be delivered by C-section at 5:53 pm, 34 years ago today, making me the most blessed Mama who ever lived… in my humble opinion.

I have been in love with this little-tiny-baby-girl-turned-woman ever since!

We’ve had lots of birthday celebrations, birthday joy, birthday festivities, birthday happiness with our Audrey.

But one year stands out because we took all of our kids out of school on that May 23rd, we gathered up both loving, doting Grandmothers, and we headed to New York City to sight-see and catch the Broadway Musical CATS… and stay overnight!

It was May 23rd, 1988 – Audrey’s 10th Birthday.

Maybe it’s this birthday that got NYC into Audrey’s head to spread her wings one day and make a brand new start of it, wakin’ up in a City that never sleeps and all that good news!

I remember that day like it’s today…

Among lots of other exciting NYC things, we took the ferry to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty.  Years before this day, I had read about Kodak’s America’s Family Album and had sent a photo of our family to become part of a permanent electronic exhibit right at the monument itself…

The family photo is from a fun, happy time in 1984… (l-r) Keith, Audrey, me, Adam, Jane, Barry.

You can imagine my excitement at what was called, way back then, an electronic exhibit.  Seriously, I had no idea what that meant, but figured it would be fun to have our family photo as part of Kodak’s America’s Family Album at Liberty Island.  Every one of my ancestors and Barry’s ancestors had passed through Ellis Island on their way to their dreams in this new land.

It was my honor to honor these people who had left their homes, families and lives to come to America, to set the plans in motion to make our Family a Family.

On that May 23rd, 1988, Audrey’s 10th Birthday, my family landed on Liberty Island and we found that electronic exhibit.  We studied the little directions, looked for our name and watched as our family photo appeared on a large screen.

It was an amazing electronic masterpiece!

Barry and I arranged the kids in the same order as the original photo: (l-r) Keith, Adam, Audrey (on her 10th Birthday!), Jane… and we added NanaFlo and GrandmaRita.  Our Family Photo is behind us…

I remember Audrey’s 10 Birthday in New York City with such joy.

Such Family adventure, discovery, love and happiness.

And I thank God every May 23rd and every single day for giving us, gifting us with our Audrey!

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER!  I LOVED YOU THE MOMENT I KNEW ABOUT YOU AND EVERY MOMENT SINCE!  ENJOY & CELEBRATE YOUR SPECIAL DAY!

Love from Forever Ago and Forever & Ever to Come, Mom  xoxox!

(And we may have to have a repeat of Audrey’s 10th Birthday celebration… this time with her own 4 beautiful guys!)