Happy Birthday, Hallie!

As Chad and I were talking through our day this morning, we couldn't help but remember what we were feeling twelve years ago on this day. It was a Wednesday, and I was very pregnant with our first baby (due the day before, in fact). I had resigned myself to being pregnant for at least another week. Chad had just returned home from his third day of working for John Deere in the Quad Cities. I had the table set, potatoes in the oven, and hamburgers on the grill. As I was flipping the burgers, I felt the now familiar, then terrifying, drip of amniotic fluid down my legs. That was the beginning of the excitement, and it hasn't stopped since.

Hallie was born the next morning, just before lunch. She has been a joy since that day. Compassionate, verbal, and artsy are a few words I would use to describe her.

Happy 12th birthday (tomorrow), Hallie! We love you!