prayer...

I usually keep my spiritual views to myself, but I had to share this. I recently bought a book titled Heaven is for Real. It is about a little boy who takes a short trip to heaven and discusses what he was witness to over the next few months and years. His dad is a pastor and wrote the book. This book is an amazing read. I found myself getting the chills and crying the whole way through it.

One thing that it discussed in the book is the love that Jesus has for the children. It also makes mention that God knows where he puts children in a family. That made me think back to when Kameron was just a baby my mom made mention that God knew I would need a well behaved child because he knew I would be doing a lot on my own. Everything happens for a reason. Everything. This is my personal experience that made me realize that God is real, miracles happen, and prayers are answered.

When I was 19 I found myself very scared and very pregnant. I had no idea what to do and where to begin. One of the first things I did was pray that everything would work out. I later found out that my sister had also said a prayer asking that I would get my life on the right track and that my uncle Mike would be able to have a baby of his own soon. My uncle Mike (my moms brother) had been married for years to a great wife, had a successful job, but no children. They had been hoping to adopt, but were having no such luck. Several family members had made suggestions to me that adopting my baby to Mike could be an option. Something told me no however. I love my uncle Mike and can't even imagine the struggles involved in failed adoptions, but there was no way I could give my child up for adoption, even if it was to Mike.

Shortly after having found out that I was expecting, my sister Carrie opened her home to me and I found myself working 2 jobs in the mall in Idaho Falls in an attempt to save money for my own place for Kam and I. One of the jobs was at a maternity store working for the absolute worst management team ever. It was a job though and I was in desperate need for the money so I stuck it out until the late part of my pregnancy.

One Sunday I got a phone call from the maternity store asking if I could cover a shift for the store manager. She was sick and in the hospital. I was reluctant seeing as how I was working usually 9 days in a row, sometimes more, and a day off was hard to come by. I decided I should take it up though, so I got ready and headed into work. After a few hours had passed by a girl came in with her daughter looking for some maternity clothes. We were making small talk about having babies (a common occurrence between two pregnant women) when she told me that she wasn't excited at all about having the baby. It would be her 3rd child and this one was in no way planned. Her plans were to adopt the baby to a loving family that she knew could provide for the child in a way that she wasn't capable of. In a leap of faith I made mention to her about my uncle. I remember saying "You are going to think I am crazy, but I might know of somebody. I understand if you say no, but here is an idea..." I briefly told her about my uncles struggles and that I turned down the suggested idea to give my baby to him. Next thing I know I have a complete strangers name and phone number written on a post it note and instructions to give it to him so they could get in touch.

I called my sister and my mom almost immediately to make sure I hadn't overstepped any boundaries by doing this and made sure I had the correct number for Mike so I could tell him what had happened. I made the phone call that night. They got in touch with one another and what happened?... She picked them. She picked THEM! After all these years a discussion about maternity pants led to my uncle and his wife getting their child. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and did the most selfless thing anyone can do. She made my uncle the dad that he had been waiting to be his whole life. I find it quite ironic that she was born early and it just so happens that she was born on my birthday.

Miracles are everywhere. Sometimes we just have to look at things a little differently to see them. If my boss hadn't been in the hospital I wouldn't have been at work that day when she walked in. I made mention that my sister had said a prayer for Mike and myself, I believe that was the reason I got called into work and got this strange and bold idea to tell this complete stranger about my uncle. I was getting my life on track for my baby, who I knew I couldn't give up for adoption, when a miracle happened. God gave us both children that are perfect for us.  Prayers are answered, even if it is months later in a maternity shop. Ask and you shall receive.