Day 80

It was church day, and my favorite day of the week!  I love Sundays, have for years, even before I was a regular attender of church, just really like Sundays.  Well this Sunday was even better because it was the kids Christmas concert at church.  We have 3 different age categories of Sunday school, alpha-bits, 3-5yrs, alpha, 5-7yrs, and omega, 7 and up.  The 7 and up did a puppet show and then sang a song.  Well while they sang a song the alpha group played shakers to go along with the song, and the alpha bits all dressed up as the nativity scene.  There was a Mary, a Shepard, an elephant (I know, but hey kids got to pick their costumes and every nativity needs an elephant!) and a Joseph.  Jacob was Joseph.  It is times like these that I realize how he is growing up so fast and I baby him sometimes.  He stood up on stage listening intently to the puppets singing and then when it was all over he clapped along with everyone else.  It is just so precious to see him change and grow and each day I'm thankful for him and each day there are several moments through the day that I just stop and am grateful for him.  I wonder in awe how it came to be that I was so lucky to have him as a son.  So the whole day and Jacob are my miracles of the day, thanks God.

Day 79

Each year I make a homemade gift for my nieces and nephew.  It started with my first born niece, when she turned 2 I made her a scrapbook of all her family in it for Christmas.  Then it just kept going.  Last year I made all the kids knitted sweaters.  Now the thing about my tradition is though that I am usually finishing up the gifts on Christmas Eve after church!  This year I decided to sew them something since I didn't really knit much this past year.  I made them each a teddy bear.  It takes me about an hour and a half per bear, I've made a few now.  So I got up nice and early, got out the fabric and made a little assembly line of 3 bears.  Well not really, I made one kitty, one puppy, and one bunny, all same bodies, just different ear styles.  I am happy to say that I started and finished the stuffies all in one day and they were wrapped and placed under the tree.  Jacob and I just hung out at home all day and he got to play all day and I got the gifts done.  We should have more days like this.  So thanks God for not putting any interruptions in our way to have this kind of day!

Day 78

Today was my nieces Christmas concert at school.  Last year I missed it because I was in Edmonton learning all about Jacob.  This year both he and I went along with my mom, and of course my other niece and nephew.  What a great time we had watching all the kids perform on stage, all dressed up in their best attire and excited about Christmas.
Aren't little kids just a blessing in itself.  Their excitement for Christmas, the joy they get when they recognize mom or dad out in the crowd, the laughing and giggling.  Kids in general are the thing I'm thankful for today.  Whether you have them yourself or you choose to be involved with kids, they really do bring a smile to your face.

Day 77

Today was Jacob's speech therapy.  Now when he first came to me he only had about 5 words, and they were very basic words.  I hear how much he is talking now and putting words together and even though he is still delayed, in a mere 10 months he's made a remarkable about of gain.  Its just amazing to hear him say, "I need help" or "more juice please" or "want to snuggle mamma".  Yep my little boy talking a mile a minute is my miracle of the day.

Day 76

Well I had been contemplating working 3/4 time, however after the weekend and how I felt so organized after having the Friday afternoon off I thought that maybe I needed to give this schedule more of a chance before I took a cut in pay, change in pension and all that jazz.  So I went in and told my supervisor that I wanted to remain full time.  Not the reaction I expected!  She was thrilled, so happy that I wanted to remain full time and told me that she thought it was a wise decision.  She also told me that she thought it was wise because I needed to think about where I want my career to go.  Well this may be a glimmer of what she is thinking because our organization is extremely flat, there's us, her, and our provincial director, so really the only place I can go is somewhere else or to her job when she retires.  I haven't convinced myself yet that is a place I want to go but her reaction tells me that maybe that is where her thoughts are.  So her reaction tells me I made the right decision and that is my miracle of the day.

Day 75

Today I had to go and do a part of my job that is new to me.  I had to go and investigate if a person was causing harm to someone they were guardian for.  In this case it was thought a little elderly woman did not have dementia and she was being locked up for no reason.  After about ten minutes it was quite apparent though she did have dementia and that the complainant is having a hard time accepting the diagnosis and situation.  What could possibly be the miracle of this?  Well this little woman spoke very frankly about her situation, she knew she was in a locked unit, she knew she wasn't happy being there, she knew that in her marriage she didn't pay attention to all of the matters that went on in the household, she had wisdom.  Her wisdom about life that she shared with me was the miracle of today.  Even in her state she had wisdom and it made me appreciate that no matter how the brain is functioning people still have wisdom to share and we should listen.  She was a wonderful woman and I feel greatful to have spent time with her even if it was for something unpleasant.

Day 74

Today my co-worker and I went on an adventure, we had to make a couple stops in different towns for business.  We spent more time trapped in the vehicle visiting than we did actually doing business, just based on distance not because of road conditions. 
I had prayed about this trip before hand though.  I prayed that the conversation would allow me to bring up God.  I didn't want to push it on her but I know she isn't a Christian and I just wanted to share with her. It happened.  We were talking about psychics, something I feel very strongly about.  I just said that I believe what the bible says and was able to tell her what the bible says about psychics, then I spoke of my own personal experience.  I didn't share much more because the conversation didn't lead to that again, and I know that I didn't offend her, we're good enough friends that we don't offend each other with different opinions.  So I'll just pray that more opportunities will arise for me to talk to her, because today God did answer my prayer, so thanks to the Man upstairs!

Day 73

You remember that acquaintance that came to church a week ago?  She came back this week!  This warms my heart, obviously she likes it, gets something out of it, what ever it is it warms my heart.  When I visited with her after the service her comment was, "see you next Sunday."  Yes you will! 
I need to explain, I don't get brownie points from God for sharing Him with others, and in this case I had very little to do with it.  I just love everyone in my life so much that I want them to feel the same love that I do, the love that I feel from God.  About a month ago I was telling a friend, how I used to think I was so full of God's love but really as time goes by the love gets stronger, so really when I thought I was full really I probably only had my toes filled up with God's love.
Just seeing other people develop that relationship with God is my miracle of the day.

Day 72

I'm a picky person when it comes to my furniture, you may come to my house though and think, "really?"  But I am.  My couches I waited a couple years to find exactly what I was looking for in my price range, then my big reading chair the same thing.  A table.  I've wanted a nice little rectangular table for 2 years now.  I also wanted one with a drawer in it.  I know its possible, my cousin had one.  So I used a friend's oval table for a while but it wasn't ideal, oval doesn't fit into square corners.  Anyways, this past week I was at the lovely ntn store and there it was.  A little old rectangular table with a drawer in it!  Can you believe it?  $20 and it was ours.  Jacob and I had supper tonight and for the first time could also fit the food as well as our plates on the table in case we wanted seconds!  This summer I'll sand it down and refinish it but for now its perfect.  Yep, our table is the miracle today!

Day 71

I have been feeling overwhelmed.  Too much on my plate and I needed to prioritize.  I vented to my close friend about this.  She told me that I could leave Jacob with them whenever I wanted.  This isn't something I do often.  I have yet to feel like I "need a break" from him, like many parents say they need.  I just don't.  I like having him around and it isn't him that makes me feel overwhelmed its everything on my plate.  Work, pampered chef, new year's eve, small group, housework, all of it.  So the opportunity to work 3/4 time may have opened up.  I'm going to seriously think about it.  I'm quitting selling pampered chef.  I will still make small orders when people request but no parties, trade fairs or anything like that.  I will only do small group or new year's, not both.  So winter months I'll do small group, fall months I'll do new year's.  House work, well I've put out feelers for a house keeper but nothing yet.  Work I also rearranged my schedule so that it works that I get Friday afternoons off. 
Back to my friend though today she just decided that her family was going to take Jacob shopping with them tonight, I didn't have a choice.  You know I got so much done!   I felt so good to get all my housework done and it isn't that Jacob is in the way for me to get it done but I don't have to worry about taking him to the bathroom, getting him a drink, or a snack, etc for 3 whole hours!  That's what I needed though, for her to tell me she was taking him because I just won't ever ask.  What a great gift she gave me tonight!

Day 70

Thursdays are always a really busy day.  I pick up Jacob and then have a quick bite to eat then he goes to my friends, they take him to BG club, and I go to a meeting, and then we meet back up after the meeting at my friends.  This Thursday was a bit different.  I had a pampered chef party to do so it was pick him up, come home, pack everything up, drop him off, head out........ you get the idea. 
Well when I picked him up from the sitters he was in a Grrr-umpy mood.  I thought, oh know this is going to not go well dropping him off tonight.  I even called my friends daughter and forewarned her that he probably was going to be very upset when I left today.  Well he shocked me.  He got there and was totally settled, no crying, no whining, not upset at all.  So this is my miracle because I was already feeling very guilty leaving him tonight when he had been so grumpy earlier and just wanted to snuggle so for him to be totally fine let me let go of the guilt.  Thank you God.

Day 69

Jacob's personality is just flourishing.  He has learned how to tease.  He is so cute when he does it.  The favorite thing to do right now is to run into whatever room I'm in and turn off the lights and then giggle away to himself.  He was doing it tonight while I was trying to put away his laundry.  Now some people might get annoyed at this but I don't.  I think it's great that he has learned to tease me and gets what a joke is.  The other thing about this is that when he turns off the light he also shuts the door so it's pretty dark.  So the other little miracle is that he isn't scared of the dark, he chooses to be in the dark!  My little tease is the miracle of today, oh and that the food poisoning is gone is a miracle too!

Day 68

Oh my word.  I had food poisoning today.  No that is not the miracle of the day; that I survived it.  I actually went to work and worked through it.  I have been sick at least once per week since I returned to work full time so I figured I'd just take some Imodium and suffer through it.  It was definitely a very long day.  When I went to the sitters to get Jacob I said how I had been sick and Mrs. K said to Jacob, "you go home and take care of mom."  So off we go home and he was hungry so I got him an orange to snack on before supper.  What does Jacob do, takes a piece and says, "share mom" while handing it to me.  Yep, my little boy was taking care of me.  How can that not be the miracle of today?!

Day 68

Tonight was the last meeting for my small group.  A small group is a modern version of a bible study, that's the only way I can describe it.  Instead of sitting around a table with our bibles out we sit on couches, watch a DVD and then discuss it afterwards.  This is the second time I've been part of small group.  I really enjoy it and look forward to Monday nights because of it.  What is interesting about small group is that in our group it really is a bunch of people that don't really socialize much outside of our small group, Monday's worked for each of us so that is what brought us together.  I really enjoy each person in the group though and have enjoyed getting to know them better.  Tonight was our last session until January.  It has been a great night for myself to get out and socialize with other adults only as well as get into the meaning of the bible more.  If anyone who reads this is interested we focused on the book 1 Samuel.  The very first session talked about how "unconditional love" isn't in the bible, its a human term.  Talk about causing waves in the very first session.  I think a lot of people have this idea that God loves unconditionally.  Nope, its black and white in His book that He doesn't. 

Day 67

About a month ago an acquaintance had sent me a message on face book that they wanted to come to church sometime.  I welcomed them coming and we kept in touch.  Finally this past Sunday it worked for them to come!!  So then I wondered how it was that they decided that they wanted to come to church.  Well my friend, Corey has come to church a few times with me and then he would go to their house afterwards and tell them how good he felt after he came.  So this made her decide she wanted to come.  Now how did Corey decide to come?  Well his grandmother had passed away and he really loved and respected his grandmother so he decided that he would like to go to church, when he went to her funeral he saw my picture on the wall so he knew I went.  He called the day of her funeral and asked if he could come sometimes.  I welcomed him to come.  I wondered if he liked coming or if he was doing his "duty" to his grandmother by coming but after him sharing with other people that he is going and how he feels is so great to hear. 
My other miracle of the day is hearing Jacob sing.  Lately he has started to sing and today he sang Jingle bells over and over again.  Sweet music to my ears!

Day 66

Growing up I loved Christmas.  The spirit of giving, the family traditions, the family get togethers.  I loved it all.  However there were two things that I didn't get as a child and as an adult I do.  We never had outdoor Christmas lights or a real tree.  These two things I always wanted.  Well since being out on my own and having my own home I have a real tree every year.  This year though we went real old school and went out to the back forty and cut one down.  It was a great day and so much fun, as well as a great visit with the people we went with.  So my miracle of the day is the tree, the time spent to cut it down (this took about half an hour, long story) and that the weather was so nice to go out and do it.

Day 65

I worked from home today.  When I say that I actually do work.  I was able to answer a lot of emails and phone calls.  Jacob slept late and so this made it easy to get those things done. 
The miracle of today is about work and changing people's attitudes.  A year or so ago I had a client in the hospital and she was sick, not deathly sick, but sick to the point that she was sleeping a lot of the time and not coherent.  I had gone to visit her and the first thing I noticed was that her hair had been cut.  She had long hair before, hair down to the middle of her back, she always kept it in braids or well groomed.  I was shocked.  This upset me a lot.  To most people this may not seem like a big deal but really her hair was something precious to her and to have had someone to just decide that it was too difficult to take care of when she was in the hospital really perturbed me!  In my eyes they saw her no better than a dog, and when a dog's hair gets too shaggy you just cut it.  She is a human being who deserves to be treated as such.  Well I wrote a letter to the hospital and heard nothing. 
A month ago she ended up in hospital again.  Guess what, her hair was cut again!!!   Livid, livid.  This time though the head of medicine had called me to complain about something and I took the opportunity to also voice my complaint about her hair being cut. 
Today I heard the results of my concerns.  Two staff at the hospital were involved and they thought she should have her hair cut so they did it.  They have since been spoken to and it is now being dealt with in human resources.  Plus it was brought up at the staff meeting.  Now my intent wasn't to get people into trouble but really to change their mindset and acknowledge that this is a human being and should be treated with some dignity and respect.  So to find out that this will never happen again is my miracle for the day!

Day 64

3 years ago I woke up at 5am and had the brainiac idea that we should throw a friend of mine a benefit dance on New Years Eve.  I came up with the idea around Dec 5th or so.  We had 20 days to pull it together.  We did, it was a success and now its started an annual event.
This year we met with the families today to just go over what the night entails and explain what we do. 
Although it is a lot of work and I say that I don't want to do it meeting the families really makes me realize that this is a gift that we are giving back to the community.  Yes we affect the families and provide them with some support.  Some may think that it is just financial but I have spoken to some of the families many times over the past year about many different things and welcome their phone call when they just want to talk or ask if I would know where they could get some information about anything.  So it really is about support, moral, emotional, not just financial. 
Plus where can you take a family of 4 for $34 bucks on New year's eve, get a hot meal, entertainment, and treats for the kids?!  Yep this benefit really is a little miracle in our community I think.

Day 63

I bet you think I forgot about this site and gave up.  I didn't, just haven't had the time to sit and write lately.  I've still been keeping track though.  I make a little note on my iphone so I don't forget what the miracle of the day was.
Today it was something little.  Since the beginning of the holidat season I've been talking to Jacob about Jesus' birthday.  I ask him who's birthday it is on Christmas and he says "ho ho ho" and then I say "no, its Jesus birthday on Christmas."  Well today I picked him up from the sitters and on the way home I asked him who's birthday it is on Christmas and he said, "Jesus Birthday".  Yes it is and He is the reason we celebrate Christmas!!

Day 62

Yesterday's miracle has lead into today's.  I had been praying about something else that I could do.  I really like my job and last week I got a rush from being able to help people so I know it is where I should be.  However, lately I've also had the desire to do something else, something more along with families in some way.  I didn't know what I wanted to do though and so I just hoped/knew God would point me in the right direction and I would have to cue in to his lead.  Today I figured it out and it is totally not what I had in mind but I'm really excited about it and looking forward to something with families way out in left field.
I'm going to apply to be a marriage commissioner.
Betcha didn't see that one coming!  I decided to apply because, one my brother and his fiancee are the third couple to ask me to marry them.  I have know idea why people have asked me in the past to marry them but by people in the past asking me made me think this is something I should pursue.  So I went and spoke to the local marriage commissioner.  She gave me all the information and told me that she would fully support my application and provide a reference as well as walk me through the process.  I spoke to my pastor about it because that was my only reservation.  In my eyes, for me, I would want to get married by him entering into a marriage under God's law.  However I do recognize that not all people share this same idea as me and I think I would be good at it, not sounding too pompous.  The pastor supported the idea so I'm in. 
I like being able to meet new people and only have them in my life for a short period, I like getting to help them at the beginning of a new path, essentially the start of them beginning a family because I don't care what you say it doesn't take having a child to be a family. 
So that's my miracle and answered prayer of the day, I'm applying to be a marriage commissioner.

Day 61

My youngest brother is getting married.  I kind of figured that they would somehow incorporate all of the siblings into the wedding in some way.  I found out what my job will be today.  I get to perform the ceremony!!!!!  Can you believe it?  I get to marry my little brother to the girl he has been friends with since he was 5!  I'm so excited.  An aside, I'm only doing the ceremony, they will get legally married behind the scenes by someone else.  But, on the day of the wedding it will be me asking each one of them if they "do?"
Huge miracle of the day and I'm so excited about my job and the fact that I don't have to wear a dress, that is if I don't want to.

Day 60

Two whole months of a miracle a day!!!!  Wowzers.  What I'm finding is that its easy to see the miracle each day, not so easy to get the time to write it down.  I think what I need to do is start a post each day to just write a few words on the miracle but don't publish is until I have the time to actually sit down and write it out.
Okay, on to the miracle of today. 
I seem to be on a theme for the past few days, time.  Today I took my good friends kids and Jacob to Lloydminster to the leisure centre.  Everyone had an absolute great time, including me.  We all went down the water slide numerous times and had fun.  No fights, or arguments, just lots of thank yous and smiles.  It was truly a fun day overall and so I'm thankful for that, and that is my little gift for today.

Day 59

Time.  Isn't that a gift in itself each and everyday.  The time that we have to spend with family, our loved ones, friends, etc.  Time is a gift that we seem to forget. 
Today I was in a seniors lodge and I had some time to wait until the person I was meeting arrived.  I sat down in the lounge area and a woman began chatting with me.  We ended up visitting for half an hour.  She talked about her family, her past, her life.  I felt so greatful to have her talk to me and it seemed like she was a bit lonely and so was happy to have the company.  Had I not had or made the time I would have never heard this woman.  I have never been that good with elderly people.  I didn't know what to talk to them about.  This woman, who I never got her name, taught me that elderly people want to talk about the same thing younger people want, to talk about themselves and what is going on in their life. 
I'm glad I had the time today.

Day 58

I had a big prayer request this week.  A person on my caseload was being evicted and as of Monday we had no place for him to go.  Thursday at 4pm was eviction time.  Scrambling occurred.  Where to make application, what happens if no one accepts the person?  The person doesn't just have a disability either, they are elderly, learning disabled, and have a mental illness.  Not every facility is jumping up and down to take someone like that.
Well Tuesday I prayed a lot.  I asked God to just help us to find this person a home that would meet all of their needs and feel accepted.  I also told God, I know that He would deliver but if He could just deliver my prayer request a little earlier than Thursday at 4pm it would be really appreciated.
Well Tuesday at 2pm we found out a facility would take the person.  Then today I had a meeting with everyone and we will also have mental health involved, home care, his pdd supports, and the facility is really looking forward to having him.  So every single one of my prayer requests about this situation were answered, all before 4pm on Thursday.
Who says God doesn't answer prayers?

Day 57

I'm not sure how much I've written about my son's bio mom before on here or on my other blog but I have to share this little tidbit because it relates to my miracle of the day.
She has only had my son and an older daughter, born in 2003.  The daugther is with her biological dad and I don't have any information on who the dad is so we may never be able to make contact if Jacob so chose to do so one day.
In December of last year his mom had called and said she was pregnant again.  I at first was not open to even thinking about adopting any more of her children.  As time went by though I began to think that it would be great to have siblings and how nice it would be to have a baby. 
In August when I signed all the last documents to make Jacob mine legally I also filled out a siblings registry card.  This would be sent to headquarters and then on my electronic file we would be linked to her so that if she ever did have a baby we would be first choice to adopt or foster the child.
Well unfortunately I'm jaded.  I wasn't so sure that this card made it to headquarters.  So my co-worker was able to pass on the name of the person I should contact to ensure the card did make it to where it should.
I left a message for this person and never heard back.  Today though I received a call from a man and he explained the process and such, no my card was not there.  I explained the reason why I wanted to ensure it made it into the electronic system and he did ensure me that "they" (whoever they are) are going to be looking into that situation to see if there is a baby in the system.
So no, I haven't heard any more.  However my small miracle is that I now know that someone did hear me and my information is now where it should be in case there ever is a little brother or sister for Jacob. 

Day 56

Today I did work.  I had to go out of town today to meet with a client and his friend.  Now this client is one of my favorite people on my caseload.  He is a survivor, literally, the man survived the holocaust.  Every since I have known this man he has wanted to go back to his homeland to die.  I attempted to make this happen last year, found someone to travel with him, it looked like it would work out.  I left work and it didn't all work out. 
Anyways, now this man has a friend who is his friend.  They met in the local community that they both lived.  Then he moved and she saw him where she worked, this is now where he lives.  The two have become friends and share the great love they have for thier homeland.  Well ironically enough this friend is also from the same city that he is from.  So needless to say we are working on getting him to his home again.  This is a huge miracle to me.  To be able to help in granting this man his last dying wish is such a gift to me.  I'm not happy about it because I get to tell people about it, I'm happy because I see this man who has had very little go right in his life and now all he wants to do is die in his homeland and to know that he will brings me a warm fuzzy feeling that I truly did listen and help this man.

Day 55

I really didn't feel like working today; it isn't really busy yet because people don't all realize that I'm back full time.  Anyways with that said I've been stressing a bit about getting ready for Christmas.  I want to do some baking and get that all done but don't know when I will have the time to do it.
Well today I pulled up to the sitters and we knocked on the door and no lights came on and then I realized their van wasn't there.  I called and no answer.  So I decided we would go to the office, I'd get what I needed to work from home and then make a quick stop at the grocery store and on our way home.  While on the way to the grocery store though I thought, I might as well just take the day off and do my Christmas baking today since I have the time!  So that's what we did.  Jacob got his stool and helped/ate.  When he was tired of helping he would go and play. 
So this is one miracle today; I got to get my Christmas baking done and no longer feel overwhelmed with when was I going to get it done.
The other miracle is that all day I got to listen to Jacob talk, not chitter chatter to himself but talk.  He was playing with little men and he would pretend the men were working or were eating, or whatever, but he would talk for the men.  Then every once in awhile he would come over and say, "Jake Happy." and this makes me happy. 
So what could have been seen as a catastrophe today was a big ole miracle, Thanks God (and Stacey!)

Day 54

Today I got to speak to prospective adoptive and foster parents.  I met a girl who her, herself had been a product of the child welfare system.  I listened to her tell her story and was quickly reminded how blessed we are as a little family that Jacob didn't endure any type of life that she did.  By the age of 4 she remembers walking to the corner store to buy baby food for her younger siblings.  She bought canned bananas she said, thinking that babies would like bananas and that the baby on the jar looked so happy so she wanted her little siblings to be that happy too.  Big thank you for surrounding my little boy with only love.

Day 54



I was in a trade fair today.  I don't ever do them, not really my thing.  However I needed to do a Christmas order for Pampered Chef and so I thought this would be a good way to tie it in. 

Well I have to say that I am super thankful I made this decision.  I had a very good day and many sales.  That wasn't really the miracle of the day though.  I'm from that area where the trade show was but I never see those people.  I was able to visit with parents of some of the kids I went to school with, saw a 2nd cousin who shares the same passion I do for helping people, talked to another person about how we treat the most vulnerable people in our society, found out my favorite social worker is coming back.  All these things were little gifts and made the sales insignificant for today.

Day 53

As I'm writing I can't believe it is going to almost be 2 months of miracles!!!!!
Well I know exactly what today's miracle is.  It's happened to any northern Albertan driver.  The deer juts in front of your vehicle, you slam on the breaks hoping to stop and then you see another one coming across the road too.  Yep, 3 of the darn things tonight on our drive to get the little puppy.  My jeep did me proud though and stopped in time and we were safe and the deer continued on their merry way. 
Miracle of day 53, no deer hits!

Day 52

You know sometimes being able to have a disagreement with someone and no one budging on their ideas is a pretty big miracle after the fact.  I have a friend that we tend not to see eye to eye on certain topics.  The blessing though is that we can be in a heated discussion and totally disagreeing but we can both walk away and say that we're just going to agree to disagree on this one.  No hard feelings and are still great friends.  To have this mature of a friendship is not often found so this is my miracle of day 52.  Her friendship and our disagreements!

Day 51

I may have talked about the church I go to already but I know that I didn't talk about today's miracle.  We have food ministry.  This is essentially whenever someone is in need of food or if you have had something happen in  your life there are people that will bring  you meals.  So if a new baby is born, or if there is a death, you will get some free meals.  Today we brought a meal to a family that had their first baby.  I think you get a meal every second day for 2 or 3 weeks.  What a great idea and a blessing!  I was a recipient of this when Jacob came home.  It wasn't expected for me to then do it to the next person, in fact it isn't even expected at all but if you want to give back you can.  I just think that for some people this is such a blessing for them. 

Day 50

Well I decided what I wanted to get my brother for Christmas; we draw names and I drew his.  However I would need a miracle to get it!  It happened and here is what he is getting for Christmas!!

My brother has always really liked coonhounds.  I found these puppies a little over an hour away and super reasonably priced.  The only thing was to convince his fiancee that he could have one.  She thought about it and agreed.  So that isn't the only miracle regarding this little pooch though.  The puppy is ready to go now, what do I do with it from now until Christmas???

Well a friend of mine, who is also getting a puppy from me for Christmas graciously offered to look after this little guy until Christmas for me.  So what will happen is then on the 23rd I will pick up that families puppy; we'll exchange Christmas gifts and so essentially I'll drop off their dog, get my brothers and really only have to look after one puppy overnight for the nights of 23rd and 24th. 

Pretty great miracle I'd say!!

Day 49

I had a long list of concerns with regarding adopting through the province that I wanted to voice somewhere.  Working within government I knew going to my MLA or the Minister isn't the best route.  Really no change comes of the concerns and you just create a bunch of paperwork.  With that said I discussed my concerns with my supervisor.  She recommended I voicing those concerns to the CEO of our region.  She had met him through meetings and felt he would be the best avenue for me to go.  So, with that I sat and thought about what exactly I wanted to voice.  I have no complaints about Jacob, it is more the province and the job that they do.  I wrote my long email and explained the concerns I had and questions I had about the process.  It took a little over a week but the CEO did respond.  He did inform me that he had discussed my concerns with the regional workers and this was the compilation of the answers he received.  I'm not going to get into the whole entire thing but one thing I wondered about is why there seems to be so many young children in urban centres but in rural there isn't and why are parents then not matched inter-regionally more often?  My co-worker suggested that when I am approved again why not just cold call a social worker in an urban area and provide them with my file # and ask them to take a look and see if there were any children on their caseload that might be a match.  I didn't know what I thought about this, would I get into trouble, was I stepping on someone's toes?
Well the CEO responded about inter-regional transfers.  What he said is that their region is diligent in getting all children in the electronic system and this is how inter-regional matches occur.  He said that he was not sure how dilligent other regions were about this, so it might be that some available children's profiles were sitting on people's desks or in their filing cabinets.  So I would never be matched with a child that might meet my inquiry simply because they weren't in the electronic system.  HOW UNFORTUNATE FOR THESE KIDS!!!  So that is my answer though, I am so cold calling a social worker in the city when I am approved again and going to send them my approved homestudy so that maybe a little one in that pile might be matched with me! 
Miracle of day 49.

Day 48

I usually only post one miracle but I just have to do it; I'm writing about 2! 
So to start off with it's Sunday today, my favorite day of the week.  It has always been my favorite and now that I go to church every Sunday it's even better.  As I was driving to church I got a text from my future sister in law asking for me to save them a seat because they were coming too.  I began to think about how only 2 years ago it was just me alone going to church all by myself.  Slowly I started taking my nieces and then I started bringing my friends children.  Before long my friends entire family was coming, then another friend and her little girl, and then my parents, and then another longtime guy friend and now yet another friend has asked to come.  Our row is full!   Completely full, if everyone showed up all together we wouldn't all fit in one row!   That is amazing!  I just feel so thankful to have not only a church family but my own family and friends coming together to hear God's word on Sundays.  It was also communion Sunday today and whenever it is communion I tend to get more emotional and teary eyed about Jesus dying for me.  It is a huge miracle that this man paid the price so that I would forever live in God's love and grace.  So there are a few/several miracles in that whole rambling take your pick of which one you want to label as today's miracle.
So the second one I'm going to write about is my friends Christmas, birthday presents.  My friends used to have a basset hound.  They got him as a puppy and had him until he was a ripe old age and they had to put him down.  Well now a few years later they are thinking its time to get another one.  So we've been on the hunt for one and in the back of my mind I knew this would be my Christmas gift to them.  So last night my friend and I discussed it and I asked what she would pay for a dog and she gave her price and I told her I would be paying the rest, no ifs ands or buts.  Now I did tell her this is my gift to the whole family for the entire year, including birthdays, so in the end I'm probably spending the same amount on one gift that I would spend throughout the entire year.   When I got home this afternoon I went on a search and found a breeder about an hour away who has a litter that will be ready right before Christmas, there is a health guarantee, and I found her so personable on the phone.  She told me about the litter and even told me that one puppy was not a recommended purchase because he just had a few little issues.  I don't think all breeders would be this up front.  So we discussed it all and I'm getting them a puppy for Christmas!!   I think that I'll go and pick it up on the 23rd and then the 24th we'll exchange gifts and I'll give them the pup!~  Miracle #2 finding a puppy that fits all of our needs and is from a good home, not a puppy mill.

Day 47

Well I could have a few miracles to discuss today but I'm going to write about the biggest one.  We're getting an addition to the family!!!

My little brother popped the question this morning to his longtime girlfriend Lisa!!!!!

So excited about this and so thankful, BIG Miracle, that we as a family are really thankful for!!!

Day 46

Jacob and I went out for supper tonight together, just him and I.  We do it every once in awhile and I really enjoy it.  Starting our own little tradition of just him and I.  I know that he and I are together all the time but to go out for supper to a restaurant is just special for some reason.  We always get the same thing, pizza.  We are huge pizza lovers.  So this time with him is just a little miracle that I get to enjoy:)  Thanks God.

Day 45

Well today was Rememberance Day so I have to give the miracle of the day to all the war veterans that gave their lives and saved this country, that is a huge miracle for today, that we live in a free country.

Day 44

So although I am extremely thankful for my job, co-workers, boss, etc. I'm feeling a need for change.  I didn't know what until today.  In chatting back and forth with a friend I realized what I am really good at and like to do, what I feel purposeful doing.  Now when I say it your going to be like, "what is that?"  I'll explain it.  A systems navigator.  So what is that.  Well in my ideal world it would be someone you call when you are trying to figure out which government department to go through for your issue.  You know when you are faced with something and you know that there should be some kind of help out there and yet you don't know where to go so you do one of two things; nothing; or you make a bunch of wrong phone calls until you find the right place to talk to.  Okay, so what I would do is listen to your problem, crisis, or issue and then guide you to the exact place you need to go. I might be the one making all the wrong phone calls for you, or I might know exactly where to point you and give you the correct information right off the bat.  This came to me because I have found that I tend to put myself in this situation a lot.  Most recently with a friend who's nephew is having some issues and they didn't know where to turn or what resources are out there for this little tyke.  How often does this happen?  A lot I think.
So how does this tie into the miracle of the day?  Well I discussed this with my boss today and my role might very well change so that I can do this but in our department with private families!  So what a great thing this would be to work with my awesome supervisor still, great co-workers, same pay, and do what I think I could be really good at!
Yep, a pretty good miracle if I do say so myself.

Day 43

I wasn't sure which miracle I was going to write about today.  Then only 10 minutes ago it came to me. 
My dad.  He is my miracle of the day. 
I have noticed a trend in my caseload.  I have had more and more Korsakoff's syndrome folks as referrals.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korsakoff's_syndrome  if you aren't sure what this is.  In a nutshell, people drink themselves brain injured.  I'm starting to struggle with these folks.  They are such sad cases.  Left by family members because family is just burnt out and fed up of having to deal with their alcoholic loved one. 
So why is my dad the miracle of the day?  Well for the first 5 years of my life my dad was an alcoholic.  I'm the only kid that remembers much of it and really I only probably remember 3 or 4 episodes, although I know that there were more.  He quit drinking though and hasn't touched a drop in 25 years.  Well, actually I remember him having a sip of wine somewhere but that's been it.  Wine was never his thing anyways, he was whiskey man.  Funny, when I started drinking I remember smelling Gibson's whiskey once and instantly the scent brought me back to a scenario with my dad, I checked and yes, Gibson's had been his favorite drink of choice. 
Had he not quit I'm sure it would have been easy to just stay in that life of alcoholism and now it might be my family dropping him off at a hospital in a drunken stupor and walking away.
His sobriety is my miracle, a little one today, but a big one of the course of our lifetimes.

Day 42

Well I want to start the process to adopt again....... what I've been told by social workers is that I have to wait a year after Jacob is mine legally.  So I was talking to my co-worker, who happens to be an ex-children services social worker.  She so graciously forwarded their policy manual on to me.  Guess what???  Policy states that it is a year from placement of the adopted child.  So February, 2011, not September 2011. 
Now some of you may be thinking I'm jumping into the fire before the coals have even cooled again.  I'm not.  I'm actually not 100% convinced that another adopted child is what I want.  What I do know though is that if I start the process and then life takes a different path then I can let children services know and stop future matches, etc.  However if I don't start then I am making our little family wait that much longer if another child is what is in store for us.  I just want to have a door open to close if I want to or to leave open if I want another little snickerdoodle (my co-workers lingo, love it) to come through it.
So knowing the actual fact and policy is my little miracle today.

Day 41

Okay I've started praying about a husband.  I came across a list of 5 things that I had written down a year and a half ago, the list included things that I wanted/needed prayer for.  Well 3 of the 5 have been crossed off.  WOW!  So one of the last two things is a companion.  So I've been praying about this.  Praying that God would present someone to me who would be a good man to us and an equal.  A man that would appreciate me as much as I appreciated him.  A man that has a relationship with God.  This morning I prayed before I read my bible, including a request about a husband.  Then I was busy doing my hair and I stopped and thought, I need to give praise, not just requests all the time.  So I took a minute or so, that's all it takes, to thank God for all that he has done in my life and apologized for all of the hurt I had caused him.  Go back upstairs and continue doing my hair.  Within 5-10 minutes someone called me and asked if I still drank double doubles because he was going to come to church with me today and bring me a coffee.  Okay, I hear ya God.  Loud and clear.  I know who it is I'm supposed to be with and I know that God has brought us to place together and now I will wait until this person develops his relationship with God more and God will lead the way. 
Funny though how often I pray but how often I don't stop to listen to the answers.

Day 40

I was not pleased about my work situation today.  We have new roles.  We have the authority to investigate when a guardian is suspected of abusing the person they are guardian for.  This is new since last October, before that the only way to investigate anything would be to take the matter to court and challenge the guardianship order.  A long and daunting process for people so no one ever complained. 
So we received a complaint that someone was keeping the person they were guardian for away from everyone else in the family.  This so far has been the typical complaint we hear.  Now is it causing harm is always our way of knowing whether to investigate or not.  So we get up and head off to where we have to meet the alleged victim, in her home, 2 hours away from where we live.  We arrive bright and early, no answer at the door.  No answer on the phone, wait 10 mins, same thing.  My co-worker calls and checks her office messages, lo-and behold the sister of the alleged victim came and picked up her sister and took her to a town an hour away from her home, so 3 hours away from us now.  LOVELY!  Message was left this morning, probably about an hour into our drive.  Unimpressed were we!~ 
So on we go and carry on to another community where I have to serve someone some documents.  The person resides in a hospital where I know the nurse manager and social worker really well.  I end up spending some time visiting with the nurse manager.  She asks how Jacob is and tells me that she still has his stocking that she made him for last Christmas, as we thought I would get him home last year just before Christmas.  How kind and sweet she is.  This woman who I only know through my job and have limited interaction with but she took the time to make my son a Christmas stocking before I even had him.  How sweet, again, how sweet!  Through our discussions too I also found out a medical issue that she encountered and now may help with diagnosing what is going on with another one of my clients. 
Two little miracles in one day!  The kindness of this nurse, and possible an answer to what is happening to one of my clients due to a conversation had with her. 
All in all have to say although it didn't start on the best note it sure ended on one.

Day 39

Today was such a beautiful day outside Jacob and I went fishing.  Who gets to go fishing from shore on November 4th in Alberta??  That's a miracle, thanks God.

Day 38

Can I be the miracle of today?  Not to be totally egocentric or anything but I think I did a little miracle for someone else today.  There was a mother at a local play group that had a bit of a struggle with one of her children.  Well when I got home I was really thinking about her and the situation.  I had 2 options, pray for her and her family, or do something.  I did.  I sent her a message telling her that we all have those kind of days with our kids and that she was a great mom to great kids.  Now I barely know this woman but from what I see of her I knew those two things about her.  She messaged me back and thanked me for my kind words.  Now I didn't do it for praise, I did it because I have had those days already in my short parenting life that I just wanted to cry and say "why is this so hard?"  When you just want your kids to behave and they don't.  So my miracle is that I put a smile on almost a stranger's face and hey maybe at the end of it all I might have a new friend, or if I don't that's okay too.  The smile was worth the doing instead of praying today.

Day 36

We had some visitors this morning.  My sister-in-law and her two youngest came and hung out this morning.  It was a great time.  The kids all kept busy playing and we got in a good visit. Now the miracle is that I got to give something away that I felt really guilty about just throwing away.  Jacob got a small desk as a gift when he came home.  Now I have little itty bitty house and there isn't really any room anywhere for it but yet I didn't want to throw it out and I didn't want to just give it to the next to new because the person that gave it to him might shop there and see it.  Well my niece would love to have it my sister-in-law said so she is going to take it and put it to good use and I don't feel guilty now at all about giving it to someone who will use it and has the room for it.

Day 35

I go to a group on Monday nights, it's called small group.  It's not called bible study because we don't necessarily always study the bible.  Last year we did a session on how to talk to non-Christians about Christianity.  It was very good.  This year though we are doing a study from Charles Price.  He's quite interesting.  I like him because he talks from the bible, not what he has done.  I find that many pastors/evangelicals talk about what they have done more than what the bible says. 
Anyways we're doing 1Samuel right now.  Very interesting.  He discussed the story of David and Goliath.  Now I know the story, David a tiny teen kills a giant of a man.  That's the story.  However that isn't the whole story.  See there was Saul first, God told Saul that he would defeat the Philistines and take over Israel again.  So when Goliath challenges the Israelites it should have been Saul that went out and took on the challenge.  He was actually a big man too, much more comparable in size to Goliath than David was.  However he didn't.  He was scared to.  So instead David goes out and says that he will take on Goliath.  What does Saul say?  I pray that the Lord is with you.  How many times have I done that.  Instead of putting my faith in God and doing what he wants me to do for someone instead I say, I'll pray for you.  What a cop out?!  That's exactly what Charles Price said.  It's easier sometimes to just say I'll pray for you rather than actually doing something.  That's not the end of the story though.  David goes out to Goliath and tells him in so many words, I'm going to lay a beat down on you and kill you and then I'm going to chop off your head and I'm going to do all this because I have God on my side.  That is exactly what happened!  Now how often do I pray and not exactly believe that God is on my side?  I should always believe that he is on my side I know this but sometimes I admit it I don't believe it whole heartedly. 
So what does this all have to do with a miracle today?  Well I now know, God is always on my side and when I pray I know he will be there.  I also know now that sometimes I shouldn't pray, I should do.  In the next few days you might see that I do this.

Day 34

I've began to house shop.  I find this process extremely stressful as a single person.  I don't have that person to make the decision with.  Tonight I went to look at a house that I was getting stressed about.  I was stressed because although I am shopping now I am not purchasing until April(ish).  I wanted to look at this house so that I would know if I wanted to pursue it or not.  Now my fear was that I would love the house and that I would feel pressure to put an offer on it now just in case it might sell before I was ready to buy.  Well although I did really like the house I didn't love the house and so I can walk away feeling no pressure at all.  Also in talking with the realtor I have realized this will be a long process.  I don't want the typical 1970(ish) bungalow.  It just isn't my style at all.  So although he's said it will take some time he is still very optimistic that we will find what I am looking for.  So I walked away feeling no stress and looking forward to continuing to shop, rather than pressure to buy something that I thought I liked.

Day 33

So today is actually Halloween.  Now I have wrestled with the idea of Halloween and what I wanted to teach my son about it.  In the end I decided we would go trick or treating but to only people we knew.  We went to 3 neighbors, and then drove around to friends homes and then to my parents.  Now I can think of so many countries that would not celebrate Halloween and do the "trick or treating" because of safety, because of lack of resources.  How often do we really sit and think about everything that we have and are thankful for it.  Living in a house is a gift, having heat in that house is a gift, having food in the cupboards is a gift, having running water is a gift, having a car is a gift, having a job is a gift, having a safe community is a gift.  How often do we really think about it?  I know I don't nearly enough.  So today all of these things that I take for granted are my miracles, because they really are.  I remember when I was 18 and working with a woman who was involved with Children's services.  I realized then how lucky I was to have been born in the circumstance I was, because really all it boils down to is what your born into.  I could have been born into the streets of Thailand and not have been so lucky.  So today I'm thankful I was able to feed my son, keep him warm, dress him up, drive him to friends, and to receive treats.

Day 32

This morning I went to a ladies brunch.  A friend hosts one ever second month I think.  Its just a nice morning of food and visiting.  I look forward to these invites.  I sometimes bring Jacob.  This morning though I thought I would ask my friend Tammy and her family to keep Jacob for a few hours.  I was going to be watching her son in a few days so as a give and take I thought I would cash in first, so to speak.  Well when I got done I called Tammy for something and to let her know I would be there right away.  Well she said that she had just put Jacob down for a nap and that she would call me when he woke up!  So I had a few more hours to myself.  Now I love my son dearly and I love having him around all of the time and for the most part I do.  Today though I wanted to do a few errands and possibly pick up a few Christmas gifts so having another couple hours to myself really was a blessing.  So miracle of day 32, a great friend who just does, just because.

Day 31

I woke up feeling so good.  Flu is all gone!  That is the gift of today.  Yesterday I was so sick and today I feel 1000% better.  Praise God!!

Day thirty

Well, 30 days!  I woke up still super sick, actually worse today then I was the previous two days.  I dropped Jacob off to the sitters today so that I could just curl up on the couch and then run to the bathroom without tripping over him.  I knew that today was one of those days I was better not to wear the mom cap first.  I would have sucked at it.  Paying for him to go to the sitters was well worth it to he and I.  However when he got home he ws very lovey dovey.  At one point he just grabbed my hand and held it for awhile.  Now that moment was the miracle of today.  My son is a very kind soul, a gentle little boy and him holding his sick mom's hand was just too kind not to be the miracle of today.

Day twenty nine

The chair, this is my miracle of day 29.  I have been searching/shopping for the perfect comfy armchair for a few years now, 3 to be exact!  I have found several that almost met the qualities that I wanted but none were just perfect.  They were too stiff, or too small I couldn't curl up in, or I didn't like the fabric, or the price.  Well this past week I was in n-t-n and there it was.  A big comfy armchair, the fabric is nice and soft, the springs are still in good shape, I can still get out of it.  The price was $35 so I couldn't complain about that.  Oh how I love my armchair.  If you can imagine it actually does even go with my decor, I have my walls green and an off white and then the curtains are gold and green with offwhite in them.  As you can tell by the picture it is a well used reading chair.  The blanket on the back of it is the blanket Jacob and I use to snuggle in and he curls up on my lap while I read to him, yep miracle of the day is finding the perfect chair!

Day twenty eight

Well our house awoke with the flu today.  I woke up sick and then since Jacob was at my mom and dad's for a sleepover I called in the morning and he had also been sick through the night.  So today we just snuggled on the couch.  I love cuddling with him, I sometimes get a little emotional when I think of all the cuddling that I missed out on his life already, so days like today are great for giving me a chance to make it up.  Yep, cuddling today was our miracle.  Oh and the fact that he actually only puked for my mom and not for me at all.  Hey gotta count every miracle you can!

Day twenty seven

I was speaking to the lovely lady that Jacob goes to during the day.  She was telling me how her husband let her sleep in and he accepted Jacob this morning then when she woke up she called for Jacob and he came into her room.  Then they played and read stories in bed for a while.  She told me how they played fort and Jacob would pretentd to be hidden and then pop up and then be all tangled in the covers and say "I'm stuck".  Then she was telling me how her 9 year old son came to her and said, "Jacob is such a joyful little boy." 
All of this is my gift today.  Listening to how they were playing, reading stories, etc.  This is something that I have done with Jacob and to hear that he is getting a very similar experience with them just continually reassures me that this is the best place for him to be at during the day.  Also how much their entire family does appreciate him and accept him into their daily routine.  It is a very comforting feeling to hear that.  Thanks God.

Day twenty six

Sleep is such a miracle in itself sometimes.  Our routine at church is that I hold Jacob in my arms while the praise and worship is going on, so I am sort of in essence singing to him and God.  Its our thing, our routine.  He snuggles his little head into my shoulder and listens.  Well today in his little snuggling he moved his head to my chest instead of shoulder, soon enough I had a sleeping little boy. He slept all the way through the service and even for 45 minutes afterwards.  Thankfully I had a meeting after service and so everyone just huddled around me while we had the meeting.  Then he woke up in a great mood.  His ability to just sleep wherever amazes me but is so good for him.  I never really worry about him being really overtired because he just sleeps wherever he is whenever he needs it.
Later on in the day after supper he just snuggled with me on the couch and we watched movies together.  I think this is such a gift and a miracle that I am so thankful for because I am a very touchy feely person with kids.  I love snuggling with kids and I missed out on a couple years of cuddling with him so on the days that he's super cuddly are a great big gift to me.  I just love it.  Thanks God:)

Day twenty five

I am super passionate about adoption, especially adoption through the province.  I do understand though that adoption isn't for everyone.  However let me tell ya when people are open to the idea I love talking about it and sharing our story and encouraging them to at least research it and decide if it is for them.  I do encourage people to go down the adoption route if they want kids and are having issues going the natural route.  Now my thought on is it is that if you at least go through the process and are waiting then if you do become pregnant you can always say no, I don't need to adopt.  However if in the meantime a child comes up that matches you, you have the opportunity to become a parent that way too.  However if you don't open the door to it you don't have the opportunity to ever say no, if you get what I mean.  If not, sorry I'm so confusing at 7 am on a Sunday morning, my don doesn't sleep in past 6am ever, 5:22am seems to be his wake up time. 
Anyways moving on.  Yesterday, on day 25 I met a lovely woman who really really wants to have children.  However has not yet foud the mate for her to have children with.  So she quizzed me about adoption and the ins and outs.  I am so thankful to have talked to her about it because this way she can think more about it and decide if it is for her or not, rather than just reading off of a website about it, in a one paragrapher. 
Interestingly enough this is the second, single woman I've spoken to this week who approached me to talk about adopting.  Each time I talk about it I walk away wondering if maybe one more child in the province has now found a person to have a forever family with and this little miracle of getting to talk about it with someone may have just turned into a huge miracle for a prospective mom and child.

Day twenty four

I have finally began to act like a grown up and am house shopping.  I'm super picky about the realtor I use though.  I wnat to take my time and not be pushed into a house that really is not what I'm looking for.  This is what happened the last time I went house shopping.
Well I met with the realtor I decided to go with today and he really seems to be on the same page as I.  We sat down and thoroughly discussed what I would like.  I told him about a few houses that I was already interested in and he seemed to be quite honest about them.  The one has just the right amount of bedrooms and it is on a double lot with garage, and a greenhouse.  MY DREAM HOUSE!!!!  Yeah, well he told me that there is a really funky odor downstairs that is likely mold so he didn't even want to show it to me because he doesn't want me to get into anything that has major issues like that.
Now this is a huge miracle to me because it means that the realtor is working for me and going to get us into a house that meets our needs, in our price range, without worrying about what is going to fall down around us.  Major miracle, finding a realtor that listens to me.

Day twenty-three

Two steps forward, one step back.  Jacob was not a happy camper when we came home.  I'm not sure why.  Just a bit off.  He couldn't decide on anything, take off his coat, leave it on, play or cuddle.  Just everything.  Well I'm sticking with the backbone of everything I know about people and trying to be as consistent as possible.  So tonight is BG club for him.  The routine is that we go to my friends home and then he and their daughter go for the evening to BG club.  Even though he was off in moods I sent him, keep with consistent routine.
Well it paid off.  When he got back and I got back from my meeting he was such a happy boy.  No self stimming and just an engaging happy little boy.
Miracle of today was knowing that even though I struggled with what I know is to do right I did it anyways and it paid off!  Plus of course his running to me and jumping up and down saying "mom, mom!" was a pretty big miracle too.  Since before he left I was feeling pretty crummy inside. 

Day twenty-two

These wonderful people are the miracle of today.  I was listening to John Bevere and a talk he was doing.  He made reference that God gives us people as gifts in our lives.  A pastor is a gift to the church.  Well this family is a gift to Jacob and I.  This is my pastor and his family.  I feel so abundantly blessed to have them in our lives.  They are amazing leaders in our church, and they are just loving people.  When you are around them you just feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 

Jacob absolutely loves going there.  He has yet to show any hesitation to going, from day one he has almost ran to get into the house and play with all of the kids. 

Today I realized how similar Stacey, the mom, and I are.  I had to work late and when I arrived she sent some of their supper home for me.  Now this is something I totally would do, and I think I did do a few times, maybe not supper, but loaves of fresh bread, or baking, or canning, home to the family I was babysitting for throughout the summer. 

It is such a comfort to know that Jacob is in a place that has if not the same, very similar values and morals that I have.  A place where kids truly get the nurture they need each and every day.

They are a huge miracle for he and I and so they are the miracle of today.

Day twenty-one

Gift of today was very simple, my son.  We came home tonight and he and I played on the floor.  We did oil changes, we did tire changes, we filled up the cars and trucks with gas, we did it all.  The time spent with him tonight and the improvements he is making is the miracle.  There was a lot less of self-stimming and much more interaction with me or imagination with his toys.  The energy that I seem to have developed to not be too tired to sit on the floor with him and do all of these things is a miracle everyday too.  This was my biggest fear in becoming a parent.  I was quite worried that since I seem to be a low energy person, would I have enough energy all the time for a child.  I do.

Day twenty

By the time theat I went to work this morning I thought, "there is going to be no miracle today or if there is I'm really going to have to look hard for it."
It happened, of course it happened, they happen everyday, hence the reason for this blog.
If you also follow my other blog you might know that we are going through a transition and Jacob is not coping as well as I thought he would.  Well Monday morning was especially trying and I was pretty much in tears all day because of how he is doing.  When I went to work after lunch I brought with me a previous assessment he had done at Glenrose Hospital.  You know that little line at the very end of the assessment "please feel free to contact us if you wish to discuss the results of this assessment or future concerns"?  Well I called.....  I didn't know where to start for help for him and I so I started there.  I spoke to a wonderful lady and she recommended a resource that may be able to provide some support.  I called CASA, the resource she recommended, and yes they could absolutely provide me with assistance and recommended I make a referral. 
So there are actually a few miracles I can point out in what I thought was going to be a no miracle day:

• I realized I am an advocate for my son and don't care about the stigmatization of "getting help".  We need it and I will go to the ends of the earth for him
• He had this assessment completed so I had someone to call to talk out the issues, otherwise I'm not really sure where I would have started
• I was very quickly reassured that this was exactly what I thought in my gut, a coping mechanism to deal with change, rather than what my head was racing thinking, autism
• I have a fabulous support network who whole heartedly supports my venting, frustration, and applaudes our successes
• Jacob and I will get the help we need
• I accept that this isn't just a "Jacob" issue, I'm wanting support more for me actually so that I know how to help him, not how to change him
• I finally realize the trauma that he has had happen in his life and that we do need help to assist us

So there you have it, quite a few little miracles in a day that I spent mostly in tears because I thought life was horrible today.

Day Nineteen

I teach a Sunday school program to 3 and 4 year old.  A fun group but sometimes a little difficult to work with in a big group and all stay on task.
They definitely are the miracle of today.  All the kids sat so good for the story and answered all the questions about the story I had quizzed them on.  They also all participated in making the craft, even Jacob!  From start to finish!  They made dusting mitts to help their parents dust around the house.  This was to teach we all need to help out in cleaning, odd for bible group you might think but it was tagging into the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet the night of the last supper. 
It feels so good to teach these little people about God and that they understand it and are so able to just soak it in and have faith that God has done things for us even though we can't cognitively explain it sometimes.

Day Eighteen

Okay now this may seem like a silly miracle but to me it is a miracle and gift.  I love my hair.  Like I love my hair so much I don't know if I could ever be one of those people that donates their hair to cancer or to shave their head for a good cause.  However hair is upkeep.  I have always struggled with hairdressers, who does what I ask, who isn't too expensive, who does a good job......
Well on a whim yesterday I called and made an appointment at a salon that I haven't gone to for years.  I quit going because the hairdresser that I had moved on.  So I went and it was a cute younger girl, probably early 20's, that was going to cut my hair.  Now first thing I notice, how long and healthy her hair is.  I notice very few highlights so she must not dye her hair much.  Then I explain what I want, take off all the dead.  I'm actually wanting a couple of inches off my ends because I know that's how bad my hair has gotten.  I'm nervous, not that she'll go to short but that she won't take enough off.  A few months ago I had gone somewhere else and told them this exact same request and they took barely an inch off.  So she looks at my hair and says, "it's going to be a lot off."  "That's okay" I respond, wondering if her idea of a lot and my idea are comparable.  THEY ARE!  She took probably 2-3" off my ends and my hair now feels healthy again.  I took a closer look at her hair when she was close to me and I noticed her hair had no split ends. 
Now this may seem like a silly miracle but seriously to find a hair dresser that doesn't over process their own hair and takes care of it is a hair dresser I like.  So miracle of day 18 is that I now have found a hairdresser in my small little town that isn't outrageously over priced, does what I want and does a good job.

Day Seventeen

Well I have to say that today the miracle and gift was time spent with one of my favorite cousins.  I had on a whim decided to go to Lloyd to do some shopping and on the way I thought that I would try giving my cousin a quick phone call.  Now my cousin is never the easiest person to get a hold of.  She is always very busy and so doesn't always answer the phone, or return emails and she doesn't have voicemail so I can't even leave her a message.  Well today she actually answered!  A miracle in itself.  We were able to meet for lunch even though neither of us had planned to it just all worked out.  Our kids have fun playing together so it is always a blessing when we are able to spend time together.
So miracle of day 17 was that it all fell into place for us to get together and talk about the wonders of God and the miracles he blesses us with each and everyday.

Day Sixteen

Today's miracle is an easy one to see for me.  My boss.  She is such an amazing lady.  I love her to pieces.  However I have a lot of respect for her and admire her.  She is the first person I have come across in my career that I aspire to be like.  She is well known in our field of work throughout the province.  She's not known just because she's good at what she does but also because she treats all people with such a level of dignity and respect.  She is always diplomatic and yet gets her point across in difficult situations and even when everyone doesn't agree there are not any hard feelings and people walk away with this feeling of "I like her and look forward to working with her again."
It's not just in her profession that she is an inspiration but also in her homelife.  She is a fellow Christian and on our little trip this week we talked a lot of God and his love and faith in people.  She opened the door more and more to discuss the topic.  It was a fabulous trip and I'm so greatful to have her as a boss, role model, and friend in my life.

Day fifteen

Okay today I'm going to make an effort to get almost caught up in my miracle a day blog.  I've a pretty good memory so I don't think that I will be trying to pull miracles from the air just to fill the space.
So for day 15 I remember exactly what it was.  Have you ever not agreed with people but you really know that your way is right?  Isn't it hard to try and convince people to do what you want but in the most polite way possible?  Well it happened on day 15.  My boss and I had a meeting that both of us were feeling was going to be a difficult meeting.  It wasn't at all.  Everyone in the room was on the same page and we were able to advocate the needs of our person while protecting and encouraging a healthy family relationship.  Now I wish I could get into it more but really the situation itself is irrelevant and the outcome is what was the miracle.  Together everyone around the table walked away knowing we are working for the common good, a young girl's life. 
Yep, a surprising miracle on day 15.

Day fourteen

So today's miracle wasn't really my miracle but I thought that it was significant enough around the world that I had to make it today's miracle. 
The Chilean rescue.  The rescue of 33 men who had been trapped in a mine for 69 days.  I sat and watched while the first miner was brought to surface and tears were streaming down my cheeks.  The faith that these men had?  I heard a comment that one miner said that there were 34 down in the mine because God never left them.  It makes me wonder for people that don't believe in God, would they get through this type of a crisis if it happened to them?  Sometimes, no all the time, faith is a good thing.  This is what these men had.  AMAZING MIRACLE for around the world.

Day thirteen

Betcha you thought I had given up or forgot; nope.  I was away for a few days with no access to a computer and then playing catch up at home.  So what was the miracle/gift of day 13?  This family.

They are my pseudo family.  They have accepted Jacob and I into their lives whole heartedly.  Tammy is the closest person I have ever had to a sister and Todd her husband is always there to lend me a hand when I need it.  Their kids are phenomenal kids.  We went quadding with them on Thanksgiving day.  If you can believe it Jacob fell asleep in the seat on the back of the quad.  Shelby, their daughter, couldn't stand to see him like this so she came and rode with both of us, holding him up so that he didn't flop all over and instead would have a more restful sleep.  They truly are amazing people and a gift to Jacob and I.

Day twelve

February 19, 2010 an old high school friend and her husband were in a car accident.  Both were left with brain injuries and it was unknown how long recovery would take and what full recovery would look like for each of them.  They were each unconscious for many days and in casts on various parts of their body.  They have 3 children varying from just a teen to quite young, I think 5 or so years old. 
Today my friend post that she was getting out of the hospital.  This is her first post since the accident.  AMAZING.  Definitely a huge miracle for that family.  Her husband is also continuing to recuperate. 
Miracle #12.

Day eleven

Well, well, well.  What could the miracle of today be.  I know your probably thinking that I have been picking big things that really aren't miracles but are just things in my life that I never take the time to appreciate, yep, your right.  Don't worry though pretty soon all the big things will have been mentioned and I really will have to look deeper for those little miracles of each day, oh one just popped into my head.
I was going to say that the weather today was the miracle.  Did you know that on this date last year it was -9 and snow on the ground??  Today it was +20's and gorgeous. 
Anyways, nope I have a little miracle to make mention of.  So Jacob is potty trained, sort of.  He rarely goes in his pants anymore, typically waits for the bathroom.  However he doesn't ask to go pee.  I spoke to other mother's about this and some said that as long as 4 months or so later before thier kids were asking to go pee.  Well today all of a sudden Jacob came running up to me, "Pee!  Pee!"  I thought, oh know, he already went.  Nope, he had't he needed to go.  So we made the trek to the bathroom, which was over a 100 feet away and up a steep hill.  Why didn't I just whip it out and go there by the lake you ask?  Well I had an inkling that he had to poop not just pee.  So we made the trek and sure enough my big little boy pooped and peed on the potty and had told me he had to go first.  Yep small, or big miracle of the day. 

Day ten

Well I was busy yesterday so didn't get a chance to blog again, and next week prepare yourselves I'll probably miss 3 days in a row! 
What keeps me away??  Well miracle of day ten.  My job/career/place of work. 
I had been dreading going back to work and all of a sudden it is here and I actually found myself going back earlier than I had planned.  I realized that I am blessed to work somewhere that I feel valued, and appreciated.  Where I make a difference in people's lives.  Growing up I didn't know what I wanted to do in life but I knew that I had one goal.  I wanted a job where I would make a difference in people's lives.  My position allows me to do that. 
How blessed am I that I have a job, let alone one that I like.  A place where I get a long with all of my co-workers, a place that I get to fulfill my goal.  Yep, miracle #10.

Day nine

Well today I had a really big gift given, or rather I got to open a present that I knew was coming but I was anticipating getting to unwrap it.  I finally received word that Jacob is now legally mine, I am his mom and he is my son in the eyes of the law.  He will never be anyone elses forever!  So yes this was a big gift and I am so happy to finally be all done with that, however I got to thinking, is this the miracle of today?  I knew this day was coming but is this the miracle. 
Then I found out that my friend had her baby, 2 months early, but everyone is well and healthy and so there is no concern either than putting weight on baby to bring her home.  So is this the miracle of today? 
Then I went fishing with my dad, Jacob and my niece.  That was the miracle and biggest gift of the day.  I have an amazing family.  I am the oldest with two younger brothers, one who is married and one who is in a serious relationship.  Both of my parents are still alive and I am close with them both, I talk to them daily, sometimes several times a day.  I see my brothers and their families often, at least every couple of weeks.  I have two nieces and a nephew and spend a lot of time with them, I see them probably weekly at least. 
My family is the miracle.  We got home from fishing and my niece asked my dad to read her a story, so while I was in the kitchen cleaning the fish we caught I could hear my dad reading to my niece.  That is a gift, a small gift it may seem but in the big picture it's huge.  Family is my miracle today, and I am truly thankful and grateful to God for blessing me with mine.  I love them all and would be lost without each and every piece of mine.

Day eight

Well it's a big one today, HUGE, one, well maybe not that huge but BIG. 
So my dad got a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now to some that may not seem like a big deal but my dad has been out of work since January 2009.  Yes, he's been actively looking for work all this time nothing seems to have transpired out of it though.  Until today.  Well I have to share too how God played a part in this, of course, this blog is all about Him and His miracles.  So in August I approached our prayer chain to pray for my dad for a job.  I also approached my aunt and her prayer chain as well.  Then 3 weeks ago my dad and mom decided that they should come to church.  My dad told my mom today when he called her, "thank the Lord."  Now he could have been metaphorically speaking, but yes, THANK THE LORD.  My dad has a job.
Now there are a whole bunch of other miracles that go along with it.  It is doing the work he enjoys, it is a job close to home so he will be home every night, it is a very well paying job, and when my dad had applied he had told the company that he would take part time for now if that was all they had and instead they offered him full time work.  Miracle, miracle, miracle...........

Day seven

I have a friend that has been struggling for years with her relationship with God.  She has been forever saying, "I'm waiting for an angel to just come to me so that I know God is here."  It would drive me nuts when she would say this.  It drove me nuts because she is probably one of my friends that I discuss my relationship with God the most.  Yet she wanted someone else.  I sometimes would want to scream at her, "I'm right here!"  Now I'm not presuming I'm an angel, I'm not.  However I am someone who was and is trying to discuss with her, her relationship with God and how to open her heart to Him. 
Well last night she brought up how she realized last week that she has always had two people in her life that have been leading her to God, she just hasn't been open to it because it's about control.  She doesn't want to give up any control over her life and that is scary.  I get it, sort of.  I know that many people don't want to put their whole faith in God because they don't know, they think that satan will tempt them more so life will be harder, or that they will no longer be able to do the things that bring enjoyment into their lives. 
Maybe that's just a perception, but I know for myself, I can't remember a time that I have been happier and more full of love and life, and a security that I just know that my life is great and I will have a great life and that if I died tomorrow it would all be okay. 
So with my friend, I asked her if she ever prays that God will be with her.  She said that she doesn't pray anymore because she has some anger towards God because she felt like he left her.  Well I know God hasn't moved, so where is she I asked.  So this morning I said to her, "I pray that you are with God today, amen."  God is always there/here.  It is us that move.
So miracle #7 is that my friend is open to at least asking to join God for the day.  Amen.

Day six

So awhile ago I decided that I did not want to date or marry anyone that wasn't a Christian.  Some of my friends and family I am sure think that this is an absurdity.  For me though this is something that is a big thing in my life and I would want to share it with my spouse.  Well a very close friend of mine and I were having this discussion yet again yesterday afternoon.  They told me that they thought I was eliminating a lot of men in the dating scene by having this standard.  They thought that I was relying on the old checklist and that I had too high of standards for a mate.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  I don't know.  What I do know is that I don't want to date someone that isn't a Christian and if that means being alone and raising my son alone than that's what will happen. 
It was bothering me all night though.  I had a horrible sleep.  This morning I was about to read my bible and again it was bothering me.  I read for a bit and then it came to me how to explain it to my friend the importance of me dating a Christian.
I immediately called the friend.  I asked "If I met the perfect man and he was perfect in every aspect but the only glitch was that he didn't have a job and he never planned on working.  He planned for me to be the person that worked in the household and carry the burden of finances.  What would you think."  Their response was, "Well if you were okay with that then it's up to you but that wouldn't be something that I could go into."  I said, "and this is exactly what I am talking about in regards to dating a Christian or not.  I don't want to carry the brunt of raising our children in a Godly home, and being the only person carrying the load."  Not that this is a burden at all but it was the only way I could explain it to make sense.
So the miracle is that my friend now completely understands my point of view and respects my decision to only date a Christian.

Day five

Well when you see the picture of my miracle today your probably going to think, well that's obvious.

However Jacob isn't the miracle.  He's what brought on the miracle.  He did something that I have never been able to do. 

He has brought my parents closer to God, one Sunday at a time.  Yep, for as many years as I have been a Christian I could never get my parents to church together unless it was a special occasion.  Then in the past couple of weeks they have mutually decided that "Jacob's grandparents should go to church". 

He's done something without even trying that I have tried to do for years.  The innocence and blessings a child brings to a heart is a miracle. 

Day four

Jacob prayed all by himself at supper.  That's my miracle for today.  I have been saying grace before meals quite frequently, I don't want to say all the time because I know it doesn't happen all the time but the majority of the time we say grace.  Well over the past month or so I've been getting Jacob to repeat what I say.  "thank you God for food, amen"  Tonight he said it all by himself without me saying it first.  That's a pretty good miracle I would say, for both God and I.

Day three

I know, I know it's actually day four but I didn't get a chance to blog last night.  I was just too tired to write anything, but I knew what my miracle was.  This lovely lady is the miracle of day 4.  She is my sister-in-law.  I love her dearly.  She and I didn't get off on the right foot when we first met 7 years ago, I think.  She was dating one of my younger brothers and just came into the family at a bad time.  However sometimes a rocky start makes for a better ending.  In this case it did.  She is a great, amazing, and awesome sister-in-law.  She is always available to help whenever I ask and she's been an outlet whenever something isn't going right in my life.  She's super supportive all the time and I know I don't tell her any of these things often enough.  So she's my miracle for day four.  That God blessed me with a great sister-in-law.  You always hear horror stories about in-laws.  I have no horror stories.  We get along and she has just made our family that much closer and I love her for it.