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!!