Day 118

I love my dad.  I love my dad even though he can be very opinionated at times and stubborn, and tells me his two sense even when I don't want it.  Today I went roping with my dad.  I like spending time with my dad.  I know he was hard on us as kids but it was because he expected more from us.  I am proud of who I am and my dad had a lot to contribute to who I am so I am proud of him.  My brothers don't tend to always share my ideology of my dad I don't think.  I wish that they did, that they realized that he is who he is and that he isn't going to change.  That you only get one set of parents in life and he's our dad and I'm proud to have him as my dad.  He taught us to strive to be better, maybe his ways were harsh at times but I don't think we would have all become successful people without him and his encouragement, discouragement, help, advice, discipline, it all.  My miracle of the day is my dad and our time together, all of it, not just the times we laugh.

Day 117

Fridays I only work half a day.  I have a flex week so I work longer hours on Monday and Tuesday and then a short day Friday.  Today I was asked to pick Jacob at the pool since the rest of the group was going swimming.  Well how tragic it was to be at the pool and then get picked up to a 3 year old.  He thought he was going to be going swimming too!  So good thing we had no plans and I live only 3 minutes away from the pool.  I ran home grabbed our things and we went swimming.  I guess the miracle could be that I had just shaved my legs the day before because that could have been scary!  It isn't though. The miracle is that I could have just distracted him, said no, we're going home having lunch and then a nap, but instead we made the time to go swimming.  Something that I think we will do every Friday now!  So thanks for the big crocodile tears that helped me make some time.

Day 116

I've been wanting a bit of a challenge at work.  I love my job but I feel that my current clientele is a bit dull, routine, and doesn't really need anything from me.  I tend to like challenging folks, or challenging situations.  Well I got one today.  It is a case that has gone back to court almost yearly because there is so much family distension.  My request has been answered; I got a challenge for sure.  So sometimes you really don't mean it, God still answers your prayers if He thinks you need it so I really have no choice but to say thankyou because I asked for it!

Day 115

When I finally made the decision to adopt my mom was very supportive.  I think the rest of my family thought it was yet another one of my zany ideas.  I can remember my brother saying he'd believe it when he saw it.  Then as time got closer and I was just waiting he did call me and told me that having kids was a lifelong commitment and I wouldn't be able to send them back when I got tired of them.  It was his way of giving me parental advice, I think.  My dad had the same advice.  We didn't talk much about it while I was waiting in limbo for a child.  I can remember dad's advice though was to ask for a child that didn't have disability because he thought this would be too much for a single working mother.  Either than this conversation there wasn't said much between my dad and I about adopting.  I knew his concerns were because he was concerned about me and how I would manage, not that he didn't want a grandchild.
Well I'm happy to say that all of my thoughts about my family were true.  They each accept Jacob whole heartily and he is part of the Dunlop's.  My brother wasn't at home when Jacob arrived, he was away at work but on his first day to come home he came straight to my house to meet Jacob.  I never have told him this but that meant so much to me.  The day that Jacob had met the rest of the family everyone was at mom and dad's waiting.  It was just like having a new baby and everyone seeing it for the first time, just like it should be for a first child. 
Now as almost a year has gone by my whole family loves Jacob just as much as me I think.  I watch my dad who had his reservations about me adopting ask Jacob about a dozen times per visit ,"who's papa's boy?"
This I am so thankful for and haven't dedicated a day to this miracle so today is it.  Thanks God for my family and who they are.

Day 114

I've often wondered who would I pick as bridesmaids if I ever got married.  This may seem silly, but I do it and its my blog so I get to write about what I want!  I've come to the realization that I have a lot of really good girl friends.  I have friends that I've been friends with since we were in elementary.  Friends that I lived with, friends that I worked with, friends I went to university with, friends that developed because they married, marrying one of my brothers, friends that I met because of facebook.  I have a lot of girlfriends, some I have contact with often, some only once every few years but none the less I would consider them a close friend.  I feel very blessed that if I had to make that decision I wouldn't know who to pick!  How many people can say they have so many close friends?  Don't get me wrong, I'm not bragging about this, I am very honored to have this many friends and thank God for each one of them and their role in my life.

Day 113

This evening we had a volunteer appreciation supper for everyone that came throughout the year to help in fundraising with the New Year's Eve dance.  It was a great evening and it was great that people do help us with this event.  They don't know these families personally and that they would volunteer their own precious time to help strangers really is what this event is about, community helping families.  So the volunteers really are the miracle behind the event.
I have a second miracle though.  My friend Tammy is wonderful.  She is a great support to me on my path of parenthood.  Tonight was no exception.  Jacob was tired, hungry, and cranky.  Nothing I could do seemed to make him happy and so his grumpiness caused my frustration.  Tammy jumped in and just told me to go and eat and she would deal with Jacob.  Whatever she did worked and he was a happy camper.  To have a friend like this in my life is a blessing. 
Thanks God!

Day 112

So I've started the process of house hunting but before I got really serious I wanted to see if I would qualify for a mortgage and how much that would be.  I found out today that I am pre-approved and so house shopping I can go!

Day 111

Today we went to the city for an assessment of Jacob.  It was through the mental health program and basically I just wanted some pointers as to help him cope with change and transition.  I was also wanting them to tell me "he's normal just leave him be a kid".  I struggle with small town services for a variety of reasons.  One being that they tend to try and find things wrong, and they don't deal enough with big issues that I think they make trivial things big issues.  They just don't have enough exposure to what else is out there, and I also think that they think they are experts after a 2 year diploma.  There is nothing wrong with education as long as you also have a degree in common sense I think.
So we went.  It was a 2 hour assessment combined with questions for me, observation, interaction and a few little minor tests.  Well the result is that yes he's delayed in his expressive speech (being able to talk) but he isn't that far behind that they don't think he will catch up before he gets to school.  He is pretty typical for his feelings about change and that may be just him or it may be because of his past, or it may be that he's a normal kid because other kids his age also sometimes have issues with transition at this age.
So their recommendations were, "do whatever you are doing now because it seems to be working."  Also they don't recommend PUFF because they aren't sure what the benefit would be at this time.
This is my miracle.  This is also the last assessment I will ever put my son through.  We're done, he's normal and I like that diagnosis!

Day 110

I was feeling a bit rushed tonight and didn't know what Jacob and I were going to have for supper so it was a blessing to receive an impromtu invite for supper at his sitters this evening.  It definately was a blessing; good food, good company, and I didn't have to cook!  Thanks God.

Day 109

I take the fact that my job is dealing with people's lives very seriously.  That I have the ability to assist in making dreams happen I am so blessed to do.  I can't say that I make the dreams and goals happen because i don't.  Really all I do is nag at everyone around the person to ensure that jobs get done and my person gets what they want in life.
My most recent challenge is getting an elderly man back to his home country to die.  Now you have to keep in mind when I get a referral on a person I don't get a big file that goes along with them to tell me all about their life.  I have to try and fill in the gaps somehow.  IN this case the man is almost 90, and was assigned someone to make his decisions when he was in his early 80's.  He was a signed someone public because he had no family at the time.  So how do I find out how to send him to his home country??? 
Well before I had gone on leave I had found a companion and introduced the two and they were to spend time getting to know one another and then eventually he and the companion would travel back to his home country.  This didn't happen.  As the time got closer my guy began to get paranoid that the companion would steal his money.  My guy has trust issues.  He is a survivor of the holocaust so understandably so.  My guys health then deteriorated and he ended up in a higher level of care facility. 
Then I came back.  I didn't ask about what had happened for a few months.  I'm a bit emotional/passionate about this situation.  I think of this man as a family member, not that I have a relationship with him but that if he were my grandfather what would I want for him.  I would want to  give him his dying wish, or make sure I made a really good effort, not brush it off.
SO I did finally ask what happened and was told the story and then I asked could we try again.  I know my boss probably thinks I'm loopy but I needed to ask.  My boss didn't think I was loopy and recommended that we find family in the homeland first.  Then see where to go from there.  Now my guy has always said that he did have a nephew in his homeland and that he could live with him.  However there is a bit of a language barrier I don't always understand what he is saying.  So what to do, what to do.  God gifted me.
A woman who had befriended my guy when he lived elsewhere works at the place he is now.  She and he used to ride the bus together and they became friends.  She too is from the same country as he, only she has been in Canada for a much shorter time than he.  When she saw him in this facility she was shocked.  She and I have talked and I explained to her that I needed to find this nephew.  In discussions my guy and her have realized that they are also from the same city in the old country.  Honestly, could it get much better??
SO she went on a mission.  She spoke to him more and more got as much information about the nephew as she could and then she contacted her friends in the old country and guess what??????  Yep, found the nephew.  She called him and spoke to him.  He had been sending letters to his uncle all throughout his uncle being in Canada and then a few years ago they were returned to him and he didn't know what had happened.  The nephew and I are going to speak in a week or so and see how we can get this to happen that he comes here and takes his uncle home.  Now, after reading all that how can you not believe in miracles and that God facilitated all of this??????

Day 108

I love to eat.  I mean it, I really like to enjoy good food, tasty food, food that makes your taste buds pop.  God has blessed me with the gift of being able to cook.  I know this because I've been complimented many times on my cooking.  I totally enjoy cooking, I enjoy the preparation of it, the beginning of it starting with raw materials and putting them together into the perfect combinations to taste "nummy in the tummy" as Jacob would say.  Today I cooked and I thank God for this miracle of making me a good cook and enjoy doing it.

Day 107

Today I spent the day making pierogies with two good friends.  What fun we had chatting and working together all day.  The day ended with of course a pierogy feast and then the kids played wii.  I don't have a wii and wouldn't ever purchase one so it was treat to play it.  They played a dancing game and I realized that my son likes to dance.  He shook and boogied for over 45 minutes, stomping his foot, shaking his hips and even trying the worm.  The day and evening was full of fun and laughs and so I'm thankful for the miracle of such a great day.

Day 106

I belong to an amazing church but the head of the church is an absolutely pastor.  He is a real person.  A person that anyone can walk up to and feel comfortable chatting with, a pastor that it doesn't matter where you are or what he is doing he will stop and visit with you about anything.  He is just absolutely.  I became a Christian a number of years ago but had a lot of questions about God and Christianity.  I think I fell away because I didn't feel there was anyone that could help me answer my questions.  I often wonder if some people don't believe in God simply because they don't know who to ask so it is easier to read books and form opinions about God and where you stand on the topic based on books.  When I had my questions Pastor Norm sat down with me and the bible.  That was the only book he said we needed.  Any other book is man made and the bible is God's book given to the prophets to have written. 
As time goes by I continue to have questions.  Most recently about angels and how they fit in the picture.  Norm was great and got back to me with a bunch of scripture and biblical reference.  How blessed I am to have him as my pastor that I can go to and ask these questions.  Not only as my pastor but as a friend too that is helping in raising Jacob with his wife, this is where he goes while I'm at work.
Thanks God for Pastor Norm!

Day 105

I have had a sinus infection for a while now so I wen to the doctors office today.  While sitting there the room started to fill up and amongst the crown were two kids, about 8 and 10.  They were there with a young woman who I assumed was their mother.  Then the woman went outside and the kids stayed.  While she was outside they started talking to another waiting patient.  The outcome of the conversation was that these kids were living in a group home and wondered if the woman across the room from them was related to them.  They asked her to say hi to their mom and dad if she ever saw them.  Then time was going by slowly and I was sitting next to one of the kids so I offered to let them play my game.  The young child asked me if I was related to them, something that they had asked the other woman as well.  How tragic, that they don't know who is family and who is not.  It was seeing and talking to these kids that made me very thankful that Jacob was in only 2 foster homes and that he was very young when I adopted him and he will now know who his family is and feel secure in his family.  He won't have to wonder are you family, or you, or you?  Thank you God for answering my prayers of bringing a small child into my life that would eventually know only me as mom, and for my family being so accepting and welcoming Jacob into the family.

Day 104

I have about 40 clients on my caseload right now.  Some like me, others don't.  Today I got to spend some time with a variety of them, one typically doesn't like me but they had just received their medication and kept saying over and over that I was a "nice girl" and they liked me.  Their happiness, although drug induced, was a nice thing to see. 
The other client doesn't have a opinion of me one way or another I don't think.  Their memory is very poor and so I'm not convinced that even though I've been in their life for almost 4 years I don't think they know who I am.  However this person is wheel chair bound but will walk with assistance at times.  Today they walked with staff assistance for 40 steps, they counted and when they got to the end they were so happy that they couldn't stop laughing.  It was a great site to see and I couldn't help but join in the laughter. 
These two people were my miracles of the day and I'm thankful that I got to see each of them today!

Day 103

I was sitting in a meeting today for one of my clients and their family was in attendance.  Now I have been a part of my clients life for almost 4 years now and have never met any of the family.  After the meeting I asked the facility staff if they had seen much of the family before and they said no.  So why all of a sudden interest?  The family was genuine in their concern for my client, they just want to visit more and be a part of the person's life so why now? 
Well here is one of those cases when something good comes out of something bad.
A year or so ago I had moved my client to be closer to family.  It didn't work out.  The client ended up having multiple seizures and a great deal of brain damage occurred so the person was moved back to their original location.  When this was happening though the family was notified and they began to visit.  Now they visit regularly and spend time with the person.  Had the move not occurred and seizures happened to the point it was a concern if the person would live or not, and so family was called we would be back to no family involvement and the person miserable because they felt forgotten.  So this is my miracle of the day, that yes sometimes bad things do happen in order for the good to transpire.


barb having seizures and moving back to Lamont and family now involved.

Day 102

I went to a funeral today.  Now how would that possibly be a miracle you may ask??  Well I think I was lucky to have known the man who passed away and that I got to spend time with him at one point in my life.  He was an elderly man that I had met when I was an early teen, maybe even a preteen, it was a long time ago.  This man was always a kind man and even though you knew he would make a buck when he could, he was also one of those people that helped out the under dogs.  He would give people a chance.  I think I was privileged to have known this man and looking around at the people at his funeral today I was among many that felt this way too.  My miracle of the day was knowing Raymond Labrecque.

Day 101

My lovely friend that we are visiting asked us to go to church with her this weekend.  That is always a treat for us, to go to a church with a friend.  She is currently church shopping and so we went shopping with her.  After the service was done she spoke to the reverend and set up an appointment the very next day to learn more about the beliefs of that church.  I think this is fabulous!  I often hear of people saying that they don't believe however have they ever asked a pastor, father, or reverend the questions to determine why they don't believe?  This is exactly what she is doing, before deciding she is getting all the information.  I'm thankful that she asked us to join her on her shopping adventure!

Day 100

It is day 100 for this blog!!!!  Can you believe it???  I knew that when I started this blog I wanted to stick with it but I have to say I did have my doubts that I would be able to do it.  This is a short and sweet blog today but my miracle is definitely that I've kept up with it and now I need to take the time and go back and read it every once in awhile, 100 miracles in 100 days; there is something good that happens to you each day, you just need to look for it!

Day 99

Today I got to enjoy an entire day with my great friend Marlene.  We used to work together and from the moment I met her I felt like I had met her in another lifetime.  Now I don't believe in that kind of thing but I just felt like I had known her my whole life.  We've become great friends and I definitely count her as one of my best friends.  
Today I got to spend the entire day with her and Jacob got to spend it with her husband!  They did farm stuff and played and we got to go for lunch and shop. 
I cherish my times with Marlene because she moved away a few years ago and so now instead of being able to just go half an hour and see her we only see each other a few times a year.  I dearly love her husband though and when I think of what type of man I want to end up with he sure has many of those qualities.  So I'm sad to have her at a distance but I'm so happy that she found contentment and happiness.
Marlene and Chris and my friendship with them is my blessing of the day.

Day 98

We headed to see my dear friends in SK today.  I had heard that the roads weren't going to be that good so I decided to leave early.  By noon I had packed up, got an oil change, filled up with gas, checked my tires, grabbed lunch and picked up Jacob.  Off we went.  I had to stop in Lloydminster to do a return and some quick shopping.  Then we were off again.  Well it normally takes me about 5-5 1/2 hrs to get there.  Not so this trip.  The roads did get bad.  They have to be pretty bad for me to admit that they were bad but they were snow covered, drifted even and then ice underneath.  At times I was going only 40 kms an hour.  At one point Jacob was playing with his trains and dropped one, of course wanting it right away again.  I knew if I tried to reach it and give it to him I would most likely take the ditch so I opted to instead pull over onto the shoulder and get the train then continue driving.  So this is what I attempted to do, key word being attempted.  I got the train, and then went to pull out onto the road again and couldn't.  The snow from the ditch kept sucking me it.  I ended up in the ditch!  It was that snow that is like sand, it is icy and there is no traction and you keep sliding.  So now what to do??  Well I could see a farm light not too far up so I started to get out and get Jacob dressed up to start walking, I was smart enough to pack all of our snow gear in case of something like this happening.  Just as I was unbuckling him though a jeep drove by and offered to help.  The very nice man drove us to the farm house and then Mr. Farmer came with his big truck and pulled us out.  OH so thankful we were!  We then continued on our way, safely with no more pulling over.  It did take us about 9 hours in total to get there but we arrived safe and sound.  Thanks for the man stopping, the farmer being home and helping, and the continued safe trip!

Day 97

Its my birthday!!!  I'm not normally a person that makes a big deal about my birthday, I used to look at it more as an opportunity to get together with friends.  This year I had no plans with friends but I was extremely spoiled.  I had flowers delivered to me at work from one of my friends family.  They sent me Gerber daisies, 7 of them for every  year that we've been friends.  Very thoughtful and appreciated. Then for supper Jacob and I went out for supper with these friends and we met another one of my friends families there so we all had supper together.  Then my family all met at my brother and sister-in-laws for cake.  I was very spoiled but my favorite gift was a picture that my mom gave me.  The picture was taken sometime this summer and then she wrote on the frame.  I usually don't get too emotional over gifts but this one did almost make me cry.  It was just a very touching and thoughtful gift.  So my miracle of the day is that I felt so loved and appreciated on this day!

Day 96

Three years in a row now right after New Years Eve I get a bad cold.  Why would this year be any different, right?  Both of us have been fighting it off but today we both woke up and felt terrible.  My nose is stuffed up and I keep sneezing.  At one point I felt it actually running, you know how you see a kid and they have liquid coming out of their nose, and you wonder how can they not feel that.  Well that was me at one point.  I thought, "I think I feel something coming out of my nose" sure enough it was running.  Now I don't remember that happening to me since i was a little kid. 
I feel truly blessed that when I am sick like this I can feel okay about calling sick into work.  I have a great job and an amazing boss who totally is supportive and understands that people get sick.  She would never hesitate to tell you to go home if you weren't feeling well and there is no guilt trip placed on you for not coming to work.  My job, boss, and all the perks that go with it I am truly thankful for.

Day 95

I had today off from work.  We got today off in lieu of New Years day falling on the weekend.  A nice little treat if you ask me, one more day off!  I decided to go to Parent Link.  I kind of enjoy going and visiting, even though I don't really know the ladies that go often I like to go and visit with them.  There is some comfort in being able to visit with people that don't know everything about you and vice versa.
When I arrived Jacob and I were the only ones there and then within a little while someone else showed up and she right away was telling one of the ladies that works there about a book called "The Shack".  I've read this book and it is really good for those people who are new in their faith, or don't know much about God.  This lead into a conversation about another book about God and then onto about how we taught our children that Christmas isn't just about Santa but that it is about the birth of Jesus.  It felt so good to hear that other people, whom I barely know, have the same ideology about Christmas and that they too emphasized with their children that Christmas is about Jesus birth and what they did to teach this.  Thanks God for these people and the visit today.

Day 94

My miracle of the day may not seem like a miracle to others but I guess it is a miracle to me because it could have been a much more worse situation.
Jacob was but by my older dog today.  I think what happened was that she was on the couch and he went to get up on it or take the blanket off of it and she snapped at him, getting his little ear.  There was a knick on the very top of his ear.  He was very upset, of course, rightly so!  I consoled Jacob because he is priority and then it was bath time so he went for a bath after he was better and then I dealt with the dog.  Looking back on this now I think that was the right thing to do because Jacob didn't automatically become afraid of her when he saw her again, granted he didn't really see her for two days because I kept her outside away from him.  So yes I am very upset that she snapped and bit him, however I am so thankful she didn't bite his face, his arm, and take a chunk out of my precious little boy.  I am also thankful for God's wisdom on how to handle the situation because I'm sure it wasn't me that was smart enough to realize how to deal with the situation but rather him guiding me through it. 

Day 93

Happy New Year!!  Jacob and I were sick today, so we got to stay home all day and snuggle.  This is a small but great miracle of the day.  I recognize that all kids aren't as snuggly and affectionate as my little boy but he is.  He's just like me, loves to snuggle.  Thanks God for our under the weather day and the opportunity to stay home and enjoy the couch together.

Day 92

It's New Years Eve!!!!
What could I possibly be thankful for today?  That the day is finally here and all the hard work has paid off?  That we sold all the tickets to the dance before we even started dancing?  That my parents and I had extended family join in the event?  That right up until we opened the doors we had businesses calling to give us donations?  That I got to sit with my son in my arms sleeping while the balloons dropped and Auld Lang Syne was being played? 
Yes all of these were great little "gifts" aka my miracles.  However when one of the families each came over and wished myself and each of the committee members Happy New Year and thanked us for putting on this event was my biggest miracle of the day.  You see this is the third year we have done this event and the first time we have ever been personally thanked by the family we were raising funds for.  This touched and warmed my heart and made me want to do it all over again next year!  Thanks God for this day and this wonderful family!

Day 91

Well today was the dreaded set up day.  All the hard work we do the last few months of the year for New Year's doesn't compare to the work that gets done on the 30th of December.  We set up on this day. The first year it was myself, Tammy, her kids, and I conned my brother into coming and helping us set up tables and chairs.  Then it was pretty much us all day setting up.
This morning what a treat it was when I showed up and there were 8 or so extra people to help!  We were completely done by 3pm, I was at home relaxing by then!  Totally a miracle that I and the rest of us were thankful for today.

Day 90

Friends and I organize a New Year's Benefit dance.  All the money goes to local families that have had a tragedy or crisis.  Well wouldn't you know it that two days before the event we get two more nominations!  What to do????  Well texts and emails were flying back and forth between all of us on what to do.  You see last year we did develop some guidelines for our nominations.  One of them being that we would take nominations from December 1st to December 1st each year.  This way it would give us the opportunity to get the stories of the families in the paper, as well in our letter to request donations we also include a brief write up about each family.  So what to do, what to do???  The committee was split, this is why it is always important to have an odd number of committee members.  People had high emotions, we want to help but we are all stressed with the event already, plus we do have rules that we made. 
Well it was voted upon and it was decided that we would stick to the rules and we have two nominations for next year.  My miracle is that with everyone being so passionate about their vote we all respected each other and there were no arguments or hard feelings about the situation. 
I really value each of the ladies that joins me in this adventure we partake on each year.  Everyone is super passionate about the cause and wants to help out.  What a miracle they each are and their willingness to help year after year.

Day 89

Jacob's personality is slowly starting to develop more and more.  He is becoming the little jokester.  He loves to tease you and his giggles are infectious.  I love having a kid that likes to laugh and make me laugh.  Tonight I asked him to go for a "sneaky pee", aka a quick pee, while I stayed upstairs doing something.  Well I come downstairs to see him perched up in the bathroom sink giggling and so proud of himself in the sink.  For those of you thinking he peed, he didn't.  He just thought it was so funny to be in the sink!  What a little blessing he is each and everyday.  Thanks God for him and his infectious giggling and wanting to tease.

Day 88

We went roping as a family today.  Everyone but my two nieces came.  It was a fun but very cold day.  The roping was indoors but they turned the heater on just for a little while and then turned it off for the rest of the day and it was cold.  I remembered how as kids we roped in the winter more often than in the summer, how crazy we were!   
I don't rope very often very more at all, but every time I do it I have to admit that I do have fun at it.  Today I didn't rope that good but then there was a family roping, so fathers and sons, or daughters would rope together.  Dad and I actually caught two steers in a row and we won!  That would be my miracle of the day, actually catching two in a row, but also getting to rope with my good ole' dad and winning!

Day 84

Today I opened a gift we had received in the mail from far away. It was a present from Jacob’s original foster family. IN the package was home made cookies, yum, a sleeper that I assumed was Jacob’s when he was a baby, a book for us to read together, some girl guide cookies, which was a treat because I didn’t buy any this year, and last but not least pictures. Baby pictures of Jacob! What a treat. I have realized how lucky I am to have any baby pictures of Jacob. So many children of the system have moved so much or not been cared for enough to have pictures taken of them and then follow them. Can you imagine not having any pictures of yourself for years at time? Not knowing what you looked like as a baby, or when you are asked to bring a baby picture to school for a project and you have none. When it seems like in today’s day and age everyone is taking pictures and posting them somewhere a child has none of themselves. I am truly fortunate to have these gifts and I’m sure one day he will realize it too. These pictures are my miracle of the day and the relationship that I have with his foster family that they would want to share them with me. I am truly grateful for both.

Day 87

We had church today.  It's Sunday, my favorite day of the week.  I know I mentioned a while ago that my mom and dad have now decided to come to church on a regular basis.  Well today sitting in church I became overcome with emotion that my dad is still coming.  That he's still hearing the message each week.  I think the reason why I was overcome this week was that I noticed him actually focusing in on what the pastor was saying versus looking around and focusing on the crowd.  My dad is such an old busy body buy I love him to death and wouldn't change who he was for the world.  In the past when my mom has made the initiative to come to church it was an independent effort and now he respects that she wants to go and he joins in.  Him coming each week that he isnt' working is my miracle of the day.

Day 86

It's Christmas Day!!!!  The whole day is my miracle.  From watching Jacob oh so carefully open his stocking and play with each toy for a few minutes before moving on to the next.  Waking up with my mom and dad and Jacob this morning and it being just focused on the day and each other versus presents and what you got.  The time we all spent together as a family, inside and out.  Getting to give my brother his present, a dog, without him finding out about it first, so that to was a miracle, that when he and Lisa came over that the dog remained quietly asleep in the downstairs bathroom.  Playing outside, tobogganing and quadding with the kids.  The fact that Jacob got to celebrate his first Dunlop Christmas.  Really the whole day is miracle after miracle.  Thanks God for a perfect Christmas!!

Day 85

It’s Christmas Eve and the miracle of the day/my life is that God sent his son on this date to save me and anyone else who chooses to be saved. Acknowledge that he came, he died for you and ask for forgiveness of your sins and you are saved. How can that not be the miracle of today?! It is really the miracle of everyday, every moment that we are on this earth that is the miracle. That God loved each and everyone of us so much to have come to earth in human form and endured pain and suffering and accepted dying for each and everyone of us.
Thank you God.

Day 83

I was driving today to a meeting, its cold, there’s snow everywhere you look and then out of the blue I see it…. A rainbow. In the dead of winter, actually the day after winter begins I see a rainbow. Its full of color and then I notice another one going in the opposite direction. What beauty in the dead of winter. Don’t get me wrong winter is beautiful at times, the snow makes everything look so clean and crisp, the frost on the trees looks pretty, but then reality sets in of how cold it is too kind of dulls the beauty for me. Seeing these two rainbows though kind of took my breath away and made me realize that there is beauty in winter too. Oh skeptics can tell me that the rainbows I saw were a reflection of something blah, blah, blah. I’d rather believe in the promise that God made after the flood of Noah’s Arc. That He would never flood the earth again to destroy it and his promise was made to us through the rainbow. Thanks God for that promise and the beauty you showed me today.

Day 82

Today is my sister-in-law's birthday.  I dedicate my miracle of the day to her and her in my life.  I know i did this a few months ago but she really is a great friend and deserves at least two posts!  We are a family that still gets together for birthdays, we do the whole cake and presents and everything.  Some people may think that we should start to stop since we are all adults but why?  We all still turn another year older, the birthdays don't stop if the parties do.  We don't do pinatas and the bumps anymore, just cake, the song, and a few presents.  I think its unfortunate for people who don't do anything special for birthdays once they reach a certain "adult" age.  So our families tradition of continuing to celebrate is my miracle of the day.

Day 81

Tonight we went and did something that a lot of people talk about wanting to do at the holiday season but never seem to get the nerve to go and do it, or don't know where to start, or are scared to, I'm really not sure why they never do it but it just never transpires.  Tonight though we did it.  We went carolling!  We all met up at a house a block away from me and then we sang at that house then a few more and then we went to Extendicare and sang there.  We sang a few songs there and then the staff asked if we could come back in half an hour and they would have gathered all the residents into the dining area and we could sing for everyone.  That's exactly what we did.  It was a heart warming night to do this.  So thanks God for the miracle of friends to do this with, with friends that aren't rock star singers either but realize that it isn't about the caliber of the voice but rather the meaning behind going and trying to bring some cheer to people during the Christmas season.