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!