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>A year ago I bought these red shoes at a thrift store for $3. I’ve never had the opportunity to wear them yet! This weekend, when I found out that Matthew was wearing a red vest and tie with his tuxedo, I thought the perfect time had come to break them in! I honestly didn’t have any outfit to match them, so by faith, the morning of the wedding we went out after breakfast with 30 minutes on hand. Matthew ran into Great Clips to get a haircut, and I ran to Target to find an outfit. I was thrilled to find a cute black dress, and used my Christmas gift card to purchase it. I zoomed by Great Clips to pick up Matthew, then we got ready in 10 minutes flat. We were at the church a few minutes late, but with still 45 minutes until the wedding started. Fun! =) Nothing like a little adrenaline rush to put a flush to your cheeks!
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Some days just don’t turn out like any way that you imagined. Today was one of those days. It started out the same. Waking up. Taking a shower. Eating a bagel with peanut butter. Drinking a lovely cup of hot tea. My sister Sherry has been here for a couple of days with her husband and 4 kids, so the morning was full of much activity. We packed and went into Philly to see the lightshow at Macy’s before it was over for the year. The city was jam packed full of people. The show was fun, albeit a bit stressful keeping track of 9 kids amongst us all, since my sister-in-law with her little girl was there too.
Anyway, we made our way back to our cars parked in this one particular parking garage. We turned the corner and headed into the building. It was not until about 5 minutes later, when our entire group was crammed into the elevator to go up 4 flights that we realized Nadine was not with us. We quickly made the elevator go back down, thinking she somehow missed getting on the elevator. My heart thudded to the ground when the lobby was empty. Immediately I left everyone with Aaron while Sherry and I ran outside yelling her name. I was praying outloud and crying and just said, “Lead me, Lord,” as I looked around me at four streets all heading in different directions, all going into the huge city that seemed to have swallowed my sweet baby girl. I didn’t know what to do. I would have lost heart had God not been with me. I hadn’t walked a half a block before a man caught my eye and said to me, “I know where she is,” and calmly led me to the police station, which was on the exact same block. I couldn’t stop crying and saying “thank you” over and over. I went inside where I saw Nadine, inside a little room, crying her eyes out as well as she pointed at me and I could see her lips saying, “That’s my mom!” They opened the door and we hugged. We left, holding onto eachother.
The story came out from her point of view that she was just walking along the painted lines of the curb and kept walking straight when we all turned left to go into the parking garage. We didn’t notice her crossing the street. She didn’t notice we weren’t with her, until she reached the other side. At that point, she just stopped, and waited she said. She started to cry and held onto the street pole until a “nice lady” came and asked her what was wrong. She told her she lost me and the lady told her that she would take her to the police station. So, they did. Her husband must have waited outside incase he saw a very scared-looking mother come racing down the street yelling her daughter’s name. When he saw me doing just that, he knew it must be me. I am wondering if they were angels.
I can’t say how thankful I am to have my daughter safe and sound, sleeping in her own bed tonight. I am so proud of her presence of mind to wait in one spot until someone nice came along. I am so grateful to God for holding his protecting arms around her and sending just the right people to help her. I cherish my children even more tonight than I did last night. I have to let go and just rest in His love, not roll everything around in my head in worry.
“There is hope for me yet,
Because God won’t forget,
All the plans he Has for me,
I have to wait and see…
He’s not finished with me yet…”
-Brandon Heath
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Happy Christmas Eve! My early Christmas present from my friend, Niki, were these adorable rain boots. I love it when people remember things you’ve said in passing. Like, when I mentioned to her once how I always wanted a pair of cute rain boots. I don’t remember saying this, until a bag with these boots in it, showed up at my house. I can hardly wait to go puddle-jumping and gardening in them! Thank you, Niki! Love you, girl!











