Perfect Timing

Ron and I had been blessed with 3 sons by the time we moved to New Mexico. We were living in a middle apartment while looking for the perfect house. The boys were wild in this 3 story place. A bit too wild since the neighbors complained and almost had us evicted.

No worries! We found the perfect house, near a park, with a great big yard in which to run and play and grow. Only trouble was, we had to wait 6 weeks to move in. There was a foot of snow on the ground, so we were stuck in an apartment in a new town with neighbors who wanted us gone. I couldn't convince them that the boys were not throwing bowling balls down the stairs. They were just being boys. The lady next door even told me I shut the kitchen cabinet doors too loud!

We decided to go visit our families in Arizona to give the boys and the neighbors a break. When we arrived my grandfather was in the hospital, and I got to see him just before he died. What a blessing my neighbors turned out to be!

The next Wednesday was my birthday, and then his funeral was the day after. The boys and I traveled around visiting for the next few days. Everyone was excited to see us, and everyone made me a birthday cake. My friend, Susi, my Aunt Judy, my brother-in-law, Allen, and my mother-in-law, Mary, all made me wonderful birthday cakes.

Since I was busy with my boys and had no house to live in, I was not actively pursuing adopting a 4th child at the time. Ron and I always wanted 4 kids and didn't care if they were boys or girls. But this time I decided to wish for a sweet baby girl when I blew out my candles.......all 4 times.

At my grandfather's funeral, the day after my birthday, my cousin's wife, Diane, told me about her 17 year old neighbor who was due in 2 1/2 months and at 17 already had an 18 month old. Her husband, my bratty cousin, Chuck, said it didn't look like I needed another kid as he watched my 3 little buggers rolling in the dirt out back. I assured Diane that Ron and I were extremely interested in a 4th and to please have Jodi, the mom, call me.

Saturday, 2 days after the funeral, Diane called me to let me know the baby girl had been born the day before. During that conversation, I became Natalie's mom. I talked to Jodi, her birthmother, and we both just knew this was meant to be. Natalie was a 28 week preemie, barely weighing in at 2 pounds. So the boys and I stayed in Arizona for 2 months while we completed the adoption, and while our little girl got strong enough to come home with us.

Natalie told me once the reason she was born early was because once she found her family, she couldn't wait to meet us!
She is 19 now and still a light in our lives. Thank God for our irritable neighbors, my grandfather's journey home, and our 4th child, our Natalie.

In Him,
Joyful
1-20-2010
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