A True Christmas Miracle

One year ago today is the day that changed my way of thinking forever. I had the chance of seeing the true meaning of a Christmas miracle with my own eyes. The county that we live in doesn't have a foster home, so Matt and I were asked to foster two kids over the holidays. I had only been cancer free for about 2 months and what the cancer and medical bills didn't take; the stress of being a one income family for sure sucked us dry. I was in a dark hole where I couldn't even get out of bed. Just when I wanted to give up hope and lay it all down that I can't live this broke country life anymore, God reveled a little of his plan to us. Not only will it work; he will make it work with 2 more mouths to feed. It was great to see a little reason of why we are here and that we were on the right path. Thanksgiving would be our first holiday with the kids. How were we to make it? God provided us with people to help with the day to day food and Thanksgiving meal.

I will start with the generosity of our very small community. The out pouring of support we received was amazing to say the least. We ended up with more food then we knew what to do with. Everything from people cooking meals for us, leaving grocery bags full of food in Matt's truck, our local B&B grocery store donating a gift card and several Churches providing food and the schools collecting monetary gift for clothes and a trip to The Duck Dynasty Warehouse. So many local people we didn't even know stopping us to give us encouraging words and giving us thanks for what we were doing. It was great for the kids to be with us over Thanksgiving because in 2013 we had so much to be Thankful for.

I was still worried because the Christmas season was rapidly approaching and I know we didn't have much to give anyone this season. Once again God provided! We had several friends and family members send PayPal donations and a dear friend got us tickets to Santa's Wonderland in Bryan. If you haven’t ever been there it is very magical and my favorite place to go during the holidays. We have gone for the past 10 years straight. With this being our foster kids first time to ever see Santa, I wanted them to see the best. In Santa's Workshop the kids were looking at Santa so mesmerized and Matt and I were looking to Heaven thanking God for this wonderful experience. It was truly a magical moments Disney couldn't touch. For those of you that know me you know it was very hard for me to say that but it is the truth.  Some days were hair pulling and very stressful. We lived in a very small house having 2 teenagers, two 9 year old boys and one princess. Once again I was like Matt we can't do it anymore. It is too hard and I don’t think we have anymore to give. We had a court case the next day and Matt and I decided we just couldn't do it anymore. After praying all night for God to have us make the right decision for everyone involved. We knew we needed a Christmas miracle and boy did God deliver tenfold on that prayer. I woke up like I do every morning early so I can scroll Facebook and there it was Beverly's post. I will never forget the shock that I felt while reading it. God reviled that we were doing the right thing and he will always provide. The post was to let us know we were adopted by a Pageant Group called Stina's Ultimate Supreme Team. We were going to be their Christmas Pay it Forward. Every day I got a box in the mail for 30 days of gifts for the kids and us. By the way, yes I cried everyday a box would show up. Some went under the tree, some were Christmas activities and someone sent a whole dinner. I have never seen anything like this in my life. Then after all the boxes arrived we received a monetary donation from them too. Again… yes I cried. All of this restored my Faith not only in the world but in the love Jesus has for us all. I will never forget the Christmas Miracle that saved our Christmas in 2013.  It allowed us to show 2 kids what a real Christmas was and show our family what the true meaning of Christmas is. Matt and I learned a valuable lesson in 2013; to give it all up to God. It’s not easy to do but when you allow him to take control of life it will be better then you could ever imagine.

Update on the kids and us. Matt and I finally got a house close to where he works and I have three part time jobs but I'm off every day to pick up the kids and run them around to all their activities. Our kids are doing amazing and our other babies are home with their parents, she is still valedictorian of her class and I still have a great relationship with them and I love and pray for them daily. As I cry writing this post I'm reminded how it was important to me that 2014 needed to be more about Jesus and less about the holidays. I still would never be able to repay any of you for what you did for my family, but every day I look for a way to pay it forward. Thanks you and God bless.