Four Years (or The Dream)

I have this habit or tendency-oh, I don't know what to call it-to think back to what was happening in my life this time last year, or in this case, four years ago. My life was so very different only four short years ago.

I was a single girl, a teacher, fixing up my old house. I was planning a garden, and getting prepared to do foster care. I was 31, kinda lonely, and spent my days teaching, reading, and dreaming of having a family. I did enjoy my single/childless-ness, too. I had traveled a bit, read a lot, and spent time volunteering at church, and oh, yeah, I averaged 9 hours of sleep a night. But I was ready, I was tired of me-time. I wanted to be a mom, have a family. Foster care was my solution for the time being.

That spring I met my future husband. That summer I became a foster mom to a little, tow-headed, 23 month-old girl who couldn't talk. That fall, her 6 year-old sister came to live with us too. She didn't talk much either, well, she talked quite a bit actually; I just couldn't understand her.

Life had changed dramatically. I had what I always wanted. Well, kinda. The girls weren't really mine, and my boyfriend had to go home every night. And, gosh, it was much harder than I thought to be a mom! But that's another story!

Fast forward two years. My life changed dramatically again in three short months. I adopted the girls in August, got married in September, and found out I was pregnant in October. Making up for lost time I guess.

I just love comparing and contrasting my present circumstances with the past. Not with regret, just awe. It is just so interesting to see how God set everything into motion. To look at my beautiful girls, my sweet baby boy, my handsome husband, and then picture myself alone, in my old house, dreaming...

And I'm filled with gratitude.

I don't read much anymore, I certainly don't get nine hours of sleep at night, but I get to wake up every morning and live that dream.