We recently were in Utah for a family vacation. Every day was jammed packed with visiting family and friends. (more on the rest of the trip later) Tuesday was planned as a Jules day. Meaning I got to hang out with my best friend Jules and her family all day. It is pretty amazing that we ended up picking Tuesday and how everything played out that day as you will see at the end of this story.
Jules and I planned on spending most of the day shopping at a couple of stores that we don't have here in Texas. However Jullian forgot that two of her kids had their Christmas program at school that day. So we made it to one store and then headed over to the school. On the way over, Jules got a call from her mother-in-law. She had got the time of the program wrong so she was there 30 minutes before it started. Which meant that she was the very first person in line to go into the auditorium. Great news for us since we were going to make it there barely on time.
When we got there, we meet up with her mother-in-law and waited to go in. While standing in line I was looking around and I thought I saw someone who looked familiar. I wasn't sure it was who I was thinking of. After all I never actually met the lady I was looking at, I only saw her in pictures. Then I saw the little girl that was with her and I was pretty sure I was right.
Before I could tell Jules anything we were moved into the auditorium to get our seats. I was able to spot the lady again after we took our seats but by the time I was sure it was who I was thinking it was, she was gone. Then the show started. I looked for her over the next 20 minutes but could not find her.
After both of Jules kids classes performed their numbers we decided to bail on the rest of the show. As we were awkwardly making our way out of the packed auditorium I spotted the lady again and see spotted me. Our eye's locked and at almost the same time we pointed to each other and mouthed, "are you?" Then we both nodded yes. I tried to stop to talk to her but it was impossible. Thankfully she followed us out.
Standing in the hallway of an elementary school, I meet Krista and Lila for the first time. Krista is Lila's adoptive mom. Lila is Katie's birth cousin and for a short time we thought she was to be our second daughter!
Here's the back story: Katie's birth mum's sister "D" became pregnant a few short months after Katie was born. Her original plan was to parent but towards the end she felt adoption was the right thing for her and her baby. D came to us and asked us if we would consider adopting her baby. For a month or two we talked with K, D and their mum trying to figure out if it would work out for everyone. We all really liked the idea however Ken and I hadn't had a confirmation that it was right for our family. Then one day we both received promptings that she was not to be our baby and D was not meant to be our birth mom. We felt very peaceful about our answer even though that meant saying no to a family that we already knew and loved. But we knew it was the right thing and we prayed that they would understand.
It turns out after asking us to consider adopting Lila, D started looking at other families. She found one that she felt strongly about but couldn't make the decision between the two of us. Here is part of a letter that K and D's mum sent us after we let D know our answer.
"We had an impossible decision to make between two exceptional families and we just couldn't make that choice. We didn't know what to do. I feel the Lord stepped in and through your choice we were able to move on."
Lila ended up with the eternal family she was meant to have just like Katie ended up with us. Heavenly Father is always there to guide each and everyone of us if we will just ask Him and listen for the answer.
Meeting Krista and Lila the way we did was truly a miracle. So many things had to line up just right for that to happen. What a fun and tiny miracle that Heavenly Father blessed us with.
Our two sweet girls have no idea at their young age why their mommies were so excited to have them meet each other but one day they will. (and hopefully they will appreciate the picture we forced them to take, lol)
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| They have the exact same hair color! |
