The Bigger Picture

The other day I was thinking about how focused we have been on all the negatives tests and the frustrations of not being able to have a baby in the time that we had originally wanted.

I was sitting on the floor watching the babies that I watch play together and it hit me.

It took a while, but it finally hit me.

I took a step and looked around and realized that I have fulfilled one of my dreams, 

that we have fulfilled some of our dreams.

And now I am watching a Baby Story and trying to keep these positives thoughts in my head...but anyways ever since I was a little girl I was obsessed with babies. Throughout Junior High and High School I knew that one day I wanted to have an in-home daycare and in the meantime I babysat all.the.time. I graduated High school and completed two years of college, a bunch of courses in 108058 degrees because I couldn't make up my mind and I decided that the debt I was putting myself in wasn't worth it. {$25,000 and no type of degree later I wish I would've came to the conclusion a little earlier..but not really because in the end I paid that much for some great friends and memories!} I knew what I wanted and it didn't come with a Psychology degree, an Elementary Education degree or a Speech Therapy degree. 

I wanted to be a nanny and eventually have my own little in-home daycare. 

Today I watch 2 babies in my house and it is the best job I have ever had. 

Recently, I added another baby that will be joining us on occasion too. 

I did it.

I have an in-home daycare.

I knew what I wanted.

I worked hard to get here.

I made it.

I love it.

I'm proud.

Mr. B and I started dating in High School.

He was going to be a Junior.

I was going to be a Senior.

I was his first girlfriend.

He was my first boyfriend.

We were in love and knew then that we were one day going to get married. 

After Mr. B graduated High School he knew he wanted to graduate college in 3 years.

The sooner he graduated, the sooner we could get married. 

He was right on track to finish on time, he worked and took classes through out the summers.

We changed the plans a bit and decided to get married his Senior year of College instead of waiting until graduation.

After dating for 4 years and finding places to hang out around campus, we were ready.

We knew it would take some sacrifices and we would need to convince our parents, but we knew it was what we wanted.

We prayed about it and decided that I would work and be the provider and he would finish his last year. 

We knew what we wanted.

We knew it wouldn't be easy.

We worked hard.

{{I learned that I am not a fan of being the only provider}}

{{Neither is he}}

We made it.

We were happy.

It was the right decision.

We accomplished another dream.

At the time we were living in Florida, but knew we wanted to move back to our home state after he graduated.

I was determined to live close to my family.

He was determined to find a job in the area so that we could live in NH in order to make me happy.

{Yes, he's a smart man}

While visiting for Easter he set up a few interviews in NH/MA. 

He went to his first interview and just like that it went from the recruiter, to the company managers to an interview with the President to an offer letter and a job. 

We were ecstatic.

The next day we found the perfect place to live, in our price range and the area we wanted to live.

We were only visiting NH for four days! 

The Lord was sooo good to us and everyone could see His hand and the divine appointments.

Today Mr. B is working in Boston and loves the company and his position.

He knew what he wanted, 

he worked really hard, 

and he is living one of his dreams.

Yesterday he found out that he was promoted to a new position AND given a significant raise.

He hasn't even been with this company for a year yet!

This was not expected and a complete blessing!

He hates that I tell people all this, but ya'll {I don't say that in real life, but wish that I did}...

I am proud of that man

and sometimes I think people should know all that he has accomplished. 

He's so humble about it, but I take joy in sharing about him and showing how 

a. things happen when you believe, put your mind to it and work hard

b. how the Lord has truly blessed us and how often we take it for granted

I think the hardest part about trying to conceive is that it is something we have no control over.

We can time everything right, hang upside down for 30 minutes, spend the money on silly tests but in the end it's the Lord that performs the miracle of making that life and it's our only option is to put complete trust in Jesus. 

To know that God has a plan bigger than our own. 

Proverbs 16 says we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. 

It's important to look at the bigger picture and look at the steps the Lord has taken us on.

And also, to be thankful that he allowed certain steps to be apart of the plan that we had in mind.

Because they aren't always and I think that is a lot of times overlooked and taken for granted. 

So I encourage you to look at the bigger picture in your own life too.

To see the steps that the Lord has brought you on, both that were in the plan you had hoped for and not. 

It's so easy to focus on one thing that is going "wrong"

 instead of the millions of things that have gone right.