Dreams do come true

Mommy and Ava's hands in the popcorn

Watching Beauty and the Beast

Trying to take a picture of both of us...not the best but it works

One of my most favorite things to do is watch movies. Whether they are on TV, rented from Redbox or actually going to the movie theater. One of the reasons I love movies, is that my mom and I (Ava's Grammy), love to go to movies together. I guess we started the tradition back when I was in college and we would do it as a speacial treat. Then when I moved to Georgia we would meet up several times half way at the Mall of GA for some shopping and of course catch a movie. Now when I go back to Greenville to visit, if we have time, we try to catch a movie together. All in all watching movies is my thing. So yesterday was a special moment between me and MY daughter...wow that is fun to say! After waking Ava up from her nap, I realized it was a little too cold and windy to go play outside. I asked Ava if she wanted to watch a show (which to her is a dvd). She pointed to her stack of DVD's and said, "beast, show" which means Beauty and the Beast. I put in the movie and then went in the kitchen to pop some popcorn. After burning one batch, I had our popcorn and we were ready to watch the movie. The movie started and Ava crawled into my lap and we watched Beauty and the Beast together...well at least half of it. While I was sitting on my den floor, with the Christmas tree lit and my precious daughter in my lap, I was almost brought to tears in thanking God for the great things He has done in my life.

Other then the fact that I was able to have a speacial moment with my daughter on a cold, blustery winter's day, what was the big deal. I guess the reason that it was such a big deal to me was that there were some times that I did not think the dreams I had of being a wife, let alone a mother would ever happen. I can remember like it was yesterday, driving back from the Shelby Mall with my then new, but now great friend Corie. We were just about 5 days into our freshman year at GWU. As we were driving I said, I bet I am going to meet the man of my dreams here. Well, I did meet the man of my dreams while I was in college....several of them! I dated several Godly, handsome, great Christian guys in college, but in 1999 when I walked across the stage at GWU it was a single woman.

Flash forward eight years and fourteen bridesmaid dresses later, and I was still not married. I prayed, fasted, read every "How to be a Godly single woman book" I could get my hands on and still no husband. Then, when my heart had been broken for the last time, and I said that was done with dating and I was just going to be a Lottie Moon....my knight in shining armor came along! Adam Cooler was everything that I had evey asked or imagined for in a husband. God had created him perfectly for just me! Now after almost 5 years of marriage, I can say very confidently that he was DEFINITELY worth the wait.

Now after I met he man of my dreams (one hope and dream checked off the list), I wanted to be a mom. I have always wanted to be a mom. In Miss May's K-5 class all I wanted to do was play in the home living center. I always enjoyed being around children and even chose a career path that I would be working with them. Yet, when it came to be having my own child, it just wasn't happening the way I thought. But God was again faithful to me. After two and a half years, of crying, begging, needle pricks, medicine, procedures and heart ache, I finally was able to give birth to the most precious, spunky, miracle little girl.

So my point in all my ramblings of this blog post today is to not give up on your hopes in dreams. Though they my linger, wait and be taking a whole lot longer then you would have wanted them to, don't give up. In my period of waiting there were two verses that I would always go back to and they would give me encouragement. They were Psalms 1:6, "For the Lord watches over the way of the righteouss" and Psalms Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress and be merciful to me and hear my prayers." I clung to the knowlege that God loved me and wanted the very best for me, and that He knew my deepest wants, hopes and desires. So today, just be encouraged to know that we have a Lord and Savior that loves us and longs to give us everthing that we could ever ask, want or imagine!