In order to save you some reading time (we all know I get quite carried away sometimes) I will start with the most recent story and then work my way back. (Well, that’s if Alltel continues to cooperate and I’m able to post more in the upcoming days.)
This weekend Stevie and I took our boys and three of their friends to the beach. I have to say I probably looked quite a sight when I took all five of them down to the water before Stevie got there. At least three of them are all about the same size, same hair color, etc and the other two are built alike so it looked like I had my own little home-grown basketball team out there with me.
I quickly noticed a young couple and their little baby –who was crawling and walking- on the beach. The mom had the sweetest smile and the baby boy was mesmerized by all of the ‘big’ boys I had with me. While the baby played with the boys the parents asked where we were from, etc – you know typical small talk. Of course they had not ever heard of Ulmer though. They were from Chapin.
Chancelor announced that we had been on tv and was quite happy to share with our new beach friends. I quietly walked away (which was probably not the most polite thing in the world) just because I did not know how to deal with what was probably going to come up next…..I heard the mom ask why he had been on tv and I pretended like I didn’t hear. I just kept walking. I can tell our story. If you know anything about our story and you ask then I’m willing to share, but here we were with complete strangers and someone was going to tell them that Zeta died…..but it wasn’t going to be me…… for sure. I wouldn’t know how to tell them all that has happened in our lives in the past three years. I wouldn’t know where to begin. I wouldn’t want to see their faces when they gasped and said something like, “Oh no, I’m so sorry….” I just didn’t know how to deal with the whole scenario.
It wasn’t long after that the young couple packed up and left the beach. I didn’t really think much of it, but I did tell Stevie about them and for some reason the look on the mom’s face, the smile, the look……….something was just so familiar. Not like I thought I had met her before or anything, but………I don’t even know how to say it, it was just something about her……….
Well, tonight I found out why……….
I’ve been getting some random friend requests from people on facebook lately– I assume it may be because people have heard our story, or you know – people know people who know you, etc….anyway, I used to try to be pretty selective about it, but now I try to look at some mutual friends to see how we may have a connection. Anyway, I had a friend request and we had 1 mutual friend – a speech therapist. I immediately assumed that it was someone who had heard our story from the mutual friend and maybe we had something in common.
We have something in common alright.
I wasn’t prepared for the message that appeared in my inbox.
It was from the mom on the beach. I immediately got chills. We had not exchanged names, although I’m sure she learned a lot of the boys names because they were whooping and hollering the whole time……….but we……….the parents and I- didn’t have much meaningful conversation. Just that we were from Ulmer and they from Chapin….and that they had never heard of Ulmer.
So, in the message, the mom tells me that Chance shared with them that he was on the news because his sister died, but that she was in a better place now (make my heart melt why don’t you…) that, with this information and the fact that we were from Ulmer she had googled us and found us…..that, NOW GET THIS….she lost a child almost 2 years ago. That she believes in signs –
.......BUTTERFLIES being a huge sign for them too….
She told me that she did not believe it was a coincidence that we were both at Edisto and on that beach at that same time on that day…….
And you know what………..
I don’t believe it was a coincidence either!
Now, I know exactly why she seemed so familiar and I know why that sweet smile stood out in my mind so!
I just told my mom this morning that maybe some of the signs we see all around us now may be kind of losing the ‘wow’ factor – that I just expect some of it now because I know that God is talking to us, that Zeta is telling us she is all better, that there ARE such things as miracles and that nothing happens by chance………
But you know what???
Just when I think I have it all figured out and that I understand even just a little of His plan – He goes and shakes things up and keeps me on my toes!
Yes Lord, I’m still listening
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