SO much CHANGE!

Since my last post, my life has changed drastically for the better! Last year around this time, I was dealing with a looming decision. A decision to end a relationship that I was so familiar with, or to stay put in the stagnant place I had been for the last 6 years. It was in Yosemite that I think I finally knew what path to take, but I was so scared. Scared of change, scared of what the unknown future would hold for me, scared of being alone, scared I would never have the things my heart truly desired. In December, I made one of the toughest decisions of my life. I walked away from a man who I had spent over 6 years with. I didn't know what would come next, but I sure am glad that I had the courage to walk away, because I could have NEVER known the kind of blessings the Lord would pour out on my life in the months ahead. 12/27/11: Walked awy 1/24/12: Met Mike Kirkland 2/24/12: Got engaged to Mike Kirkland 4/14/12: Married Mike Kirkland 5/2/12: Found out we were pregnant 1/7/12: Expecting a baby girl, Lucy Elizabeth Kirkland The timeline on this I would have never guessed or believed it would happen that way myself, unless I lived it! After the break up, I knew exactly what I wanted. And I also knew exactly what I didn't. And I was not going to waste any time finding the person that wanted those same things. I had 3 requirements, or non-negitiables of the man I was looking for. 1) He had to have a relationship with Jesus Christ 2) He had to want marriage in the next 2 years 3) He had to want children in the next 3 years. These were things I was not going to move on. Because these were the things most important to me. Anytime I would meet a man, I would ask him his stance on these things. Words are fine, but actions always proved more important than words. I joined the website Match.com shortly after the break up. If I met a man that I like his profile, I would e-mail, and I would first ask about these things. If they were lucky enough to get my number, I would spend time talking with them on the phone before I would decide about meeting them. Mike answered everything right. He says the night he met me, he thought he may have just fallen in love with me right then. Our second date, he pulled out all the stops, having me dress up, got me beautiful flowers and took me to a musical in Dayton. Our third date was to my church. A day later, my beloved dog, Hogan, passed away. Mike was so kind to him when he picked me up for church. He even text me the morning of and told me he was praying for me. I thought I loved him then. (2/6/12) The second night after I met him, he asked me to accompany him to Baton Rouge/New Orleans on a business trip. On 2/12/12, I agreed to go with him, even though my BFF thought I was crazy! All the magic happened there. He whisked me away on a magical trip and pulled out all the stops, from hotels, to dinners, to a carriage ride around the town. He even held my hair up after I drank to much and tucked me in when I passed out! We were so in love that the proposal just kind of happened. After we got back, he took me to the pawn shop where the ring I had ALWAYS wanted was at. Even though he couldn't imagine buying a ring at a pawn shop, he did because he loved me and wanted to see me happy! We got married in Las Vegas with just our closest friends there and my parents and Aunt Mary and Jim. Of course Jessica came and was my Matron of Honor, hair stylist and our photographer! It was perfect! Little did we know, we conceived Lucy sometime that weekend! Who knew? I never thought I would be able to get pregnant, much less without assistance from fertility. God knows the perfect timing. He knows just what we need and when we need it. He has blessed me with a man who has literally, in every way, made ALL of my dreams come true. I would have never expected it to happen this way and so fast, but I am the happiest girl alive! I have a man who loves me unconditionally and with all his heart and he has made me a wife and soon a Mother to a beautiful baby girl! I love life right now!