When your days begin at five something in the morning and end somewhere after 11 at night, when you have four kids, full time jobs, sports and life in general...there's only one more thing you should add...
    A rabbit.
    Yes, a rabbit. 
​    I think my husband, Adam's exact words were, "Have you lost your mind?"  
​    But then, he held him.  He was the cutest, sweetest bundle of fur and when the little one nestled into Adam's hands, it was all over.  The bunny weighs one pound and is literally the most adorable thing you've ever seen.    

   The kids haven't decided on a name yet - Adam still wants to call him, "We're not getting a rabbit". 
​   We went to get him last night, and it would've been impossible to choose one out of the furry cuteness, but somehow, all four kids leaned toward the same one.

   When the woman picked him up, the collective smiles let her know, he was the one. 

   Our daughter won't leave his side.  Even when we tell the kids they have to give him a break so he can settle in, Lauren Elizabeth sits by his cage.   
​   So far, he really is the sweetest thing and it'll be fun to see how they all grow together. 
​   So until then, our rabbit named, "We're not getting a rabbit", Welcome to this wild adventure...You'll be very loved.    

     In the Bible it says to "Have Faith like a Child", but this is beyond my understanding. 
​     Today is our daughter's 8th birthday.  It's a special day with balloons and candles, sure.  For us though, it marks the second year in a row our minds have been blown.
      Allow me to explain.
​      Last year she began praying fervently for a cat for her birthday.  Day and night, she trusted God would provide the bundle of love, no matter how many times we tried to explain to her that under no circumstances, would she be getting one.  "Sometimes you can pray, but the answer is 'no', Baby.  God doesn't work like that.  You can't always get what you want."
​     She would have nothing to do with it.  "I know He hears me and He'll answer."  She resolved. 
​     I began to bargain with my husband, Adam.  I didn't want her heart to break on her birthday, but he stayed firm. 
     No cat.
​     The night before her birthday, she prayed one last time as my stomach tightened, listening to her earnest request.  I prayed she'd be alright with the realization in being let down the next morning.
​     When it came, we were blasted from our sleep by blood curdling screams.
​     Adam and I shot from our beds to find our daughter standing at the door, screaming through the window.
​     "A CAT!  A CAAAAAAT!  A CAT FOR MY BIRTHDAY!"
​     Pouncing through the door to pick up her gift, Adam looked at me with 'that' look, thinking I'd actually gone and done it.
     "I have NO idea how this is happening." I responded, and I didn't. 
​     Somehow, sitting on our back porch, was this...      

    We had no idea where she came from or how she got there.  We'd never seen her before, but as our daughter loved and hugged her, it was kind of hard not to admit it was pretty unbelievable.  A cat had never been on our back porch before, but on the morning of her birthday, there she was.
​   The cat's name ended up being, Rose.  Turned out after several texts and phone calls, it was our neighbor's - so following a birthday morning with her "Present from God" as our daughter called it, Rose was safely returned.
​    It was a birthday to remember and we shook our heads wondering how it happened, until this year came along.
​    It was my own fault.  Growing up in Ohio, I've raised the kids with memories of how much fun my brother, friends and I had every winter.  Playing in the snow, ice skating on our neighbor's pond...the freezing cold days filled with fun and laughter. 
    "I'm going to pray for snow on my birthday."
    (Here we go again.)
​    "This is North Carolina, Sweetie.  We next to never get snow and besides that, your birthday's in March.  It'll be too late in the year and much too warm for any chance of snow.  Remember last year?  We talked about how God doesn't work like that?"
​    Shaking her head, she refuted, "But He DOES listen."
​    A neighbor's lost cat was one thing, but snow in March in North Carolina on literally - her birthday, not possible.
​    For months she's prayed, until this morning, her birthday morning, when we woke up to screams yet again.
​    I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own two eyes...      

     We were all in disbelief.  All of us, but Lauren Elizabeth. 
​    "Thank You, God!  Thank You!"  She screamed, running everywhere. 
​     It wasn't a blizzard, but it was snow.  Out of 365 days, the chances of this one specific day didn't seem possible, but there it was.

    Through tears I tried to take it in.  She never questioned.  She believed and trusted her prayers would be heard...and more importantly...answered.  I couldn't explain it last year and I definitely can't explain it today. 
​    God is Amazing and if nothing else, it reminds me to pray in all things, with the faith of a child.  You wouldn't believe what He can do.
​    Happy 8th Birthday, Baby Girl.  God has blessed us with you and will Love You Always.       

       (Lord help us next year if she prays for a pony.)