Miracles are alive and well in East Texas...

You know, God is starting to open my eyes to the miracles all around me.

For years, I've thought that only two things could constitute a miracle:

1. That Noah would be miraculously healed of autism overnight

and

2. That I would be able to pass by a bowl of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and not grab a handful

Unfortunately, neither have yet to happen.

But if I keep focusing and keep waiting for that one major miracle to happen - for Noah to be healed of autism - I'm going to miss all the everyday miracles that occur in my life.

Just for Noah to be alive - for him to be walking and to be healthy - that in itself is a miracle.

Anyway, the other day God showed me two very distinct miracles to illustrate that even though my prayers may not be answered He is still very much a part of my life and looking out for me and my family.

The first one happened about two weeks ago when I was cooking spaghetti. I had a huge pan full of boiling water and took it to the sink to drain. Because I have no sense of balance and my coordination skills could rival that of a newborn foal, I somehow managed to tip the entire pan of boiling water down the front of me. I mean, it spilled all over my groin area, down my legs and covered my feet.

I was wearing cut-offs and flip flops.

If I'd been a boy, I could have easily gone from a Daniel to a Danielle in about 2 seconds flat.

My shorts were soaked.

So I screamed in anticipation... but you know what? It was like I was watching the whole thing in slow motion... and as the water poured down the front of me, it felt like cool water from a stream. It didn't leave a mark. It felt like fresh spring water.

A whole pan of boiling water poured down bare skin... and it didn't leave a mark. Now tell me that's not a miracle.

The second miracle happened yesterday.

By now, you know Nandi's story and you know that she can be a downright stinker sometimes. Well, yesterday, as a joke, she decided to hide from us and lock herself in our hot minivan.

It was 4:00 in the afternoon and 103 outside.

It must've been 140 in the van.

We were all outside when it happened. We were sawing some countertops over at my parent's house and we didn't hear her slip away. We didn't even hear the van door open and shut.

But when we were ready to go inside, we couldn't find her.

My mom had already looked at the van and didn't see her, so we turned to go inside to look for her and by the off chance my mom turned her head and looked at the van one more time. This time, she saw Nandi's tiny little head pop up from the steering wheel.

My dad ran over and tried to open the van, but Nandi had locked herself in and was laughing hysterically at us while we all panicked. I couldn't find my keys anywhere and she refused to open the door. Then she started panicking and crying and couldn't remember how to get herself out. My dad was ready to break the window when she finally unlocked the door.

Ya'll, I did not know a child could get that hot and survive. She was roasting hot. For Pete's Sake, she's only 28 pounds! Her hair was matted to her head, she was burning up. And she had a hot wheel in her pocket that burned my hand when I pulled it out.

She'd been in for about 6 minutes when we found her. Most kids die within 10.

And I know, I just know, that God whispered for my mom to turn her head one last time before we went inside to look for her. And the fact that my mom even saw her is a miracle. She's so tiny and so dark and the windows are darkly tinted. I honestly don't know how she spotted her. But she did.

Don't tell me that's not a miracle.

Anyway, I couldn't help but cry over "what could've been". What if we'd gone inside? What if mom hadn't turned her head?

We were 4 minutes away from losing her.

And, ya'll, I don't know how to explain it but it really hit me how much I don't want to lose her.

I mean, yeah, she probably irritates me more than any person on this planet. And she pushes my buttons like a kid going on a joyride in an elevator. And she might very well bankrupt us with all this ridiculously expensive attachment therapy. I may end up on anti-depressants by the end of it and might eat the equivalent of 2 tons worth of Kit Kats by the time she turns 18... but, good grief, I don't want to lose her.

It just made me realize how much I love that little girl. And it IS hard, but it'd be a lot harder without her. And the fact that God saved her yesterday made me realize that He's not through with her yet. She still has a purpose on this earth.

And since I don't think God would allow that purpose to be solely so that she can irritate me to death, then I'm thinking He has some pretty big plans for her.

And that's pretty exciting.

And, finally, Miracle #3... which isn't really a miracle as it is a real life Hallmark commercial...

This afternoon our doorbell rang and it was our 75 year old neighbor. He had hobbled over here carrying an ice-cold watermelon in his hands and said that he couldn't eat it all himself and remembered that I once mentioned how much my kids love melon.

Now, I haven't talked to this neighbor in ages. We wave at each other when we drive-by, but our lives have gotten pretty hectic and we haven't spoken in a long time. Nothing personal, just, unfortunately, a way of life.

He doesn't read my blog. He doesn't know what I blogged about a few days ago. He doesn't know anything about RAD or autism or that I've been feeling pretty lonely. He had no agenda.

He just thought of us and acted on it.

And it was exactly what I needed. It was just the sweetest thing. And it came in the form of a 75 year old man who was simply being neighborly.

And in today's day and age... that is a miracle.

I hope you all get to witness some miracles this week.

I think they're all around us.