Before I Called You Mine

by Nicole Deese

“What does preferences mean?” “It means that some of us may like scary adventure stories and others of us may like princess fairy tales—” “Ooh, ooh!” Miles exclaimed as if he’d just had the epiphany of the century. “So you must like boring tales.”

The right corner of his mouth tipped further north, revealing a deep-set dimple. “I’ll make sure to tell him you said so.”

Good description

There is purpose in the waiting, Lauren. Don’t allow yourself to lose sight of that.”

Every adoption story looks different, but every one of our children joined our family on the perfect day. God is always on time.”

“A girls’ trip? What about me?” Brian teased in the background. “Do you hear what I have to put up with, Lauren? I buy her a new car, and she plans a vacation without me.”

My cheeks flushed a thousand shades of foolish.

Great description

I was made for this, to be a mother to a motherless child. I knew it in the same way I knew God was still in the business of answering the prayers of His children.

“At my age? You’re only two years younger than me.” “Yes, but I’m married. With a family.” Twice. My sister had been married twice.

Sometimes I wondered if my sister’s only criteria for matchmaking was male and breathing.

He’s really cute. What’s his name? Joshua 5535756900

Lauren. Joshua Avery is a fantastic guy who loves God and his family and likes you a whole, whole lot. What more do you need?”

“Yes, but I don’t understand why you’d even want to do this for us.” “It’s simple,” Gail said, taking a step inside the modern home and wrapping her arms around Melanie and the baby. “Because folding your laundry is how we can love you best today.”

I popped in to your classroom to say good morning to you . . . but unless you’ve aged about thirty years, started wearing bifocals, and changed your ethnicity to Hispanic, it probably wasn’t you. 5535856596

haha

I didn’t want you to know. I wanted you to stay the same. To be the one person who still sent me ridiculous texts and made me feel like everything could be . . . normal again.

“It’s fine. Turns out, stuffed T-Rexes are really good listeners.” My attempt at humor failed, but I couldn’t handle anybody else feeling sorry for me. Especially him. He lifted his hand to the side of my face to brush the stray bedraggled hair off my cheek. He tucked the loose strands behind my ear. “I can be, too.”

Rizz is unmatched

“What if I promise not to laugh?” “I wouldn’t believe you.” “Okay, then what if I promise to try not to laugh?”

My testimony can be summed up in one phrase: God’s way is rarely easy, but it’s always better than mine.”

I needed to hear that

Can we delay it while we chase our own way? Absolutely. But sometimes our character needs time to catch up to our calling.”

He’d asked me to trust Him, and when I had, He’d given back tenfold what He’d asked of me.

“When’s her birthday?” Joshua asked. “September twenty-seventh. Why?” Joshua shook his head as if he’d just made a discovery. “What?” “Didn’t you tell me you started feeling the nudge to adopt about five years ago, when Benny came into your classroom?” “Actually, it will be . . .” I stared up at him, my eyes rounding as the calculation unfolded. “Six years. This September.” “The same age as Aria,” we said at the same time.

Six years before I called her mine. Joshua squeezed my hand. “We can trust His plan and His timing, Lauren.”