God just sent me an angel

Stress and overload can do a lot to you.  You can only juggle so much and then eventually, something's gonna give.  For me, that one thing that decided to give this week happened to be my memory.  After being stuck in bed all weekend last week, even though Mike got the groceries I sent him out to get, our food supply got pretty low and the pantry was pretty bare by the end of the week.  So, I ventured out to the grocery store to stock back up on all of the dry goods we were out of.  After a much slower pace through the store than usual, I got to the check out, swiped my debit card, and COMPLETELY DREW A BLANK on my pin #.  I knew what four #'s it was, but I couldn't for the life of me remember in what order. (Mind you, I use my debit card for basically everything because I refuse to carry cash....so this was definitely a very rare moment in time).  I tried several different combinations of the numbers, and then I had to call Mike to come rescue me with his debit card.  (Fortunately, we live a mile away....)  He was my angel that night.

It took me at least 24 hours to finally remember the crazy number.  Now I am sure of it and can visually see the number pattern on the touch pad.  So, I ventured out to the second store to finish up my grocery shopping for the fresh foods.  Mike and David went to church together because they had plans last night, and I went off to the store, very confident that I knew my pin # this time.  So, I get what we need, get up to the checkout, swipe my card, put in the CORRECT pin #, and it declined.  Still not sure why, other than the fact that my bank has been alerted that my card may have been stolen since someone used several wrong pin #'s.    So, quite embarrassed, I asked her to suspend the transaction while I call my husband.  Problem is, he's in church--likely to not answer.  I sent him a text, but before there was even enough time to get a reply, the lady behind me offered to pay for my groceries.  I insisted that it was too much money ($60 worth) and that my husband would come soon, that something was just wrong with my card.  However, she still insisted and ended up paying for all of my groceries.  A complete stranger.  God truly did send me an angel.

In fact, He's sent me a lot of angels recently.  An immigration officer who approved our paperwork over the phone in order for us to meet a deadline.  An empty room that allowed us to get our immigration fingerprints done three weeks ahead of time.  A friendly guy who offered to stay late in order to squeeze us in for our FBI fingerprints.  A lady who said she couldn't put a rush on an order but did it anyway.  An immigration officer who told us absolutely no extensions, but then she found a way to give us one.  A psychologist who once insisted that we were mentally unstable to now speak and write to me with incredible respect.  A lady who owns an express apostille business in Pennsylvania who said she'd be praying for our documents to arrive quickly and asked for our blog so she can follow our story.  The director of an agency who submitted our names for a grant that we didn't even know existed. A grant foundation that gave us $1,000 more than the grant was even for.  A friend who paid the entire translation fee for our documents when we didn't have a clue where it would come from.  A friend who downsized her closet and passed on more, nicer, and cuter clothes to me than I've probably ever owned in my life.  Friends who have given us just the amount of cash we needed to cover a need or just enough cash to keep our savings account afloat until we get through the rest of this process.  Friends who have loved us through this from the very beginning, four and a half years ago.  

This has not been an easy road. First, because it was not something we planned or were at all financially prepared to do.  Second, because it's something that has never been done before (reattempting a case you were once denied for in Colombia), so at times it's felt like we're walking a tight rope.  Third, because it's terrifying walking a road you've walked before, knowing the heartache it led you to, wondering every step if you're just absolutely crazy for even trying again.  Fourth, because we live a very frugal life with minimal expenses and little financial stress, and now suddenly we're having to depend on God for every penny.  Fifth, because of so many deadlines that seem impossible to meet.

Yet, today, once again, God reminded me of His constant presence by sending me an angel at the grocery store.