Best Christams so far!

The National Geographic channel is going to air a series of documentaries to strip Jesus of his deity. More than ever it seems like people are questioning if a baby was even born nearly 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. Others are writing him off as a smart man with some good ideas.

Jesus was not only born 2000 years ago (no one really knows the real date), but he died, was buried and rose again after three days. He's alive! Keep reading...

John hunched over the battery in the little red car willing the bolts into place when the phone rang. I ran into the house to answer it. It was Perr-ball (aka Perry).

"We need to talk to both you and John," Perry said, his voice with a slight quiver. My heart began to thump wildly. Was Heidi okay? Was something seriously wrong?

I heard a crackling noise as Heidi grabbed the phone out of Perry's hands, "We got a call from the agency! Can John hear me?" I ran into the garage to hold the phone against John's ear.

"Stink, say that again, will ya?"

"We got a call from the agency! We're going to meet the birthmom with Pam (the social worker) for lunch on Tuesday." John dropped the wrench from his greasy hand as we both begin to do the snoopy dance around the junk in the garage. "That's not all..." Perry continued, "the baby is a girl and will be born at the same hospital as Kyle!"

John and I were not prepared for the next slice of news.

"The baby's due December 30th," Stinky shouted into my ear.
"December 30th as in two and a half weeks from now???" I asked, tripping over a box of diapers.

Emily Hope will be born anyday. Stink and Perr-ball got the call on Wednesday. Such is the world of the adoptive parent. We don't get 9 months warning that our lives are going to turn upside down! Heidi is giving her two week notice at work letting them know that they may not even get a full two weeks out of her. She and Perry are headed to the Springs to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary, but are on call.

Twelve years ago, January, I met Stinky. I had just moved to Colorado and knew nary a soul. Her mom, the Children's pastor at Bear Valley Church called the camp I worked for back then, to plan a snow camp. She told me her daughter had finished a 9th semester at college and just moved back home. She gave me the phone number and told me to give Heidi a call. It was an instant comraderie. Heidi and I became bestest friends. Actually we now consider one another sisters. We are just as close, if not closer than sisters. For years we lived together, navigating the wacky world of the single life. We would take long walks, planning out our elder days. She and I are going to buy a huge home on a mountainside, own 87 cats and rock on our front porch remeniscing our youth. We plan to live into our 90's.

Along came John. Stink was my maid of honor. Three years later, I was her matron of honor. Since then, Perry and John have grown as close as Heidi and I.

In the midst of all those dreams, Heidi wanted nothing more than to be a mom and raise a swarm of kids. She worked temp jobs here and there for years, waiting for a man to helf fulfill her dream of motherhood.

Over the course of the past two years, Heidi and Perry have lost at least 7 babies. They tried a variety of fertility treatments and procedures including IVF (invitro fertilization). This past summer, Heidi had one, then another fallopian tube removed, making conception very difficult. After much prayer and tears, they decided to apply to the same adoption agency we were with.

What's so amazing about all this is that God knew what both Heidi and I would face in terms of infertility and the heartache of not being able to bear our own children. We had no clue 12 years ago, fresh out of college.

When they got the call Wednesday, they asked Pam if the birthmom had any names picked out. Pam told them that the birthmom wanted the parents to name the baby, but had a preference for the name Hope.

Heidi and Perry had girl names picked out for almost two years...

The girl name?

Emily Hope!

Several of us, including Heidi's mother have been praying that God would give Stink & Perr-ball a baby for Christams and HE IS! And the name? A mere coincidence? I think not! The details are falling into place too smoothly for mere chance, and the fact this baby is from Longmont (as was Kyle) is such a God thing.

Still doubting Jesus is alive today? Think God doesn't care?

There are two very best friends - one with a 9 month old gift from God, and another who may be wiping puke from her shirt in the next day to two weeks!