52 Blessings ~ Week 3

I had a lot going through my mind this week, trying to decide on what I was going to post this week. I finally decided that this week, I am grateful for something a little bit different. I am thankful that my life didn't happen the way that I planned it. When I graduated from high school, I had my life all planned out. I was going to go to school to become a veterinarian, move someplace where I could make a name for myself as a vet & go from there. However, something strange happened. As I started taking my courses, I found that I didn't enjoy them. I loved my time at UI, but had some roommate situations happen that ended up bringing me home to transfer to ISU & move home to save costs. As I approached my 21st birthday, I began contemplating serving a mission. As I prayed, I kept getting the feeling that a mission was not for me. I wasn't sure why, as I was not at the time dating anyone that I would have considered marrying. After discussing the situation with my Bishop, he told me that if the answer I was receiving was "No", then that was what I should follow & not serve a mission. About 6 months after I would have left on a mission, James & Josh needed me. That June, James & Josh came to Idaho to live with us. Had I left on my mission, my mom is not sure she would have been in the position to be able to care for the two of them, with the particular needs they had at the time. I have no doubt that the course of my life was led by the Lord's hand so that I would be where I needed to be, when I needed to be. Regardless of the plans that I had made for myself, the Lord ensured that the plans that He had for me would be met. I am thankful every day that I was fortunate enough to be blessed by having James & Josh in my life.