I can’t wait to introduce you to some of our new friends! Do you want the long version … or the long-story-short version? That’s what I thought. Got your coffee? Good! cuz I got me a story!
Okay so. A little over a month ago, there was a new parent breakfast thingy at the girls school {about two months too late if you ask me!}. I was really anxious {in a bad way} about going. And sure enough … as I’m walking up to the school, there’s little-miss-blondie {have I mentioned, it seems like everyone in North Caroline is blonde?} in her cute skirt, flips, and JCrew shirt. In full disclosure, I knew it was JCrew, cuz I have the same one.
I so badly wanted to make a cute comment about her shirt and that I have the same one … but I know from experience when cuteness tries to come out of my mouth, all it sounds like is … “LAME!” So I stayed silent about the shirt.
I go in amongst the throngs of friends and chatty pals … and sit down at a table as a big ol’ wannabe. In fact, there was a woman with a child already at the table I sat at. She seemed to be balancing a lot … so I went out of my comfort zone {I even used my sweet dimples} to ask her if she needed any help getting her daughter something to eat {it was a breakfast thingy after all}, and she looked at me like my hair was 10 shades of purple with a ring of fire in the middle! “NO.” she said … and not so politely either. And she was no longer at the table when I returned with my breakfast goodies. Humpf.
And then sits down Molly. A breath-of-fresh-air Molly. There were three ladies at my table and we introduced ourselves. Molly … I could just tell … had a bit o’ crazy going on in her life. Seein’ as how I swim in a pool of crazy these days … I can spot someone else’s crazy a mile away! She mentioned she’d only been in NC for 6 weeks … and was from … are you ready for it? … Chicago! And … she’d visited the small town I came from in Wisconsin!
Crazy coincidence? Or Divine appointment? We know what we believe!
Okay … so, back to my story. As we were talking at the new parent breakfast thingy, a nother blonde lady comes up to Molly and tells her “they’re all sitting at such-and-such a table.”
Sigh. Another one bites the dust.
Although, we did exchange contact info … so maybe there’s a chance.
And then the breakfast thingy program starts. And they talk, and they talk, and they talk … telling us all the things we’ve already learned the hard way, and really needed to know two months ago!
When the talking finally ends, they tell us to take note of the grade level taped to our tables and to find our child’s grade level and sit at that table. While I have my choice of three tables, I notice I’m sitting at 2nd grade. I also take note that I really need to be networking for Piper. Yeah, I was desperate like that. But I decide to stay where I’m at.
And guess who comes back? That’s right folks … a breath-of-fresh-air Molly! Turns out her son is in 2nd grade.
Well … the talking starts all over again and this time runs into the time that I have to leave … I’m volunteering at church to greet women as they enter for a ministry called Morning Grace. And so I have to leave. And I’m really wanting to ask Molly if she’d like to go, but I can’t. And so I whisper I have to go.
And I get to church. And I greet. When worship started, I sat down. Looked behind me, and who walks in?
A breath-of-fresh-air Molly.
Turns out she was. not. going to go to the parent breakfast thingy at school, but she promised the blonde lady that snatched her she’d meet her there. And she was. not. going to go to Morning Grace, but she volunteered to bring a snack.
I sprung {yes! sprung!} from my seat, gave her a hug, and asked which class she was going to. Turns out it’s the same class I was attending! {there are like ten different classes …}
Crazy coincidence? Or Divine appointment?
I could go on and on … but basically, we’ve been inseparable since we’ve met.
I knew it was a match made in heaven when at dinner, I accidentally spit something out of my mouth … and Molly purposefully took a bite and spit it out too.
Molly gifted me with this cute mug {and of course got one for herself too}. The other side says “with God.” I texted her one morning with a photo of my mug, and she texted back with a photo of her mug.
OH wait! I almost forgot! The first morning we met for coffee, as we were getting up to leave, she grabbed my hand and said we needed to pray. It. was. beautiful! There is was … in the middle of Starbucks, a friendship sealed with prayer.
And we’ve even gotten our toes painted together! :)
Here’s a photo of the girls with Molly’s son … he’s a sweetie and a certain Johnson girl may have a little crushie-crush on him!
I know I’ve mentioned Piper’s new friend before, but here are a couple photos of them and the other girls {one is Syndey’s sister, also in 2nd grade}.
And lastly … even babygirl had a playdate! Her very first one!! When I hung up the phone with the girl’s mom, this was what I saw … well, kinda … this one’s a reenactment.
I know I’m finished with the 31 Days of Faith posts … but I’d like to encourage you with a few thoughts …
At times, we’ve gotten very discouraged with our new adventure here in the South … we STILL get very discouraged. But what I believe with all my heart and tell the girls, is that God wouldn’t have us in this place if He didn’t have great plans for us! I believe it. I know it.
I wrote this post during a really difficult time. Even though it was a rough valley for me, I never lost hope. I never lost my faith … my belief.
And look … just look how He’s rewarded us.
” … Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things …”
Matthew 25:23
Where are you at today? Do you believe in His promises for you? Are you being faithful with little?
I am so thankful He hears us. He cares. He rewards those who are faithful.
I haven’t read a stitch of blogs in a month, or more, literally. I just happened to turn on my computer and open up yours… and I have to say, I am so, so happy for you and the girls. SO happy! I have been thinking of you all lately and telling myself I should be reading, but I’m glad I read tonight to see how well things are going recently!
I love Molly already & can’t wait to meet her!! This post brings me such joy, Tracie. :-) I know that God is looking out for you, putting the right people on your path! (Remember, he put you in mine, just when I needed you!) Love you, sweet friend!!
Tracie – oh this gives me goosebumps! In the very best of ways.
God is so good! I am so thrilled for those divine appointments and your new friend! :)
ahhh… oh i love a great story! especially if you are telling it… and even more if it involves a smile on your face!! i am thrilled for you (and molly!) friends get us thru… and i remember how lonely it feels when you are in a new place. i am so thankful that God placed you in her path, and her in yours! absolutley divine… new friends have been part of my prayers, and i know, yours. so there you go :)
xoxo
What a beautiful story! I love the fact that Molly is there for you……………..Miss you and am so happy things are going better… In a bit of a slump myself and your words are encouraging.
God is good:)
God is good, all the time.
This is what I hear from you over and over.
Thank you!
Tracie, so happy that you and Molly found one another…everyone needs a best friend–I am blessed as mine has been with me since the day I was born…my beautiful twin sister. Thanks for your uplifting blog…it is a treasure and one I enjoy every day.
LOVE! My heart is so happy for you & the girls. I’m THRILLED things are turning around because nobody deserves lovin’ as much as y’all do. Huntie’s happy dance made me super happy too. Looking forward to seeing many more of those dances :-) Love you my friend and can’t wait to meet Molly!
Absolutely love the Huntie happy dance and am imagining Piper & Mom doing the same type of dance (whether in their head or for the world to see). :-) Thankful that you are all finding your home in your new home. And it sounds as if you and Piper have found the perfect fits in your new friends…yay!!!
Im so happy for you!!
Can I just say I am SO VERY excited! I have total “Blog Envy”(in the most Godly way of course! LOL) of Tracie’s creativity and beautiful “blogging” and all you others who have such a gift for “Blogging.” So is there “blogging” etiquette about commenting on a blog that’s about “yourself?” :) I’ll be launching a blog myself soon (thanks to Tracie, of course who is helping me!) Did I mention, “I LOVE blogs?”
So here is why I am SO very excited: Because I was “in the Blog!” :)
Well, that’s just part of it! I am not just excited about this new found friendship, I am overjoyed that Luke & I have been ABUNDANTLY blessed to have met Tracie, and the “girls”….It is all an absolute answer to prayer! Just when we think that God is leaving us somewhere for a while longer (even though He is really hanging onto us), He shows up in a way we didn’t even think possible (even with all of our mustered up faith) and He shows up with what He has been preparing for us while we were trusting and hanging on…..and praying and shedding tears, and trusting and hanging on some more….you know how it goes~ but He is faithful, oh so faithful! “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness” Psalm 115:1
I am so blessed for this new God given, Kingdom calendar, divine appointed friendship!
Luke and I are learning and growing by knowing this beautiful family in a way that I know it comes from no one else but our AWESOME, LOVING, Creator!
Luke and I needed these precious Godly “girls” in our life! “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8
I love you my friend!
Thank you for the reminder that God knows our needs and He is faithful to provide!
So happy for you Tracie (and a little jealous!)
So happy for you and the girls! You so deserve some happiness and Molly sounds like an answered prayer :). Could not stop smiling when I read your post!
CHEERS for your beatutiful new friendship and all the wonderful blessings in your life!!!!
This makes me SO happy! God answered your prayers and mine, too! I, too, have been mostly offline and this is the first post I read!!!
Welcome, Molly, to blogging!
Here I am writing my first blog. God is Good all the time. Tracie I am so happy you found Molly because about 8 weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet a wonderful lady too. Her name is Molly. I was taking my 8 year old son to his first basketball practice and who do I meet….Molly. Our boys are ono the same basketball team. Before the formal introduction she had to apologize because she was the lady in the carpool line a couple days ago who was blocking me in……lol. “Who does that?” She truly is a breath of fresh air from Chicago :). In this small amount of time that I have known her and I can see and feel the passion she has for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and it brings me great joy to spend time with a woman of God like her. And then I get the opportunity to meet you Tracie through Molly and now I am writing my first blog on your site :). I really enjoyed reading your daily scripture, it really blessed me this morning. I look forward to getting to know you as well as Piper and Braxton are in the same class now. Have a blessed day!
Such a happy post…made me smile. Tracie, I thought of your friend Laurie when I saw the picture of you and Molly ;)
Tears of joy for this post. I have missed your blog so much and just came upon it again today. As my eyes swelled with your story (especially when Molly prayed at starbucks :), I wondered why in the world hasn’t a friendship, like that ever happened to me. Then. God quietly asked me, “why haven’t you ever acted like Molly – and causing me to evaluate each one of my friendships. Truley touching this morning. Love ya
of course you met molly…… i just love that there are no coincidences in our earthly lives. loved this tracie