"God blesses babies. He takes care of them longer than you have them. Just you wait and see," my wise girlfriend told me. I had just told her we were pregnant with E. And she knew our situation all too well. I was laid off after teaching for only two years. Didn't have health insurance. And W still had a year of school left. This baby was a year ahead of schedule. Oh, geez. What a responsible mother I was. We were both excited beyond words, but scared for how the next year would unfold.
But she was right. A few days later, I walked into the district office to try to get health insurance. The HR lady said I couldn't because I wasn't rehired for the next year. But she did something she never does and signed her name on the slip of paper anyway. And, Bam! We were covered.
I only told three close friends at school about my pregnancy but tried to hide it from everyone else. I know they say you can't be discriminated against in the hiring process, but I didn't want to take my chances. I didn't want to go back. I wanted to be home with my baby. But I had to keep that door opened in case there was no other way to pay the bills. Thankfully, I was hired to teach summer school again {one last shoe-in for pay checks} even though they had an overwhelming response from teachers that year because of all the economic downfall and lay-offs.
With that, W's part time job, our emergency 6 month stow-away fund, unemployment, and tutoring here and there, we actually made it. And not with too much discomfort. Before summer school had started, I looked back at our expenses for the last 3 months and the calculation showed that we wouldn't even make a year with reduced funds. Somehow, the money stretched until now.
Like the basket of fish and loaves, we seemed to be provided for. Without borrowing money or relying on others in that way. The Lord blessed us with random opportunities to help friends out and make some money. We got a great tax return refund. All of which helped a ton.
Flash forward to December 2010. W's done with school, but with no hot leads for work. It's pretty dry here. We've even talked about relocating, maybe to Seattle, for work. I find out I'm pregnant. I tell W. We both know he needs a job. A good one and like now. Not fifteen minutes later, W gets a call from the local firm asking for a third interview. He's offered the job. A tax season only job, but we're excited nonetheless. It buys us time, gets him experience, and we're hopeful it may turn into more after April's tax deadline.
During our first prenatal appointment in January, W gets a phone call from some random number. He takes it outside. When we're done, he tells me that some firm in San Jose got his resume and are interviewing for September positions. Solid firm. Awesome salary. Full time. Benefits. A great and honest career start beginning in mid-September. {Sounds weird, but this is how accountants typically hire...waaay in advance!} The HR lady tells him his resume was forwarded through three different people, none of which he recognized. He interviews for two hours. The follow week, he's offered the job. Wow! We are beyond words at this point. Turns out my mom was the one who started the snowball of forwarding his resume! Love you, mom!
{Celebrating W's new permanent job with an old Arterburn tradition: The Special Red Plate and a fabulous dinner with my parents!}
People often ask us how we gave Ezra his name. We loved the name but also loved the Ezra of the Old Testament. He was a priest and orator who reminded God's people about God and His commands. The God who provided for them and released them from captivity. Through the pregnancy with Ezra, we were reminded of God's provisions: there was and is always enough. Ezra actually means "God's Help". We knew we'd received a lot of it and would need a whole lot more after he was born.
God has richly blessed our two babies and we are rejoicing. This is just our testimony of His faithfulness. Another girlfriend encouraged me along the way, when she said "No matter what the destiny of the child you carry is, your good Father will supply all the trust you need and all the comfort you need for you to parent for His glory." Even if W was still looking for a job or we needed to sell our house and re-locate or if it hadn't work out this particular way, God is still faithful and would provide for our needs. Some may say that all this is just being at the right place, at the right time. Others may chalk it up to karma. But we know better...this is definitely not from us.
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the sky.
-Psalm 36:5
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
-Isaiah 25:1
What is your story of being blessed?
