AAAHHHH!!! (huge sigh of relief)

Yesterday we turned in a signed childcare contract for Kai's daycare when I return to work in 3(short) weeks. What a huge relief! We started the week with a few childcare leads, and a few interviews set up; we ended the week signing the contract with someone totally different! It's amazing how God uses people who have been in our lives to open doors when we need them opened! This is a great example of how our city really is a "big little town", one of the reasons I love it here! So this is what happened. Monday morning, I was continuing to search for daycare options, even though we had a few interviews set up. Joe calls me and says that a work acquaintance has given him the name of her childcare provider who is awesome, and happens to have a few openings right now. She says we better call FAST, because Melinda's openings fill quickly. So, I wasted no time and called her. We set up an interview with her for the following day. Later on Monday I was talking to my friend Brenda (who happens to be covering my leave at work), and told her we were interviewing a daycare that was right down the street from her house. She asked me what her name was, and I told her "Melinda". Brenda said, "Oh, she goes to my church, and she's awesome. I was going to take my boys there, but she didn't have openings on the right days when I was looking". Since I have gone to many women's gatherings at Brenda's church, I asked if I had met her, and we both decided that I probably had. Tuesday afternoon we go and visit Melinda's house (yes, it is the lady I was thinking of from Brenda's church). Right away, we love it, she's so easy-going yet has total control of the kids. Kai loved it and just wanted to walk around, explore her house, and play with the other kids. I tell her that I've met her at Brenda's church, and she says she thought I looked familiar. So, we're at her house, chatting about her daycare and such, and in walks a work acquaintance of mine, to pick up her daughter!  Wow! Who would have thought? We've heard nothing but great things about her. Oh, and in the course of chatting with her, she tells us that she's also an adoptive mother! I liked how she didn't make a huge point of bringing it up (like she had to prove something to us or like it would be a deal maker), but rather it just came up quite naturally in our conversation (her son was adopted domestically, so it's not as easy to see). So, we love that he will be in a Christian home and getting excellent care by someone who is sensitive to his needs as an adoptee. Yesterday when we stopped to drop off the contract, Kai had a chance to play with the other kids a bit (all boys right now), and he loved it! The only draw back is that her house is about 10 minutes out of our way to work. But we figured, it's only two days a week and for quality care, it's not a big deal! Knowing he will be in a good daycare has really eased my mind about returning to work, although I still can't believe my leave is almost over!