And did I mention? Long post - grab a coffee

I'm awaiting the birth of my grandson any day. The boy in Chile is gonna be a daddy. They say January 1st is the due date but it may be sooner. Me and the boy were estranged for a few years, after he turned 18 and moved there to follow a girl he was in love with. At one point he even stopped calling me mom, referring to me by my given name. That broke my heart. but we've been doing better for a while now and he's working his hardest and with much dedication to make sure I'm included in what's happening now. And I love him for it.

Hard to believe - time goes so fast. They are so young and struggling (he's trying SO hard to work his way part time through school and still work and be a new daddy all at once.) So now I'm gonna go back a long way and tell you about this boy that God brought so unexpectedly into my life. I'm going to quote from a scrapbook I made back in the day. Everyone used to love looking at that scrapbook. Good memories :)

The Story of Andrew.

"It was a regular Friday morning. I was at work, reading my morning e-mail at the computer. I opened a note from my best friend who lived two hours away. As I read the chat, I got to a section where my friend told me about a social worker calling her to see if she could take in this little 10 year old boy who was somehow distantly related to her. Something had happened, authorities had been called due to child neglect, and he needed a home that DAY or he was going to the system. Foster care. Jokingly she asked me "do you want him"?

In an instant it came to my mind... "Yes. I do." I knew about child neglect and I wanted to save one if I could. I called the mister and briefly explained and he responded by saying it was an absolutely wonderful idea. I called my friend back and told her "yes" we wanted Andrew. By the end of that day, after several calls to the social worker and to Andrew's father (who was still alive at that time, but severely incapacitated and totally unable to care for this child) it was decided.. he would come to live with us. But one more person had to be consulted. When Ryan (my stepson, who is now grown, moved away and married for several years) got home from school that day we sat down very seriously and explained about this little boy that needed a home and that if we took him in - he'd have to share his things AND us. But he quickly decided saying "oh mom, I don't care what I have to share, I've always wanted a little brother".

They wanted to bring Andrew out the next day but that wouldn't work as we had plans to go to the casino with friends. When we went to the casino that night, the mister said that if God meant for us to have this child, we'd win some money because we were broke and had already been told this boy would be coming with only the shirt on his back. Lo and behold, we won $1,000.

The next day, Sunday morning, I started to get nervous, asking myself what I had done. I didn't know anything about this child, had never even seen his face, and we had committed ourselves to raising him as our own. Papers had been signed. What had I done?

My questions were answered the minute Andrew stepped inside the door. He was meant to be there. And I've never had a single second of regret. Ever. I loved that little boy with all my heart the minute I saw his little face."

So I have to say, I'm as excited and as proud as if I gave birth to him myself to be included and honored as his mom (his own he never knew), and soon to be grandmother to his little boy. Merry Christmas everybody.. I'll let you know when baby Augusto is born. *grin*