Gotta Keep the Faith

There is a very popular K-6 school here in town called Walnut Elementary Education Center, excelling beyond all other elementary schools in Turlock. It offers two magnet programs - math/science and visual/performing arts.

Photo courtesy of Walnut Elementary's website.

This school is so popular that enrollment is based on a lottery system. 162 applications were submitted for kindergarten alone.

Ella's dance class is on Tuesday nights, so Aaron had to go to the lottery himself tonight.

He texted me in the middle of Ella's class saying she was sixty-something on the wait list for the math/science program with a sad face at the end. I couldn't believe the wait list would even be that long! Goodness!

After Ella and I got home from dance, Aaron called and, with a bummed tone, said he was on his way home and that she didn't get into the visual/performing arts program either. My heart sank. I was really holding out hope for that program (it was the one I really hoped she'd get into). But, in the middle of me asking where she was placed on the waiting list, he said, "JUST KIDDING! SHE GOT IN!!!"

I screamed with such happiness!

Aaron then went on to say that Ella was the last name called.

That made me smile even bigger! :)

It immediately made me start to think about what God may be telling me through this.

I know, I know...a lottery is just that. Chance! A luck of the draw! How does God have His hand in  that?

But, I think through Ella's name being called last, out of the 162 applicants, God is speaking to me. I feel God whispering to me to keep the faith. Even when there is only one more shot, He doesn't want me to lose hope. There is always hope. Always.

So, even though it seems silly to think God has His hand into Ella's enrollment in a school, He is in the business of purposely giving, not of meaningless chance, right?

Getting pregnant can be considered pure chance, but I believe with all my heart that God has control. He blessed us with our miracle baby, who is somehow now enrolled to begin kindergarten in just a few short months (I'm not going to cry!). Ella is in no way meaningless chance. She was purposely given to us by God.

So, with today's wonderful news of Ella getting into Walnut Elementary, I am reminded of God's goodness. I am reminded that, even when it may seem like all odds are against us, He still has our best interest at heart. Even though we are not able to conceive on our own and 30 months of secondary infertility are against us, He is encouraging us to not give up hope.

Just as Aaron continued to sit through the lottery with only one more name to call, God is encouraging us to faithfully continue through our battle with secondary infertility, even when this FET can very well be out last chance at another biological child, and keep the faith! :)