Winner winner chicken dinner!

For those that don't already know, we happened to win something for the first time in our familial life.  Last year there was a contest on a blog I follow called nieniedialogues.com  For those of you that live under a rock, it's the blog of a young mom that was in a tragic airplane crash 4 years ago where over 80% of her body was burned and her story of survival and life as a Mom and Wife.  So she has this annual contest to win some really cool "bucket bikes" also known as Madsen Cargo Bikes (madsencycles.com).  Last year, I entered and told Nate all about these bikes and how amazing they were.  Long story short, I didn't win, (enter violins) and I moved on with my sad bucket bike-less life.  This year, the contest popped up again and I thought second time's a charm.  So between an email from me and a secret one from Nate, we happened to win this amazing bike. We went down yesterday to meet Stephanie and the bike owner at their annual Madsen Bike Rally in Provo, Utah.  Before I move onto my moment, I will tell you that our bike is amazing.  It rides so smooth and the kids think it's the most amazing thing in the whole wide world.  We've already nicknamed her B.B. short for bucket bike and I hope it stays warm for just a few more weeks until we tuck her safely away until next spring.  I can already picture an older Evey riding the bike having the time of her life on our new family bike rides.  As my oh so beloved Ferris Beuler would say, "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking up one, it is oh so choice."

The last few days have been such a blur with Nate working 16 hour days and I wish we took better pictures yesterday at the bike rally with Stephanie and Mr. Madsen himself, but I'm afraid I was in a glazed over blur, from sleep deprivation and the shock of winning a longly-coveted bike.  Since I got into the whole blogging world a few months ago, I confess that's when I've discovered several others people life stories and craftiness and all other such things good and bad that come with blogging. In the small mormon world I heard of Stephanie's blog and always scanned through it, but never thought more of it than what an amazing story and good for her, for overcoming what she has. 

Yesterday, we were standing in the parking lot talking to Stephanie as she was ooohhhing and awwwing over our baby Evey and it was something that I probably don't have the right words to describe, but I'll try anyway.  Stephanie has been badly disfigured from her accident, but you don't even notice, because she exudes such a warmth that is indescribable.  Here I was watching this incredible young woman, that is definitely not her body, look at our little Eves with tears in her eyes who is also not her body and I knew Stephanie understood Evey in a way that only someone in a similar situation could.  Our bodies are such amazing gifts from the Lord, they are perfect in his eyes, some just happen to be a little damaged from the get go and some get damaged along the way, but they are perfect vessels to accomplish his plan.  Yesteday, Stephanie gave me a suprising gift, much much more than just an amazing bike.  It was a sweet tender mercy to see that the Lord's plan is absolutely perfect and he knows exactly what each of us need in our own "plans of happiness".   I know there are miracles being worked around us everyday, it's just our job to pause and look for them.