From 2 to 5, then 6

In June of this past year (2013) I was a single mother of one just starting out a new job being an assistant manager of a group home. I was content with my situation and loving the life God had placed in my lap. Little did I know that my whole life was about to be thrown upside down in the best way possible!

On June 7th I made the decision to close all of my online dating accounts to just focus on getting my life together. I don't know what it was, but something made me do one last look on my matches on the last account to be deleted. This is when I found Joey. He was all about Christ and wondering the same thing I had been. Where were all the true Christian singles? I decided to write him and if I didn't hear back the next day I would continue to close my account. Within minutes he responded and I couldn't believe how strong I was feeling for him already.

On June 9th we had our first date. Coffee at Barnes and Noble. We stayed long past the closing time and after all the employees had long gone home. After many texts from my mom wondering how late I would be out because she was watching my daughter we finally had to say goodbye. It definitely wasn't what either of us wanted to do.

The very next day on the 10th we made it official to be a couple. Things were moving at warp speed but it had never felt so right to either of us. Needless to say we fell very deep in love with each other. On father's day my daughter started to call him daddy and it seemed to be a natural fit for both of them. Joey was on cloud 9 and my daughter was the happiest I had ever seen her.

June 26th was the day everything changed. Joey and I got married. Mr and Mrs Collins. It seems like a whole other lifetime ago that we got married. But God had guided us and we knew in our hearts and in our souls that we were meant to be together.

Work went on and we had our daily in's and out's of life. It wasn't too long before we saw two pink lines announcing little baby Collins coming soon in 2014. We couldn't have been more excited! I couldn't have been more excited. After many years of wondering why things never worked for me and wondering why I was always left broken, I finally knew. Not only had I found the man of my dreams, but my family had grown. It had grown from one little girl, to four kids! (One yet to be born) It was definitely a big change going from a family of two to a family of five. Adding into those already big changes, the pregnancy is a big enough change all on its own.

Life has been on the fast lane since June. From getting married to moving into a house that wasn't falling apart. But I couldn't be happier. Things have been far from easy and God has set challenges in front of me that I never thought I would be able to conquer, but with my husband by my side and my kids there to lift my spirits when I'm feeling down, there's no way I can't win.

-Mrs. C