He answers

God is funny.  And faithful.  And He listens.  Even if you are a four year-old girl praying with the seeds of biblical knowledge and faith, he answers.

Last summer, Justin was the project architect on "Cheetah Hunt" a new ride and exhibit at Busch Gardens Tampa.  He was gone, a lot.   A lot meaning, about 3 days a week or more, from Fall to Summer 2011 Justin was in Florida and we were in Missouri.  Hard? Yes.  But the life we will have to adapt to, because, he is an architect.  

As a celebration, we traveled to Tampa for the last week of his C.A. (Construction Administration) and for the opening weekend of the ride. It was our first family vacay, and my very first time in Florida as well as the kids'.  It was quite memorable for us all and we enjoyed seeing Dad's hard work coming to fruition.  WE also enjoyed the beaches, Busch Gardens, Downtown Disney and some much needed family time. 

Sawyer was only 2 so he loved just about everything, even the fact that the cheetahs would have loved to snag him for a snack!  And Anna, well, she loved the beaches and they left a lasting impression on her heart, so much so, that when we returned, she was in a mild state of depression.  I say that a little tongue-in-cheek, but truly, one night as we were driving home from a family friend's house on the other side of Creve Couer Lake, I started pointing out the beauty of the forest around us.  This would normally inspire Anna to some sort of nature-loving, fairy-seeking blissful state, but this time, she began to cry. 

"It is not fair, Mom!" she howled "I don't like these trees!  I miss the Palm Trees!!!! Why can't we live in Florida???"  

I giggled a little to myself, under my breath of course, and justified, " Anna, Daddy's job is here.  In St. Louis. He works very hard to provide for our family so I can be home and take care of you and Sawyer, but we need to live where Daddy's job is."  I expected my very logical, rational-beyond-her-years, daughter to give up the fight, but more crying continued into hysterics.  I was surprised and a little amused by this, not expecting such a strange parenting challenge.  I remembered, I am not her hero, God is.  As much as I want to give this little girl everything she ever wants, I can't.  So, what do I do when what I have to offer is not enough (it never is)?  Point her to God.  

"Anna,"  I calmly cooed, "when you have a problem you really don't know how to fix, what do you do?"  

"Pray to God..."  she responded.  

"Yes, and God WILL ALWAYS answer! But, he is not like a magic fairy, or Santa."

"What do you mean, Mom?"  I had peaked her curiosity.

"God will always answer you when you pray, in one of three ways.  He will 1. Say yes, 2. Say no, or 3. Say not right now, but later. So when you pray, you really have to give your request to Him, and be okay with His answer."

"But what if He says no?"  ouch.

"If He says no, which he does sometimes do, He will change your heart to be okay with it if you let Him."  

"I want to pray right now! "  she replied.  And that is exactly what she did.  She prayed that she would get to move to Florida. And if she couldn't move now, that she would get to someday, "because Missouri doesn't have any beaches, and I love palm trees."  

Now if you know me, you know how this story began to unfold.  But for those of you who don't, here it is.  

The next project Justin got work on was for Sea World Orlando.  Yep.  Florida.  And right around February of 2012, about 6 months later, we got word that Justin and our family would be asked to relocate for C.A. on this new project in May until June of 2013.  

God answers.