There's been a few times over the years where we've met people out in public who had children with clefts. There was the one time when Rachel was just a baby, and this couple had followed us all over
Lowe's Hardware store and finally approached us. Turns out their son noticed Rachel's lip being taped and he'd had a cleft, repaired by Rachel's then plastic surgeon. We walked away that day knowing meeting that couple was no accident. It was indeed a divine meeting.
Today, was another divine appointment.
I recently took a part time job, working in my profession as a nurse. I'm currently working different locations providing flu shots to the general public. Today, I was at a grocery store, about thirty miles away from home. I obtained the shift last night by accident, not realizing it was for today's date. But as my morning progressed, and I met the second nurse for our clinic, I knew today's shift was no accident. It was another one of the Lord's divine meetings.
Around noon, when the other nurse arrived and introduced herself to me, before she even sat down, I recognized something familiar about her face.
I was 99.9% sure she had been born with a cleft lip. I couldn't help but stare at her. I had to ask, but how do you ask? So we chatted, she asked if I was a new nurse, I explained I was a nurse coming out of Stay at Home retirement for the season. LOL. She told me she was a new grad, having worked a few months in home health before she quit and had to have surgery because she'd been born with a cleft lip and palate. And there it was...the door was WIDE open for conversation. I told her I had wondered if she had been, simply because my daughter had been born with a cleft. And I was familiar with clefts and repairs, etc.
I was overcome with emotion. I tried to hold it together, but there was no accident in me getting this shift today. The Lord knew I'd be paired up with this nurse. He knew I needed to meet her and see her and how far she's come. To ask her questions. HE KNEW!! And I KNOW it was Him who orchestrated me getting this shift today. And I'm so thankful.
I asked her if she cared if I asked her questions in regards to her cleft and all her surgeries, and she said "No, she'd love to answer any questions".
She was twenty five years old and has had at least nine surgeries regarding her cleft. She said she'd had so many she really couldn't remember how many, but she was pretty sure it was nine.
She had the surgery that Rachel will have in two months when she was twelve. She's never received any speech therapy, and there were some things she said that I could tell she'd had no speech. It promoted me to write an email to our speech therapist once again thanking her for all her work with Rachel.
When my shift ended, I sincerely thanked her for answering my questions. And as I got on the freeway for my journey home, I prayed and thanked the Lord for opening the door to today's shift and for my nurse co-worker.
Definitely another Divine Appointment. Thank You Lord!
Rachel walked a smaller walking track that was designed for the Kindergarteners, the 1st graders, and the 2nd graders. There was A LOT of participation on this level. And a lot of parents and grandparents who came to watch and/or walk along side their walking student. Gramma came and cheered on her girls. 
Rachel celebrated the ending of the Walk-a-Thon by getting s a sno cone. That combined with the cotton candy she'd gotten earlier made for one great sugar high!
Thank You Papa and Gramma and Papa Steve for pledging and supporting Rachel and our school in the walk-a-thon!
