Times

From August to November I've had a lot to say, but haven't said much at all. 2008 and the 1st half of 2009 threw me more curve balls than jorge posada saw this past season. Summer days were lazy with only work to worry over and then August hit starting a chain of several surprises. After returning from Washington DC I was greeted by Isabella (my 1997 toyota camry) and she had just gotten out of surgery costing around $700. Around that same time I randomly got a phone call from mom, she claimed dad had "found a girl for me." They seemed to think she was flawless and liked her family, and the mystery girl gave mom her number. Hmmm, to call or not call? Dad said she was pretty so I knew it was true, mom liked her---I feared it may be too good to be true! The odds seemed strangely in my favor, So I called her. She called back. I came to see her, she came to see me, and so the story goes...Brittany and Jacob's dads met, and months later Brittany and Jacob were dating. Things seemed to be adding up just fine, I had a good running car that could carry me to and from Raleigh and then...it's Saturday night and Isabella won't start, I get her towed the next day to my mechanic and have a new starter put in, 2nd surgery, $300. Ok, so we're all set, I'm going to see Brittany...on the way to school to present in front of the class with a friend of mine and out of nowhere a familiar BANG! for the 4th time in 3 years, someone has hit me in the rear; Isabella is badly hurt. I'm given a Jetta so I make it to Raleigh just fine, and am welcomed home to be told, "Mr. Edwards, I'm sorry but we've totalled your car, the worth is not equal to what it would take to fix it." Some people would be happy with such notice, all I could think of was the $1,000 that just vanished. After much battle, insurance company settles and dad finds a year 2000 blue ford focus which was immediately named the smurf. The smurf and I travel to raleigh and myrtle beach and everywhere else we need to go, things are great. Then, like a repeating sick dream a familiar slime green drips from my car....Oh no! I imagine I'm again going to replace a radiator. Oh how I wish I would have been replacing a radiator, it turns out the heating core went bad (who knows what that is?) it's some sort of box that heats up something, all I know is when it goes bad your defrost wont work and anitfreeze will drip all over the place. Side Note: you have to take the entire car, inside and out apart to get to the thing. $777 later, the smurf is healthy. whoever came up with 777 being a sign of perfection or luck, well----no comment. After hearing such news you can image losing another chunk would leave a descendant of Jerry Edwards sick to his stomach...but no, I walked out smiling. Finally, Since 2006, I am satisfied. And yes, I'm happy. I haven't been very public with my new glow of happiness and I think multitudes have wondered several things. My response: keep wondering. Meeting Brittany and developing a friendship and having a relationship with her has brought a level of happiness and sense of character about me that lacks sufficient availability of words to explain, but simply put, she makes me smile even when my car goes in for a near $1,000 surgery. She has become my favorite person, and an amazing girlfriend, and is genuine excellence. And for the record, I am crazy about her. That's all I really want said, she's special to me. I'm so glad to have a mom and dad who cared enough to get a phone number from a stranger. I have petitioned my God to send a friend that would make me want to be better, and fuel my energy to want to make her happy, most. Let's be realistic, if there's ever been a request for a miracle, that's one. Pleading something so invaluable that literally can govern your happiness, focus, and motive is a direct request for a miracle. So there you have it, I got a miracle, I really like her, it's a miracle I have a girl like her--that's all you need to know. So, instead of asking all about my miracle, let me ask you: have you prayed for yours? Alma 26:8