Congratulations to Anna, winner of yesterday’s T-shirt and mug!
Oh I love this sign. The first thing I thought when I came across this quote was: This is me. This is my quote. Because over six years ago, I thought I knew how my life was going to turn out. I thought I was going to have a baby with my husband the way everyone else seemed to do. But I didn’t. Olivia came after six years. After five IVFs. After hundreds of injections. After tens of thousands of dollars, three babies in Heaven, two trips across the country, and finally, a life threatening condition that resulted in a six day hospital stay.
Back in 2009, I thought I knew how things would turn out. But life had a better idea. Maybe not an easier idea. But a better one. Olivia was MUCH better idea.
And the thing I love about this quote is that we can all relate to it. One of my very close friends escaped an abusive relationship and is now happily married to a wonderful man. Another friend dropped out of a college program, but doors opened for her and she is now in an incredible job that wouldn’t have come to her if she stayed in her major.
Does this quote resonate with you, too? And isn’t this wood gorgeous?
All you have to do to enter to win is:
- Subscribe to my blog, if you haven’t already, AND
- Leave a comment on this post telling me what AMAZING thing came about in your life because “life had a better idea.” (Comments on Facebook and Instagram WON’T count. The comments need to be left here.)
The Life Had A Better Idea Sign giveaway (valid in the U.S. and Canada) will end on January 16 (tonight) at 11:59pm, CST.
The winner will be chosen at random by Random Name Picker the next morning.
The winner will be notified by email the following day, and will have 24 hours to reply back to me, or a new winner will be chosen. All prizes will be mailed out to winners at the end of the giveaway series.
My kids. After years of infertility I’m so glad I have them and not some other ransom kids. ;-). They were a much better plan then the one I had.
Author
Ha ha! Most certainly.
Bowen is definitely our ‘life had a better plan’!! We ‘planned’ to have a baby back in 2011 but he didn’t make his arrival until 2015 and that couldn’t have been more perfect 🙂
Author
Yes! And what a darling he is!
I never thought I would be blessed with a family after years of infertility and two angel babies. After we had finally grieved and put our hearts at peace that God has other plans for us we got pregnant with our Zoe Rae. Even though I wouldn’t wish the struggling years around having my daughter on anyone, God used every situation life threw to His glory, and He still is. I still grieve some days and I still have hope for those unreachable dreams, but I cling (somedays by a thread) to His promises for me. He always has better ideas for life than me.
Author
This is beautiful. And so well said.
This sign is amazing! I love the quote.
My life in the last year had been a TOTAL CHANGE OF PLANS. I started the beginning of last year with no boyfriend, no place of my own, graduated from college and recently divorced. This time last year I was planning where I wanted to live and work and if I was ready to date again. Now, I have a fantastic boyfriend who makes me realize everyday how lucky I am, a home to live in and a beautiful BABY BOY (Best surprise I could ever have asked for). Life had a different plan for me and I am totally ok with it.
I love this quote. I can totally relate.
Author
Amazing how much has changed, especially with that little sweetie. 🙂
My beautiful daughter! After years of heartache, we finally got pregnant and had a healthy pregnancy!
Author
Ah, yes. I think I can relate to this. Kind of. 😉
The most amazing thing that came into my life because life had a better idea was in 2014 when my husband and I decided to buy 20 acres of land. Our first plan was to buy a camper and park it there, we fell in love with two different ones and of course someone else beat us to the punch. I was disappointed and upset, frustrated to say the least. The next day my husband told me he has an idea, and his idea was to just build us a tiny cabin. It is seriously the cutest little place, and my most favorite place to go. I love that I can go there and relax. It reminds me to slow down, and enjoy the simple things in life ❤️
Author
I’m SO jealous of your tiny cabin. That would be my dream.
My “life had a better idea” moment was a few years ago when there was a job opportunity for me in another city and I felt as though nothing in my life was going anywhere so debated taking the job. So glad I didn’t because in the next 3 years, I got engaged, married and bought a house in the same neighbourhood as my husbands family. I couldn’t imagine my life any other way! Still waiting for my kids moment though… hoping God has a plan for that too!
Author
Hoping so much with you, my dear. And that’s so many changes! It sounds like it was a wonderful decision.
After 9 miscarriages, my miracle rainbow twin boys were born 6 months ago! I have learned so much about myself and about life since becoming pregnant with my twin boys and the difficult road to get them here safe and sound!
Author
Nine. Wow. That’s so unfair. It’s definitely a long tough road. I’m so happy for you that you finally got your little miracles!
My family and peace
Author
Agree.
My daughter Ava came about after a miscarriage. If we would have stayed pregnant with our first I never would have been blessed with her. She is so amazing that I feel blessed that the rough time led me here
Author
Ooo, you are so blessed. <3
Both my boys are rainbow babies. I think often about my angels often but if I would of carried them I wouldn’t have my boys. Can’t imagine life without them.
Author
<3 So happy for you, Rachel!
After spending years in a marriage that I was trying to make work just so my son wouldn’t come from a family of divorce, my now ex and I admitted to each other that we were better off not married. My son now knows what a happy relationship looks like, as both of us are with other people and we coparent peacefully. He has 4 happy adults to love and guide him, instead of 2 miserable ones.
Author
So. much. this. Divorce can be so UGLY and when you “do it right” so many good things can result from it. I’m glad you are in a much better place and your son can see what love is really supposed to be like.
Well, ain’t this appropriate for me – but then again, I think the same can be said for all of us.
Almost exactly 13 years ago, at the age of 16, I was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer – rendering me completely infertile, aside from the fact surgeons could and did save my uterus. My tumor ruptured, leaving me bleeding internally. My surgery got moved up (miraculously!) by 3 days – who knows what could have happened to me had that not happened. I don’t even want to think. I also found out, from reading medical records, that my chance of long-term survival post-chemo was less than 30%.
I am here, thriving, 13 years later – about to head into our first IVF transfer. I wouldn’t change one thing about my life, and how life clearly had better plans. I feel deeper, I am more grateful, and life has been put into perspective in a way I’m not sure I would have experienced had it not been what I’ve gone through. There is so much more that still has not gone according to my plan, but life has had, and will continue to have, much better plans for me. I’ve learned it’s all about rolling with the punches – and that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it :).
Author
It’s PERFECT for you. Your story is amazing and I’m so excited for your transfer.
I thought I was going to marry someone a little over three years ago and it ended in a way that left me so turned around and my world upside down. I had to re-build myself and everything I thought I knew………but a year later, I met my now fiancé and he is the BEST thing that happened to me. I hated what I had to go through (his situation 4 years before mine was almost the exact same) to get to where I was a year later, to where I am now — but I wouldn’t trade it for the world now! He is my better plan, and makes my whole life a better place. I can’t wait to get married to him in December!
Author
Love this so much!!! If more of us married someone who makes our “whole life a better place,” I think more marriages would work out. I’m so happy for you and your winter wedding!
My daughter Emily is a “life had better plans”….we were surprised with her, and though we felt so unprepared at the time, we could not imagine life without her now.
Author
I love it!
My job!! Did not think I would ever be here but love it!
Author
Yay!!! I’m so glad!
I can think of a few instances where “life had a better idea” but I would have to go back to the one that stands out the most – which is the relationship that I am in now. I was going down a bad path for quite some time and didn’t even realize how bad it was. Then the road came to a fork and I decided to take the path that I was always afraid to take. And here I am now happily married to a man I am proud to call his wife. I am so happy to say that “life had a better idea.”
Author
Gah. Tears. I’m so happy for you.
My divorce… it brought me to the saddest moment of my life which pushed me to reach for the greatest moment of my life.
Author
<3 Amazing!
My daughter! Actually both daughters 🙂 thank heavens for little girls!!!!
Author
Ooo I agree. And girls are pretty great. 😉
I almost didn’t continue to date my husband lol, I thought I would be out of state for several years and it wouldn’t work…I didn’t want to make a break up worse later. He said if it happened he would handle it, and he became more important than whatever else I thought I was going to do.
Author
Love!!
My twin boys are definately life had a better idea. After three rounds of IVF I feel so blessed to have my boys.
Author
Ah yes, I can so relate.
Weston!! What a little miracle he is! After 4 IVFs, 4 miscarriages, 3 D&Cs I threw in the towel. I had a gaping hole in my heart that could not endure anymore heartache and then “life had a better plan”. For the first time ever I found myself pregnant naturally. It was one of God’s greatest gifts. A true miracle!
Author
I still remember years ago when I found your blog, how much I wanted you to have another baby. You’ve been through so much, and I just love your story.
Going through treatment for breast cancer certainly didn’t seem like a better idea for my life at the time. But what it did for my spirit and outlook on life was what I will forever be grateful for. To see how strong i could really be and how going through such a time in my life could make me realize everyday just how fortunate and blessed i was. That is truly a better idea!!
Author
Oh I love this! <3