He hears me

[my little family outside the Mesa Temple, the temple we were sealed in for time & all eternity]

i still have other posts to write about our vacation
but i couldn’t wait another day to post this story.

it’s such a silly story really.
but one that strengthened my faith and love in my Savior.

i know He lives and answers my prayers.
all of my silly little prayers.

today i was at the thrift store [of course] with my friend Kelsey & the E-man
Elijah started throwing a fit [of course] while we looking around so i picked him up out of the cart and continued to carry him around the store.

after we had done most of our shopping and were now deciding on the must-haves and the do-withouts, i decided to try on a shirt real quick so i handed Eli over to Kelsey. he started freaking out and as i looked over to try and calm him down i realized his shoe was missing. 

his favorite shoes that he runs for every time we go outside. the only shoes he ever really wears.
the only shoes we could actually afford at the time. 
GONE. 

i {naturally} started freaking out a little.
i’m pretty sure Kelsey thought i was being ridiculous. and maybe i was. 
but these were important to me! and i totally blew it!

i didn’t know what to do.
all i knew was that i needed to find this shoe. 
i needed to know that taking my child out in public without Adam wouldn’t be a disaster.
i needed to know that i was a good mom and reliable.
i really needed to know i wasn’t a scatter-brained, disorganized, irresponsible mother like i feel i am quite often.  i needed more than anything to prove that to myself.  

like i said.
it was silly.

so i started scouring the store, retracing my steps anywhere and everywhere i thought i went.

i looked outside, in the car, on the shelves, under the clothes, in baskets.
no where. finally, as i was walking around trying to look in every inch of the store, i quietly said a prayer to my Heavenly Father.

“please. i need to find this shoe. please help me find this shoe.”

right as i got done saying those words, i turned around
and there it was. just laying there in the middle of the aisle.
an aisle that i know i had already walked down numerous times.
and that many many other people have been down as well.

i ran to Kelsey to tell her the good news. i told her about my little prayer and then finding the shoe in the aisle. she then said,

“i said a prayer too just now. i said that we really really need this shoe and to please help us.”

i immediately got tears in my eyes {and still do} at the power of that moment. right when i was praying for help, my friend was also praying for me.
and through our faith, the Lord was able to answer our prayers!

there, in the middle of this busy thrift store, two friends knew we could turn to our Heavenly Father to help us in a time of need. for something as insignificant as finding a shoe.

and right at the same moment that we turned to our Lord in faith and humility, He helped us when we couldn’t do it on our own.

this experience was a wonderful reminder of how the Lord really does look out for us always.
He is there for us.
He does hear and answer our prayers. {truly!}
He knows each and every one of us & knows our hearts.

to anyone else, stressing about finding this little shoe would just seem utterly ridiculous
but i know the Lord knew how important it was for me and how desperately i needed it.
because He knows me! better than i know myself.
He truly and deeply knows and cares for me.