Our first guest blogger is Lisa Leonard.

I am lucky enough to actually know her in real life, but if you read her blog, you’ll get to know her too.

If nothing else, the way she captures everyday beauty in her photos is enough to make you a loyal reader.

Oh, and then there’s her gorgeous jewelry.

You really can’t go wrong.

**If you are new to this blog, read HERE to get a feel for what this is all about.**

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I planned to get married right after college, but my boyfriend broke up with me right before graduation. Change of plans.

I planned to get the perfect job right out of college-either working with special needs kids or wedding coordinating. And I got a job, but I couldn’t stand it. So I quit. Change of plans.

I planned to have kids quickly after getting married, but Steve was working on his Master’s Degree and we lived with my parents to avoid more student loan debt. So we had to wait. Change of plans.

These bumps in the road were difficult for me. I’m a planner. But I realize, sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan – so we have to be flexible, right? I was learning to be flexible. I was learning that sometimes there is a better plan than the one I map out.

But then life took a turn that we never anticipated. Our plans changed in a way that no amount of boyfriend break-ups and bad jobs can prepare you for.  After an easy pregnancy, our first baby was born with only seven fingers, a heart defect, hearing loss, cognitive delay, and a host of other problems.  I didn’t want to be flexible. This change of plans was unacceptable and my life as I knew it was over.  My plans for our family had been crumpled up into a ball and thrown into the wastebasket.

The first three days of his life my mind was filled with the question, “why?’.   Why did this happen?  Why does it have to be like this? Why would God let this happen?  And HOW, how can we undo this? Knowing with all my being, it could never be undone.

But then new questions started to come to mind.  Why not me?  Why do I think I deserve a pain-free life? When did God ever promise me a yellow house, with a white picket fence, two kids and a dog? I haven’t come across that scripture yet.

So I surrendered. I told God, “If you want me to be miserable, fine.  I’ll suffer. I’ll accept this pain you’ve placed in my life”.  I was willing to be miserable for the rest of my life. I gave up my plan. I was broken.

And slowly, my perspective began to change.  This little baby boy, someone so different than we anticipated, began to wrap his sweet seven fingers around my heart.  His smile was made of special glue that healed the cracks in my broken heart.  I began to see that his little life was not a tragedy, but something precious and beautiful.  I began learning that God’s plans are better than mine.

I wish I could say I’m no longer a planner.  I go with life’s bumps and turns without complaining. But I still have a hard time when plans change. I still struggle to trust God at times. But I can say, beyond a doubt, that David has brought immeasurable joy into our lives.  It’s not how I would have planned it, but I certainly wouldn’t change it.

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Now this is where YOU, dear reader, come in.

Lisa has selected the Cornelia deLange Syndrome Foundation as her featured charity.

You can donate through our Life.Rearranged Group Page by clicking HERE.

Every dollar you donate gives you one entry.

So, if Sally gives $7, she gets 7 chances to win…

A $75 SHOP CREDIT TO

LISA LEONARD DESIGNS!!!!

Don’t feel like your small sum won’t matter.  Every dollar will help.  Every dollar can be powerful.

This site’s challenge to you is to give $5 to each of the guest blogger selected charities.

You can give more or less.  Totally up to you.

More is definately fan.tas.tic, but don’t feel overwhelmed by the thought of giving.

This giveaway and featured charity will be hosted until the morning of Friday, April 2nd.

I love your comments (what blogger doesn’t?) and they are ALWAYS welcomed.

But please know that the *only* way to be entered to win is by giving first.  :)

Every 2 weeks you’ll meet a new woman.  A woman who has a story.  It’ll be different than yours, but it’ll be a story.

Every 2 weeks you can give another $5+ to a different charity.

Invite your friends.

Subscribe, Tweet, Facebook, Blog.

Let’s support eachother.

Let’s win some great swag!  :)

{Here’s the DONATE link again.}

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• {Lisa Leonard} a change of plans. - March 22, 2010