A challenge to myself.

So a while back I wrote a couple posts about Shauna Niequist's books.  They are seriously a breath of fresh air.  Amidst all the intense seminary novels I was reading a year ago, her books were about all I could handle diving into at that time and that seems to be the case now that I have a little one as well!  Dan, being the wonderful husband that he is, preordered her book Bread and Wine for me.  And then, my replacement at Trinity just happens to be her sister in law and she got me a SIGNED copy of Bread and Wine.  Basically what I'm trying to say is that Shauna and I are pretty much bffs now. 

Anyway, I was really excited when she started talking about her next book.  It has a similar feel to her last books, mainly a collection of short stories, but she has a recipe at the end of each one.  I think I enjoyed this one so much because we have very similar thoughts about food- but she's a much better cook then me- hence her publishing a cook book.  I love how she talks about certain foods taking her back to a certain place and time in her life.. because really.. food does that for me, too.  I was trying to explain this to Dan and he laughed at me.  Dan doesn't live to eat, he eats to live.  Which means he can even skip lunch because he's so caught up doing other things.  That is craziness to me.  At breakfast I'm already thinking about lunch.  It's a blessing and curse.

However, I love how Shauna so perfectly puts into words how food is given to us by God to enjoy with one another and how eating meals around the table also creates community.  That is something I have loved here in Chicago.  While I love going out to eat, our budget however does not.  So, our friends have enjoyed having each other over, sharing meals, glasses of wine, and desserts.  Some of my favorite memories here in Chicago have been created over the dinner table.

So, you're probably wondering what the challenge is that I referenced to in the title.  Over the next couple months (or maybe year... a lot of her recipes call for ingredients from Trader Joe's and while there is one literally 2 minutes away from our house now.. in New York the closest one is either in Albany or Rochester.. both are over 2 hours away from where we're going to be living!)  Dan and I know from experience that it takes a while to make new friends when you move to a new city, so we are going to have lots of down time with each other :)  So I figured this is a perfect time to find some new favorite recipes and expand my cooking repertoire.  (I don't think I've ever used that word on this blog.. I hope that made sense...) I've already made a couple of them but I'll post about those recipes later.

Some of her recipes call for ingredients I've never bought (like goat cheese!) but I'm going to try to stick to them as much as I can - this will be a growing experience... really for Dan more than me :)  I'm excited to start cooking new food and sharing it with you along the way!

It's been a while

I don't know if you remember this.. but approximately a year ago on this blog I posted these "internet finds" updates pretty often.. probably weekly.  I still see wonderful, noteworthy things on line.. but I just don't seem to have the time to put them all together in a post.  Well, get excited.  Because today I do :) I just found too many good things that I needed to share.  Here are some fun things I've been looking at around the web:

We are going to be purchasing some prints off this website for our new home :)  I'm SO excited!

This blog post about summer with kids had me laughing out loud.. literally. 

I loved some of these motherhood tips :)

Cute ideas for a baby shower.

This outfit inspired me to want to look into purchasing more shorts this summer.. I have one pair. And they're a *little* tight lol

Flowy maxi dresses are more what I've been wearing this summer... maybe it's because my shorts don't fit? ha

A post that encouraged me this morning.  Especially this line:

"You may not be the first to show up in a crisis or do the most hospitality, but you are washing little feet all day as you humbly serve your family. I pray you know God’s pleasure in your faithful service. It is pleasing to him, and even though no one else may see, “your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:4)."

Please look at how awesome this playlist is.  Our friends threw us a going away party and they put together this playlist for the party.  I seriously couldn't wait to hear which song was coming up next.  I am sure I will listen to this in NY and cry... and laugh because really, who doesn't remember the Graduation song being played at some cheesy high school event or get together?  Good times.

To the Fathers in my Life

To my husband:

I don't tell you enough how great of a dad you are to Jake.  Even today you're praising me for what a great mom I am.. when it's YOUR special day.. not mine :)  I really can't even fully express how much my love for you changed when you became a dad.  I was told by other moms before we had Jake to give their husbands space when they get home from work and don't throw your kids in their arms because you're tired and you've been with them all day.  I don't even have the option to do that because the second you walk in the door, Jake is frantically crawling in your direction knowing he is going to be tickled, thrown around, and played with for the next 20 minutes.  It is such a joy to watch you love on Jake and I am so thankful that Jake is going to grow up and learn more about the Lord from you.  I feel so blessed to walk through this parenting journey with you.

To my dad:

I have gained so much wisdom from you over these past 10 years. From changing tires on the car and doing our own oil changes to painting trim- you are one of the best teachers I know.  You have given Doug, Jon, and I so much wisdom over the past 25 years and I can only hope to do the same for our kids.  I am also so thankful you have shared your heart over the years about what God has taught you as well.  I will never forget Joshua 24:15 or hearing you share about how God was stretching you in the area of finances as you studied Malachi 3:10.  Those small conversations that we had in passing in the kitchen left hand prints on me that I still remember 10 years later.  Thank you for passing on your godly legacy to us :)

To my father in law:

From the moment I met you when Dan and I started dating back in high school you always have the biggest smile and give the best hugs.  It has been such a blessing to have you as my father in law and I have you to thank for Dan always wanting to hold my hand and tell me how pretty I am :)  I can't tell you how much I enjoy watching you tell Berta how much you love her and I can look over at Dan and know that is how he is going to be in 20 years- and what a blessing that is! Your love for your family and the way you accepted me into your family means the world to me and can't thank you enough for that.  Thank you for teaching Dan what it looks like to love your spouse unconditionally and through the good and the bad.

We're moving.

So this has been a blog post that I wanted to write last week some time.  But such is life, and it's happening now.  For pretty much all of Dan's career at Kraft they have told him there is the possibility they could move him.  Potentially opportunities came up, and some real opportunities came up, but nothing ever worked out.   About a month ago Dan was offered a new position in New York.  Let me tell you- I honestly never thought we would live in New York.  I can honestly tell you there has never even been a thought in my mind where I was like "It'd be fun to live in New York some day!"  It was more like, "It would be fun to live in South Carolina some day... where it's warm.. and sunny..." haha.

Dan's new position will be a wonderful opportunity for him.  It's great experience for him now and for what he hopes to do in the future.  It will challenge him and grow him.  However, it's not going to be easy leaving Chicago :/ It's a running joke with our friends that when we moved out here we were on a mission to leave right away.  Two years max we would live here.  We would pay off our debt and head into ministry and be gone. Poof. Don't get too close- we're leaving this place.  Sadly, they felt those vibes :(  (sorry guys!)  And, as usual, life didn't pan out that way.  Our debt didn't get paid off as quickly as we hoped.  Cars failed and more debt was piled on.  Then babies enter into the picture and God led us in different ways here.  (The verse "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9" comes to mind as I'm typing that...)

Anyway, He's taught us a lot during our time here in Chicago. But I'm not going to get into that now.  We're still here.. so that post will come later :)

Anyway this past month has been filled with trips out to NY because it's happened all VERY fast.  Oh and did I say that Dan starts MONDAY?  I'm sad because he will be gone :(  We thankfully found a home (we'll share more of that later :) but we won't close until July since it's a 30 day closing so I will be here while he's out there.  But, I keep telling me it's just a season and this too shall pass.

So, if I haven't called, emailed, texted, or facebooked you back... or if my blogging is sporadic.. or who knows.. maybe I'll have more time to blog since Dan is gone.. that is why.  Things are a little crazy over here.  But, we're surviving.  God again has brought to mind James, what I'm memorizing, "Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds .... "  Life brings trails of all different kinds and while this isn't necessary a trial, it has its moments of stress that test my faith. 

So, I'm going to try to be better at keeping you updated :)