10 posts tagged “friendship”
It's 10:45 p.m. Friday evening, and Matt and I are getting ready to go to bed, but I've had this idea for the past couple of days and I just gotta get it posted! I'm too tired right now to go into a whole lot of elaborate explanation as to why I believe this is important or give any further disclaimers, so if you have any questions about this, please let me know.
I have a number of friends overseas and Stateside who are followers of Jesus, who are giving their lives to help others know who Jesus is and to share His love with them. Sometimes they battle homesickness or culture shock. Sometimes they are weary and have a lot on their heart. Sometimes they are tired. I emphasize sometimes, because they also get great joy in what they do! But there are moments when they really appreciate some lovin', when they would really like to simply hear from a friend or a family member, just to hear that they're being thought of and that that they are cared about.
If you have a friend or family member that is serving in ministry, can you take a moment to send them a quick email this weekend to let them know you're thinking of them and that you appreciate them? You may not even agree with what they're doing or believe the same thing, but that's ok. What's important is that they know someone is out there who is thinking of them and wanting to show them some love. I would just ask that you consider reaching out to someone in ministry this weekend by sending them a note of encouragement or just to say, "Hi!". I know they would be deeply grateful! And if you don't know anyone in ministry, just pick one of your friends to send a note of appreciation to; I know they'd love that as well!
I will do this myself this weekend, but also want to write a prayer on Ink Pots to those of my friends who are in ministry who I know read this blog:
Lord, we entrust those who are dear to us, who are serving in Your Name, to Your never-failing care and love, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for. Defend them from all dangers of soul and body, and help them to draw near to You. May they be bound together in Your love. And may they be assured that You are the God of peace, that in quietness and confidence is their strength. May their joy abound in You this day. In Jesus' precious Name, Amen.
Dear ones, you know who you are, and you are being thought of and prayed for this weekend! Much, much love!
Hi, internet peep friends! One of the things I am doing this week is spring cleaning! I've put it off long enough and now I must embrace the dreaded task. Scrubbing. Polishing. Wiping. Dusting. Any cleaning verb you want to add, go right ahead 'cause I'm doin' it! I'm even washing all of our baseboards and who knows what else I'll do! To make it less daunting, I am cleaning a room or two at a time. The downstairs is my least favorite because there's more to clean; we live in our downstairs area. Upstairs is fairly unused and empty, so I'm saving that area for last and getting the larger, least fun areas done first. Today I started with our bedroom, bathroom and the guest bathroom. I hope to finish up on Friday and after that, just like my Momma said, it's U-N-T-O-U-C-H-A-B-L-E! At least for a few days, Matt and Molly better not shed a hair, leave a streak, or drop a crumb. Don't worry, I'm not that anal. Oh, but I so am! And it will feel so good when I've accomplished this week-long task!
So I'm taking a bit of a break from the scrubbing to answer one last Q&A question left by my dear hubby, and also to tell you a little bit about our sleepover with Harrison. Let me just tell you, first, how much I appreciate my man and how thankful I am for him! Some of the things that come to mind just from this past weekend are: I love how he can't get enough time with me; I appreciate what a diligent, faithful, and good provider he is; I value his care and concern for others and giving of himself to help them; oh, how I admire his pure heart--the guy never has a mean or malicious bone in his body; and I am thankful for his sense of humor and his desire to support and encourage me in my dreams. I would marry the guy again and again!
Yes, yes, enough mushy stuff, but sometimes you just gotta know that I love him and why! Matt wrote, "Meg, if you could learn one
new thing instantly by simply snapping your fingers, what would it be?
It could be anything from scuba diving to a new language (I had no idea
translating would have been one of your dream jobs!) to how to tie a
cherry stem with your tongue. The catch is that it can only be one
thing."
Only one thing!? He obviously knows me really well to have to put that requirement in the question! Normally, I would choose something on the serious side of my left brain, but I'm gonna go for the right side this time. And of course, there are a number of things that come to mind, but since my husband limited me to just one, I will have to go with ballroom dancing (all kinds of ballroom dancing). The jive, jitterbug, waltz, tango, rumba, etc...all the dances they do on Dancing with the Stars. How awesome would it be if I could just learn it instantly!? Matt and I took swing lessons when we were dating and only remember a few basic moves, but it was so much fun. He gets a really silly look on his face when we dance, and I have to look straight ahead at his chest because it hurts my neck to contstantly look up at him, so I'd either have to wear high heels, or I'd have to snap my fingers to do something about my height and his goofy look, too. <grin> I love him so!
In answer to Matt's second question: Is
there a time limit to posting questions that you have to answer on your
blog? Or can we keep posting questions months from now and you'd still
have to answer them? :)
Q&A session is now closed for this go around, but we'll do this again some time!
Now onto the slumber party with mister Harrison. This little boy has had my heart since he was in his momma's tummy. I actually got to hold him in the hospital for the first time when he was just about 12 hours old! He's grown up so much since then.
Yeah! Jill resubmitted her questions! Thank you, dear Jill!
Jill is also a small group girlfriend of mine, and she's also known as Harrison and Hadleigh's momma! Harrison is the amazing little man I get to tell you about tomorrow who spent the night with us for the first time on Friday. Miss Jillie is a very special friend who knows me pretty well; she doesn't let me get away with too much because she can call it what it is, straight up. That is an incredible kinda friend to have, and also a dangerous one...I can't get away with nothin', sour attitude or NOTHIN'! She makes me laugh a lot, keeping me lighthearted and playful. She is one of the most authentic and genuine people I know, a true example to me of how to love others with unselfish delight! It never fails: whenever she and Molly are together, Molly licks her toes all over! Moos loves the taste of Jill's lotion, and Jillie gets a kick out of it!
Let me just say it again: I'm so thankful for all of my friends! I am truly blessed. Ok, so onto what I think is the second to last round of answers to the first Q&A session. I've had lot of fun with this, and I hope you have, too!
Jill asked:
Ok, this is admittedly a difficult question for me to answer because I feel like I'm in a season of learning a number of things about me that I need the Lord to change...but I'm always in that season, so I'll move on. The first thing that came to mind though is that I like how I'm an organized, detailed person. I have to be careful though because I can be a bit obsessive compulsive about my organization and detailed traits, and undoubtedly have likely caused angst to friends and family who are more "normal" or less organized in their lifestyle or planning than I am because I'm always asking them about something months in advance (i.e. I've even emailed my friend Corrie already about scheduling a trip to Jordan for next April...that's either kinda awesome or kinda kookoo!). I love having things in order, things to be in their place, and being detailed enough to where I can effectively event plan, coordinate other such logistics, or even organize a pantry like I did for my Momma. Even a project to stuff envelopes and get out a mailing for a friend is enjoyable to me. I guess I'm weird like that. But it's something about myself I appreciate and hope it can be used as a gift and a blessing to others.
2). What was/is one of the most difficult lessons you've ever had to learn?
Trying not to be a perfectionist/control freak/living in fear of what other people think of me! I guess it goes along somewhat with my organization/need to have everything in its place, but it's even deeper than that. Trying to control situations, my future plans (notice the unintended "my" future plans--ha!), and people (this probably comes out more in my relationship with Matt than anyone else); learning to let go of my perfectionism; and trying to not live in fear of what others think of me are some of the most difficult lessons I am continually learning! And it happens partly because of a fear I have that if I let go then all the balls will drop, something won't be done as well (that sounds awful, I know!), something bad will happen, or someone won't like me. It's a way of playing god when I am so not, and it's not trusting the Lord and letting Him have His way, which is ultimately the best way.
I have a friend who recently gave me an image that has stuck with me like peanut butter in hair (ya like my The Office allusion there? <grin>). She said that sometimes we hold onto things so tightly that it's like our fists are in a constant motion of ringing out water from a washcloth, so closed and tightfisted. And in many ways, it causes much more pain to give something over to the Lord if we're holding on so tightly as a way to control, as opposed to keeping our hands open in an act of surrender. So to tangibly put this into practice, I decided to hug Molly differently. You see, I love this dog, probably way too much. She's nearly 7 years old, and I have the biggest fear of losing her. But sometimes, I hold onto this little girl of mine in my heart way too much. So when I hug her or hold her now, I try to remember to do so with open hands, in an act that I am saying, "Lord, I give her to you. I love her, and thank you for her, and I give this little puppy to you." It's hard! So I'm still learning. For sure, I'm still learning. <sigh>
3). Are you more like your mom or dad?
I like this question! But I don't have an easy answer for you: I think I'm split down the middle...although I'd be curious to know how my parents would answer this question for me! These are just a few things that come to mind:
Things I got from my Daddy: organization and communication skills; love for learning; joy of writing; way of thinking and processing through things; the ability to go in and out of the store to get what you need and not roam for inessentials <grin>.
Things I got from my Momma:
her gift to be uninhibited to dance around the house, be silly, make up songs, or start food fights; her terms of endearment/the way she talks; her love of cooking; her mannerisms--if you spent time watching us both, you'd easily see things we do similarly in actions. I wish I had a lot more of my Momma: she is another one in my life who knows how to love and unselfishly serve others! Her level of compassion and mercy is something I do not have, that I desperately need. And we look alike! My boss from church, when he first met my mom, eyed us coming towards him one Sunday and he had to do a double take!
4). Where was your favorite place to vacation and where is one of the top places you'd like to go? (money being no object!!)
As little kids, we were blessed to be able to take vacations as a family regularly and see many exciting places. My favorite vacation spot growing up was Colorado. We took several trips to Durango, Aspen, Keystone, Colorado Springs and Denver. Colorado was one of my family's favorite places and we have lots of fun memories there. As an adult, Banff, Canada has been both mine and Matt's absolute favorite so far! I guess I'm a mountain girl! <grin> I can't WAIT to go back to Banff! Which, if you don't know, is part of how we came up with Ink Pots for our blog title: they are beautiful, bubbling springs that you have to hike a ways to see, but they are worth every huff and puff and ringing of the keys to scare away bears!
Money being no object (wow, that would awesome!), I really, really want to make it to Jordan to visit my friends, Jonathan and Corrie, and visit the Holy Lands as well. After that, I think I'd pick Italy. Matt has been to Rome and raves about it, so I'd like to go see what all the fuss is about. Oh, but my list is L-O-N-G! I'll keep dreaming...
Tomorrow, I'll spill the beans a bit about our slumber party with "H" and answer Matt's Q&A question. Unless there are any other questions between now and then, I'll wrap up this fun Q&A session then. Until tomorrow, take care!
I LOVE getting ya'lls questions! Jill's comments were sadly cut off. <very, very sad face>. Maybe she'll repost them so I can have a chance to answer them. And a thank you to her, too, for keeping me from stuffing my face with cookie dough; although, we did have a sweet slumber party with one special mister that I'll blog about briefly on Monday, and in the midst of making his chocolate chip cookies, I did snag a bite or two of the dough. But just a bite or two, which is much better than what I inhaled previously this week.
Janna, like Lindsey, is a friend I met through our small group at church, and she's been a dear friend these past five years, faithfully walking with me through anything and everything, and patiently loving on me despite my many insecurities. I just found out last week that she loves being tickled, which delights my heart so much! And I also discovered that her twin 14 month old twin girls, Emily and Lauren (who like play dates with Molly), get just as much a kick out of being tickled as Janna! I have only tickled the wee little ones, but Janna better be on the lookout, 'cause I might just surprise her one day. An avid reader and a librarian, Janna has recommended several amazing books to me, and I hope one day she will be a guest author for Ink Pots, like my friend, Diane. So Janna asked three questions:
Okay, here are some questions for you: 1.) If you had to live outside of Texas for one year (with Matt, of course), where would you live? 2.) What would you do as a career if you could pick anything and miraculously already have completed the training? 3.) If you could re-live any year of your life, which one would it be? (Could be to re-experience or to re-do.)
Those are fun questions, and I'll try not to be too verbose for y'alls sake. <grin>
1.) If you had to live outside
of Texas for one year (with Matt, of course), where would you live?
First preference for the location: somewhere with a winter! Matt and I both miss having an extended winter with some sort of pretty, white precipitation. That being said, however, my experience of living in such a place was in college in Wheaton, IL and Matt's has been throughout his life living in Colorado, Canada, and Virginia...in other words, both of us have only experienced other people shoveling driveways for us (i.e. the college staff or Matt's parents). So we may tire of having too much of an extended winter since we now have to be responsible for such menial tasks. So if I could pick any place, I would likely pick Denver, Colorado: for its gorgeous mountain terrain and some of our good friends live there, too. It also gets some of that pretty, white stuff I was talking about.
Also, if I had my druthers, I would have Matt submit his name to his employer to be available to work overseas for a year or two! In which case, I'd go anywhere! Europe especially interests me. An opportunity of a lifetime it would be! I would love to do this; Matt, however, isn't so keen on the idea as I am...yet. <grin>
2.)
What would you do as a career if you could pick anything and
miraculously already have completed the training?
Sorry, I have a number of ideas that I can't seem to narrow down! Sometimes I wish I knew better in high school and college the vast amount of specialized careers there are! I wonder how it would have impacted where I am today. I love what I studied in college: spiritual formation with an emphasis on intercultural studies. And while I wish I had double majored in business or accounting, because I've learned I love accounting and working with numbers through my previous job, I don't think I would turn it into a long-term career. I wish I had the gift of learning languages to be a translator (like for the U.N.). One thing that has started interesting me more over the past few years is a combination of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. It compliments my passion for and educational background in intercultural studies, and I think it would be great to be an expert in these fields to influence decisions government agencies make. Honestly, I love intercultural studies, so finding any type of venue that enables me to put that to practice is a joy. Lastly, I would be grateful to brush up on my writing skills, creative writing included. 'Cause if you don't know by now, I enjoy writing this blog! I hope to develop it over time, which I guess is a current career goal. Writing about anything and everything, from what I ate yesterday, to my greatest fear, to my heart's deepest longing...I'm lovin' it!
3.) If you could
re-live any year of your life, which one would it be? (Could be to
re-experience or to re-do.)
Hands down: college year(s)! I would re-experience college in a heart beat. For the record, there is one particular part of my junior year that I wish I could re-do: I was a bit too busy with other friendships and responsibilities for the girls who were my roommates that year (none of them were Country House girls) and I think it really hurt them. So I wish I had made more of a conscious effort to be a good roommate that year. But for the positive stuff I'd re-experience...I transferred to Wheaton College, fall 1998 of my sophomore year. In addition to Becca and Michelle, who kindly took me in as transfer student to live with, my dear childhood friend, Eric, took me under his wings and introduced me to his group of friends (one of whom would be my future husband! But just so you know, we didn't start dating until after I graduated...I wasn't interested in him romantically at all in college! <grin>). Eric and Matt made up a group of 10 guys called "Graham House", and each one of them has a very special place in my heart to this day. I will not elaborate on the impact of Graham House fellas, my World Christian Fellowship cabinet, the Country House girls, or Corrie in my life, since the sentimental and nostalgic schmooze that I am could write a novel. I will say, however, that those formidable years of college were some of the most fun, memorable and cherished of my life. It was an era of precious friendships, much personal transformation, and priceless memories that Matt can attest to me saying on a number of occasions, "I wish I could go back to that time." Oh, the deep love I have for those Graham House fellas, Country House girls and Miss Corrie brings me to tears of joy and thanksgiving each time I think of them, and sometimes, I wonder if they have a clue as to how much I love them! How I hope they know!
A big "THANK YOU" goes out to my friends, Lindsey and Janna, for deterring me from hitting the frig to eat some chocolate chip cookie dough 'cause they asked me a question on my Q&A post! In fact, they asked me a combined total of five questions! I was seriously jumping for joy!
I first met Lindsey nearly five years ago at a party for a mutual
friend, and she and her husband, Chad, were so excited to invite me and
Matt to their small group. First of all, she was a huge example to me
of how inclusive and welcoming she was to total strangers, genuinely
wanting to include us in their small group. We accepted their kind
offer and have been involved in the same group for almost 5 years, with
people who have become some of our closest friends. A few years ago,
Chad and Lindsey moved to El Paso, my home turf, and it gave us one
more thing in common. I still remember the look on Lindsey's face when
she told me they were assigned to El Paso for one year for her pharmacy
school program; it was not what they were expecting! It was the same
look of bewilderment and shock that I get when someone from Austin
finds out they just met someone from El Paso, TX. "El Paso? That's in Texas, right? Wow!", is
the usual response with a look on their face that looks like they just
met an alien. I, on the other hand, was thrilled to know they were
going to El Paso! I couldn't wait to help them get situated, meet some
of our friends, and introduce them to some of the finest Mexican food restaurants on
earth. They were only there a year before moving to Dallas, but
fortunately, they have very fond memories of El Paso. I have been so
blessed to keep in touch with sweet Lindsey, and still learn a lot from
her just like I did the first day I met her.
Lindsey's first question: First, I would guess that like myself, you are the primary (ie: day-to-day) manager of finances in your family. It sounds like you have a very specific budget and are very organized in that area. I would like to know what tools you use to manage things (do you use Quicken, etc), and did it take you many trials and errors to determine your budget in each category?
You're right, Lindsey. I am the primary, day-to-day manager, of our finances. Scary! Thankfully, our pre-marital counselors taught us how to create a budget, and as one of our assignments, we had to track our expenses for a month and then create our very first budget. We were so busy with wedding planning, we spent over $400 eating out for the two of us in just one month; it was crazy! Another huge thing that has helped us is that this is an area in our marriage that Matt and I see eye-to-eye on: we both don't like debt, we both like saving, we both like numbers and our spreadsheets. However, Matt is rather cheap and a lot more frugal than I am. In fact, we were talking the other night about our budget and I teased him saying, "You know, sometimes you really are cheap." He chided back to me with a chuckle, "Meg, I've never spent so much money in my entire life than I have since marrying you." Touche, darling. So we have to sometimes balance each other out when it comes to day-to-day decisions on what to buy, when to buy it. But as far as the big picture is concerned, we fortunately have the same end goal in mind.
In developing our budget 5 years ago, we used a form much like
this. After tracking our expenses for a month, we tried to estimate as
best we could on budgeted amounts. We also made the decision that we
would only budget from Matt's income; my income would go towards
savings, for our home or for Matt's masters program. I recognize
that as a huge blessing as I know not everyone is able to save income like we were. We
keep track of our expenses on a month-by-month basis. Some months
we go over-budget in a category, but are likely under-budget in another
category. So while we keep track of which categories we're over-budget and make sure our cash flow in the bank is positive each month, we really look at the bottom line in each category at the end of the year to see how we did on an annual basis. The annual budget is the bottom-line marker for us.
Figuring out our budget was definitely trial and error. In fact, it was trial and error for the first 2 years of our marriage! We're at the point now where, while we still have to make strides to fully staying within our budget, we only have to tweak the budget a little bit at the beginning of a new year because we generally have a pretty good idea of what we spend in our categories now. We always have trouble though staying within budget in the following categories: groceries, dining out, vacation...and sometimes, my allowance. <grin> Last year, my income offset some of those categories we were over-budget in, particularly vacation with all the family weddings, funerals, and extra trips we decided were important for us to take. But since I'm no longer working, we are even tighter this year, and in many ways, we see this year as the first real test of our budget. Vacation I tell ya, I gotta be good with that category 'cause I just want to go here, there and yonder everywhere!
In setting up our budget, we use Microsoft Money software. It's worked well
for us, although if we were to do it again, Matt
may find that he likes Quicken better. We also have set up a few Excel
spreadsheets that we mostly use at the beginning of the year to compare
last year's budget to the current year's to see how we need to tweak the
budget, as well as to keep track of tithing and saving amounts. One of
the most formidable tools we've used is Dave Ramsey's Financial
Peace University class that is offered regularly by our church. We
took the class a couple of years ago and found it very helpful and
practical. We don't follow Ramsey by the book (i.e. we haven't destroyed
our credit cards but pay them off in full each month), but we
implemented his plan in saving and getting rid of debt (i.e. a college
loan and a car payment). Matt is a huge Ramsey fan and he listens to Ramsey's podcasts regularly. Even for Christmas one year, Matt wanted to give our siblings the book Financial Peace Revisited as a stocking stuffer. At least one of the siblings and one sibling-in-law appreciated it. It may have been too serious, or too geeky, of a gift for the others. Just as a little plug, we also use ING Direct
for our savings account. It has a much better interest rate (although
it's gone down significantly in the past few months) than a normal
bank.
We've made our fair share of mistakes as well, like buying a vacation package that we never used that was worth more than you want to know. So we've regretted some financial decisions, but those mistakes have been useful in teaching us things to be aware of, and have given us a better idea of things we don't want to fall prey to again.
Our budget is always a work in progress, but those
are the things that have been helpful tools we've used to set it up and
keep track of it. And we'll have to see how this year goes! Feel free
to ask any questions for clarification or more info.
Lindsey's second question is: Second, if you could plan your ideal day in Austin, what would it look like?
Hands down, it would have to be something with Matt and Molly, and somehow, it would have to include Mexican food and chocolate. I would buy a boat (only so I could do this whenever I pleased), and go with Matt, Molly and some friends to Lake Stillhouse, near Belton (hope this still counts as my ideal day in Austin!!), to go boating, swimming, tubing and water skiing for the day. Actually, we did this a few years ago with our small group (with the exception of buying a boat...it was borrowed), and I think it was one of my most favorite days ever! First off, we were with good friends. Secondly, Molly came on the boat with us and LOVED IT! LOVED IT! Lake Stillhouse is a much more quiet and peaceful lake compared to the busyness of Lake Travis. We found a secluded area on the shore where we set up camp. Molly and I got to swim together, one of my most favorite things to do ever, and it was a gorgeous day! To top the day off with some Mexican food at Chuy's and a hot fudge sundae or a concrete from Shakes, that is my ideal day in Austin. Oh, I'd be a happy woman!
Below are a few pictures from one of my perfect days in Austin back in 2005. Click on a picture to see an enlarged version.
Most people say they feel younger than they really are, with the possible exception of their physical body not feeling like a spring chicken. So I guess I'm an oddball this year: today is my birthday, and somehow, I feel older than my new age: 29. How can that be!? Maybe it's because Matt turned 30 this year and I feel it should have been my turn this year, too; maybe it's because mentally, I just want to skip what a lot of people feel is the dreaded last year of their 20s and just accept that I'm headed into a new decade of age; maybe it's because most of my close friends in Austin are already in their 30s and it feels weird for me to still be in my 20s; or maybe it's because my mental and emotional state the past year has aged me more than I thought and surely, I shouldn't be in my 20s. My body, also, has sure shown its "maturity", if you will: on top of my hurt ankle (by the way, how can I be so out of breath climbing a set of stairs when I haven't been running for just a few weeks!?), I found two grey hairs recently! Matt went through his list of reasons why I don't need to color my hair (which I started a year ago and not because of grey hair), but after no consideration to his comments, I applied my trusty Garnier reddish/brown tint to my own heart's content. Some of you are chuckling, thinking to yourselves, "This girl has no idea what aging is. I'll show you aging!" But seriously, I'm just 29!?
Oddly, I didn't really feel like celebrating too much today. Matt tried his darndest to get me to "par-tay", and I'm sure he would say it was like pulling teeth from a whiny 5 year old. I just really didn't feel that up to it. For one thing, I thought of my friend Becca, who didn't see her 29th birthday. I also thought of the ways life quite isn't what I expected it to be. But as I started receiving e-cards, messages on Facebook and Ink Pots, and phone calls, the thanksgiving for my friends and family, and especially my husband, overflowed into joy and celebration of the day. Also, opening some presents helped, too. I love presents! Thank you to those who have made me feel so loved! It has been a very special day. Let me share some of the highlights (you can click on a picture to see an enlarged version):
For breakfast, Matt took me to a wonderful, eclectic restaurant called Chez-zee. He ate enough for 4 people: A Belgian waffle with pecans, whipped cream and strawberries; eggs with cheddar cheese; and home-fried potatoes! He devoured every bite! I was lucky to get one nibble of waffle (slight exaggeration there). I had, what my sister-in-law, Julie, says is, "an old lady meal": quiche. It was yummy, but I will agree with Julie: it was boring. I should have gone for the creme brulee French toast! Even so, it was tasty and a delightful date with my hubby, who has planned each part of this day so well!
We stopped by one of Austin's best grocery stores, Central Market, to pick out some burger patties for tonight's bar-b-que. I got one with jalapeños and cheddar cheese! On our way home, we stopped by Chris and Jill's home and had some good laughs and played with the kiddos for just a bit. Look at those cheeks of Haddie's! Harrison is such a big boy on his motor bike. He said the most precious thing when his momma asked him, "Harrison, who made waffles today?" "God makes waffles." Precious! It reminded me of a story my friend and neighbor, Leah, told me recently about her son, Evan. She asked him, "Evan, where does Molly live?" Usually, he points over to our house. But on this special occasion, he took his hand and pointed to his heart, which is where he points to when Leah asks him, "Evan, where does Jesus live?"
This evening, Matt bar-b-qued burgers on the new grill he got for his birthday. It was his first time grilling and he did an excellent job; the burgers were perfect! Below are a couple of pictures of flowers in our garden. There is one of the Knockout Rose that is absolutely fabulous! You'll see there are more than 5 blooms already on one stem, with at least 5 more buds ready to blossom. It's a gorgeous cluster! The other yellow flowers are from the Esperanza Yellowbell. Before you think our newly planted garden looks great, let me say that one small Cherry Laurel tree that was here when we moved in has suddenly turned a dark brown with crispy leaves, and, it seems as though our Lantana is also sickly. We're trying to figure out what is ailing our plants, and the enigma of it is what stresses me out. Gardens are meant to be somewhat calming and relaxing, right? Well, not for me. It's what probably caused the 2 grey hairs to sprout.
And I just have to share these with you! They are of my little Miss Molly, and I think they are beautiful. They are some of the only pictures we have where her gorgeous eye color shows.
So far, 29 has been a wonderful age. I'm hopeful it will be a fitting completion to what has been a most treasured decade!
p.s. Check out the update I made to the post "A Playdate in a Park with a Purpose" to see some pictures! It was a great afternoon and Janna did SO WELL!!
For the past couple of days, I've been telling Molly that, "We are going to the park on Friday"! So since this morning when we woke up, I reminded Molly that today will be a very fun day because we have a play date at the park. Even as I left for the manicure and pedicure appointments my kind husband gave to me for my birthday, Molly already started getting excited when I walked to the door. "No, not yet," I told her with her eyes glaring back at me like I've totally let her down. Yes, I'm mean for getting her all wound up at 8 a.m. not to be leaving until 1 p.m.! And as soon as I got home, she then thought it was time to go. This is the honest to goodness truth: every time I go to the bathroom before we head out (could be 1 minute or 45 minutes before we leave), I am sitting on the toilet and here comes Miss Molly looking for me, giving me once again those eyes that say, "Come on' mom. Is it time yet? I'm ready!" Every time I'm sitting there and this little girl comes truckin' in wondering if we're going yet. Why the bathroom for heaven's sake!? It happened to me just 15 minutes ago, so I just had to blog about it. You all are likely wondering why I don't close the bathroom door, huh?
Molly's a smart dog. She knows what the words "go", "let's go", "truck", "walk", "squirrel", "breakfast", and "go get 'em" all mean. And I think she's nearly learned the word "snuggle", which I use all the time right before I put her in the bed with me. Whether she's there for 10 minutes or all night, I use the word "snuggle" so she knows she gets to be with me in bed. Rarely does it actually mean she's snuggling with me, up close and personal. That would be my preference, but no, she would rather sprawl out and take half the bed than get all snuggly next to me. Unless she's been in bed with me all night. If that's the case, then in the mornings when we wake up, she wakes up quite playful and in the mood to snuggle, coming next to me as close as she possibly can.
So we're going to leave for the park in 25 minutes or so, and I can guarantee this dog is counting down the minutes. As soon as I stand up, she'll know it's time and then go buzzerko on me, without me having to say a word. We're headed to Zilker Park to meet my friend, Janna, and her two 14 month old twin girls, Emily and Lauren. You see, Janna is afraid of dogs. Bless her heart for knowing how much Molly means to me and being willing to extend her comfort zone to even pet her. I joke and tell Janna that she will have to get used to doggies because I bet her anything that her girls will beg and plead for one by the time they're 7. And Janna will cave. It may even happen before the girls turn 7 because they already love dogs! They've interacted with Molly once when they were real little and loved her then, so I can't imagine how much they'll love her today! Miss Molly and I are going to the park to let Emily and Lauren hang with Molly and play all over her, and help Janna be a little more comfortable around a dog. In all reality, it's just a fun reason for the two of us to get together! (Interruption: Molly is standing right next to me, staring at me with her ears perked ready to go! I can't keep this puppy waiting much longer so I'll wrap it up.) I'm thankful Molly loves big and little people so much! She'll help convince Janna that dogs are the best. I bet anything Janna will have a dog of her own some day soon. I just know it!
Aside from coming home to an ecstatic puppy and a most hugable husband, I would have been perfectly content staying in Celina, TX with my friend Jill at her parents' home for a good while. Open country with cows mooing across the field; eatin' good home cookin' and burgers next to a fire by the poolside; getting precious hugs from my little friend, Harrison, as I come downstairs to breakfast; playing dominoes and Ninendo Wii all afternoon; drifting away in an afternoon nap curled up on the couch after reading a good book; staying in comfy clothes all day long without putting on makeup. Heavenly!
As promised, the following is a photo log of our trip, from beginning to end. What a fabulous getaway! And it delights my heart so much to have time to love on and play with my friends' kids! I must say, what a wonderful and special Mommy Jill is!
You can click on individual pictures to see an enlarged version.
Friday, March 7th: Road Trippin' to Celina with Jill, Harrison & Hadleigh
I am continually amazed at how fast Harrison is growing up and what a big boy he is! He was just a mere 10 hours old when I first held his tiny (but big for a baby) frame, and now he's such a grown up 2 year old! He played on the play scape, climbing up the contraption all on his own, and he also does a great job drinking his milk through the straw...he loves his milk!
Precious Haddie-Bell was grinnin' real big for me at Chick-fil-A. Don't you just love that little face?
Saturday, March 8th: Game Day
It is routine in the Patton household that on Saturday mornings, Pappy (my nickname for him based on a previous trip is "Muffin") makes omelets. Atypical for me, I was the last one out of bed Saturday morning, but fortunately, I didn't miss out on the breakfast, cause that would've made me really sad.
Harrison has been giving me hugs only when he really feels like it, so lately, I haven't been getting too many hugs, which makes me very sad. He knew I made chocolate cake that night though and boy howdy did I use it to my advantage! He tapped me on my arm and asked, "Meg, choc-o-lit cake pleeze", and the brightest idea entered my mind. "Harrison, I would love to get you a piece. Meg has missed your hugs though. Can I get a great big hug?" Hey people, you gotta do what you gotta do! So I got down on his level and he gave me the biggest, longest hug, with little, gentle pats on my back. Heart melting. Heart melting. Heart melted. It was my favorite moment.
Sunday, March 9th: Sleepin' & Eatin'
Yes, the dreaded time change day. We did well with getting me and Matt, Chris and Jill, and the kiddos out of the house by 11:15 a.m. to meet Jill's parents and our friends, the Walkers, for lunch at La Hacienda in Frisco. Chad & Lindsey were in our small group a few years back before they moved to my hometown, El Paso, for a year and then onto Dallas where they currently live. Last summer, little Gibson was born and so we finally got to meet him, too! It never ceases to amaze me how some friendships are so easy and comfortable to pick up right where they left off, even when not being able to see each other for quite some time. Nothing less than a huge blessing, I tell you! That's how it is with the Walkers; what a treat it was!
Our dear hubbies left after lunch, leaving us girls with the kiddos and Jill's folks to enjoy a couple more days of playtime and r&r.
Monday, March 10th: Shopping spree for Haddie
I could make up a tale of Jill dragging me along for hours to half a dozen stores in the mall, another retail store down the street, and finally a resale shop looking for an Easter dress for Haddie and whatever other good deals she could find...and it would be true! Now I'm just teasing Jill for the sake of teasing Jill. But I am not a shopper, especially when I'm not shopping for myself, so I was knocked out with the kids by the time we got back to the Pattons'. It's not something I'm proud of with how I tire so quickly, so you need to know: we did hit a lot of stores! It was a girl's outing with Jill, her mom and miss Haddie-bell, perusing various children's stores for just the right dress. Not only did we find one, we found two, plus a bunch of other good deals at the resale shop (but I stayed in the car with Haddie on that one). The pink one is for Easter and the purple one is for her first birthday in June (it doesn't take much to come up with a valid reason to buy more than one dress)! I wanna new Easter dress, too! <grin>
Sadly, it was time to go home. And even sadder, Jill headed home with 2 sinus-infected kiddos. Harrison hung out with his buddy, Pappy, in the morning, playing in Pappy's wood shop trying out the step stool Pappy made him, and planting tomato seeds as well.
I was so ready to see my puppy and hubby! They have a special way of brightening each day of mine.
On a weird note, I must now go try to get a bird out of our oven vent. He seems to think that would be a good home. I don't think so!!
Only 25 more days until Matt and I embark on our first running race ever: The Capitol 10k! Our timed run starts at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, March 30th. Faithfully training, we're currently running 4 miles nonstop! This coming Sunday will increase to 4.5 miles, with only 3 weeks left to go! Matt still runs quite a distance ahead of me, but hey, I'm just thankful I'm not keeling over, and pray I feel good the day of the race (I'm a little worried about the hills and hope my nerves don't get the better of me). For those interested, click here to see the race course map. While running, I've been listening to a combination of Twila Paris' The Ultimate Collection and U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind. The U2 CD is quite empowering and motivating with its rhythm, and I love the worshipful mood Twila's music puts me in starting out the day with a run. But I'd love some more recommendations for good running music. Any suggestions?
We've discovered a new tasty indulgent treat that has become our favorite: Shake's Frozen Custard!
I had some ground chicken to use but didn't quite know exactly what to make with it, so I did a little recipe search on CookingLight.com. I came across a great, tasty recipe I thought I'd share for Chicken-Chile Tostadas.
Three cheers for Lost!! It is SO good! Don't you just wake up in a good mood on Thursdays knowing that you'll get to watch it that night? I do!
This Friday, I am going on a road trip with my dear friend, Jill, and her two precious kiddos, Harrison and Hadleigh!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup prechopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound ground chicken breast
1/2 cup bottled fat-free salsa
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lime juice
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until onion begins to soften. Add cumin, chipotle, and cinnamon; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring to crumble. Add salsa, water, and salt; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cilantro and lime juice; remove from heat.
While chicken cooks, place tortillas directly on oven rack; bake at 400° for 5 minutes or until slightly crisp. Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates; top each tortilla with 1/4 cup lettuce, 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 1/4 cup cheese, and 1 tablespoon sour cream.
Yield
4 servings
Last night we went over to our longtime friends' home for some of Pete's amazing homemade pizza and what turned out to be quite a nostalgic and invigorating round table discussion. We've known Pete and Jackie since our Wheaton College days: Matt and Pete were roommates during college; Jackie graciously included me as one of the girls when I transferred to Wheaton; we were in each other's weddings; and Matt and I have had the privilege of watching their two little girls, Olivia and Sophie, grow up before our eyes...and too quickly I might add as they're about to turn 6 and 4! We love it that this family is in Austin! Despite how our get-togethers are sadly sometimes too far in between, it is quite comforting and uniquely special to know that these dear friends have and understand a history with us from some of the most formative, fun, and memorable times of our lives!
Along with Molly, because the girls adore her, we went over and spent some time with the girls before tucking them in bed and then getting some grown-up time. Sophie made the three of us (yes, Molly included) some pictures that we now have hanging on our fridge, and they had fun taking turns leading Molly around the house on her leash. Of course, Molly soaks up as much attention as she can get, especially from little people! After Jackie and I read to the girls and tucked them in bed, the four of us chowed down on Pete's pizza! My excuse for downing four wonderful slices of Pete's pizza is that I haven't had his pizza, despite my ongoing cravings for it, in over a year and a half! So I was due, boy was I due. And I enjoyed every single bite of it, along with the plate of greens Jackie gave me, of course.
For nearly 3 hours, the 4 of us had wonderful dialogue that reminded us of the hundreds of conversations we'd have at Wheaton; in that regard, it was quite a nostalgic evening. The topics of last night's round table discussion ranged from church history, theology, various international forms of worship, the absolutes of Christian doctrine, and church structure. We also talked about discerning what forms of worship we are familiar with that are based on American culture and values rather than solely biblical principals. Like I said, it was invigorating and refreshing! We are grateful for the experiences we had at Wheaton, the things we were able to be exposed to and learn, and the people we met at Wheaton, whom we highly respect and who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They helped us see and appreciate the breadth, depth and variety of the Body of Christ around the world!
Pete, Jackie and Matt are night-owls, but come 11 p.m., I was ready for bed, and so was Molly! As we drove home, Matt and I both yapped away in excitement over our conversations and the bond of friendship we have with Pete and Jackie. We hope to have have hearts continually willing to learn, to be in dialogue with others, and have these round table discussions more often.
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