::this week::

This has been a hard week for me.  I was hurt by some circumstances that have arisen.  I've been attacked with fear and worry about other circumstances.  It has seemed like most of the plans Jeremy and I have made over the last few months are no longer possibilities... plans that we felt were God's will.  It has been hard to see things that we thought were from Him fall through.  I have a lot of questions.  There is a lot that I don't understand.  I'm still processing it all.  I'm taking my thoughts captive and guarding my heart... I don't want to end up bitter... angry... resentful.  I don't want to dishonor anyone.

It's not like me at all, but out of hurt, out of fear of further hurt, I just want to board myself up in my house and never leave or talk to anyone again.  But I know that is not of the Lord, I know he created me for community, and so I refuse to give in and let the enemy win.

I know that He is faithful.  That His grace is sufficient.  And that whether these circumstances are His doing or not, He wants to use them for my good, and for His glory.  So I try to see where He is at work through this.  What I can learn about Him, and how I can grow closer to Him.

When my plans fail, and people hurt me, I cling to the only one who is worth clinging to.  I stand on my Rock.

praying:  for wisdom.  discernment.  healing.

praising:  that God is sovereign.  that He is bigger than my troubles.  that He is faithful, perfect, and unchanging.  that He is present. always.  that His love is higher & deeper & wider than I could ever imagine. 

reading:  1 Samuel, Proverbs, 1 Peter, Dreaming with God, Desperate Women of the Bible

key verses:  James 1:2-4, Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 1 Peter 3:15-16, Proverbs 19:21

creating:  some activities for some upcoming birthday parties, some Christmas presents

doing:  hosting community group, ladies Bible study, and a few dinners with friends.  enjoying lots of time at playgrounds with the little ones, and lots of quiet time around the house.

cooking:  pizza, sesame honey soy baked tofu, fish tacos with black bean and corn salad, tacos with homemade salsa and guacamole, salad with tangy tomato dressing, broccoli and cheese soup with whole wheat artisan bread, blueberry baked oatmeal

23 months

Here is what is going on with Noah this month according to babycenter.com;

Your 23-month-old can probably follow a simple two-step command such as "Come here and sit down so I can tie your shoes." Her vocabulary likely includes at least 20 words that she can say clearly (and many more that are harder to understand), and soon she'll be adding words so quickly that you won't be able to keep track any more. Your toddler may utter short sentences, like "Juice all gone," or "Dog run out." And she can answer simple questions such as "What is your name?" and "What does the cat say?" She will use words to tell you when she's hungry and thirsty, so you no longer have to guess if that's why she's a little bit crabby... at least some of the time. She may also understand opposites. If you look at a book with pictures of, say, a big dog and a little dog, or a big car and a little car, and ask her which is which, she should know.

You already know that reading to your child is one of the best ways to boost her language skills. But up until now, you probably focused on familiar stories that you may have been reading together since birth. Now's the time to start broadening your book choices. Look for stories with a wide range of objects in them that are both familiar to your child and not so well known. When you read, pause occasionally and ask her questions about the book ("What is the kitty doing? Where is the boy?). Point at objects, and give her the opportunity to say aloud the names of those she knows.

When your child was an infant, out of sight meant out of mind. But now she has the cognitive skills to remember that she left her doll in the car, for instance, even after several hours have passed. She can also associate items she's seen in real life — monkeys at the zoo — with ones she sees in a book. If you have a shape sorter, you'll probably notice now that she can put several pieces in their proper spot. Many toddlers are also experimenting with dramatic play, such as pretending to eat a plastic banana and reporting to you how yummy it is. It will be a few years before you see elaborate fantasy play where she makes up stories and characters, but this is the foundation for it.

Give your toddler plenty of opportunity to engage in "unstructured" play. Give her a set of blocks and let her build towers or trains, for example, or give her a puzzle made of just a few pieces so she can have the satisfaction of completing it herself. Props such as toy telephones, grocery carts, tool boxes, and tea sets give her the opportunity to mimic the activities of the adults she sees around her.

Noah is bursting at the seams with energy, enthusiasm, and personality!

He is so smart.  Seriously.  I know every parent thinks that, but he is.  His memory is unreal for his age.  He doesn't seem very interested in learning colors yet, and hasn't made much progress on his numbers and letters over the last month, although I still think it's impressive at how much of them he does know.  8 times out of 10 he'll get his right hand or foot correct if you ask him.

He is fearless, jumping, climbing, and more, and even if he falls or gets hurt he'll go back and do it all over again right afterward.  He is all boy!  Curious, energetic, tough, and tough.  But he has such a sweet sensitive side.  A side that is so empathetic that he cries when others cry.  That he gets upset if he knows I get hurt, for example, when I stub my toe.  He can feel others pain, sadness, fear, etc.

He communicates so well, and understands almost everything.  He talks mostly in phrases and sentences.

He loves to play hide and seek, and hide from us behind the shower curtain.  He LOVES the new trick his daddy taught him of doing forward rolls on the bed.

We are working on potty training.  He has gone several times by us putting him on the potty, but only a few times has he come to us asking to use it.  Instead he goes in his diaper more often than not, and then announces it to us when he's done.

He still has a fairly picky palate, but is slowly starting to eat things other than just fruit, cheese, yogurt, and dry snacks.  He still will not eat meat for the most part.  One of his favorite things to do is to go get frozen "yae-gurt". 

Now that Hayden is getting a little older he is really loving getting to play alongside her Monday-Thursday.  They are so cute together!

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

This is my mother-in-law's recipe, with a few of my adjustments (adding whole wheat flour and replacing 1/2 the butter with yogurt).  I list the chocolate chips as optional, but Jeremy will tell you that chocolate chips are NOT optional in these muffins, they make the muffins.  These are not a dessert muffin, they are a healthy muffin, but the chocolate does add a bit of indulgence should you choose to use it.

-1/2 c butter, softened to room temp
-1 c sugar
-1 c brown sugar
-1/2 c nonfat plain yogurt
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 c pumpkin puree
-1 c whole wheat flour
-1 c all-purpose flour
-1 c rolled oats
-1 tsp baking soda
-2 tsp cinnamon
-(optional) 1 c nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, craisins, or any combination of the above

Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer.  Add egg, mix to combine.  Add yogurt, vanilla and pumpkin.  Mix to combine.  In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, oats, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Stir in any desired optional ingredients.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

::this week::

This was one weird week!  Last Saturday a baby was born to a close friend in our community group, then Sunday we learned of the death of a friend from our church.  This week was been a whirlwind of life and death, and the things that surround them.  I've received an answer to a prayer that I've been praying for months, but am not ready to share on that yet... soon.  We've had some confusion regarding the direction of our ministry, and desperately need the Lord to make our path straight, as Jeremy will only be working at his office for a few more short months.

I've been crazy busy and buried under plans for meal delivery for the family with the new baby.  And also organizing and planning meals for the wife of the deceased man.  And the visitation.  And for the family after the funeral.  And for the life celebration event the day after the funeral.  I feel like I barely came up for air this week, and am looking forward to some down time, and time to process and reflect this week.

Amidst the craziness and chaos, I can say that Edmund's funeral was the most beautiful, and glorifying to the Lord, funeral that I have ever attended.  It was sweet.  Sad.  Funny.  Christ centered.  People encountered the one true God, and will never be the same as a result, and there is nothing more that anyone could have asked for than that.  I was so encouraged to see the way our church pulled together, a church made up of such a young congregation who has never had to deal with a funeral before.  Everyone chipped in, gave, loved, served, prayed, comforted, celebrated, remembered, and clung to Christ.  Each body part performed their role, and I am so honored to be a part of a body that clings draws to each other, and our Saviour, so tightly in hard times!  This week I have been constantly meditating on God as the giver of life.

praising:  the sweet little life of baby Caroline, born to our friends.  an answer to one of my most heart felt recent prayers.  the body of Christ.  new life in Christ for many as a result of the testimony that Edmund's life has left.

praying:  for our church.  for Edmund's family, widow, and friends... there will be a few tough months ahead for them.  for wisdom on the next steps for our ministry, that the Lord would make our path straight.

reading:  Proverbs, Ruth, 1 Samuel, Dreaming with God, Desperate Women of the Bible, Kinfolk

pondering:  Like I mentioned last week, I'm continuing to learn my need for margin in my life.  Despite my love of being social I'm realizing just how much I do need lots of quiet, unscheduled/ unrushed time (I've always known that I'm an introvert, but I think I've been denying it with my actions recently).  When I'm not always engaging in conversations, when I'm not always rushing from one thing to the next, when I'm not constantly stimulated by distractions, then I have more time to listen to God.  To rest in His presence.  To be present in, and cherish each moment.  For His peace and joy to permeate me, that my cup may overflow to everyone that I do end up encountering.  Eventually, I'd like to be a lot better at listening to God and resting in His presence even in the presence of other people, even with lots going on around me.  But in this season, He has me really cultivating those disciplines in my more quiet and slow time with the kiddos, to then build on that in a later season.

cooking:  slow-cooker Indian curry, shrimp and grits casserole, butter beans and corn, baked oatmeal, spinach & mozzarella breakfast casserole, sausage & cheddar breakfast casserole, chai bars, pizza, Chinese Char Siu (roast pork), sriracha/ lime/ honey/ peanut brussels sprouts, pumpkin muffins, wine simmered mushrooms

creating:  the beginnings of some Christmas presents

doing:  Still protecting my week day mornings/ days so that I can have margin in my life.  A little more plans than we have had lately though, hosting a few dinners with friends, bringing food to a dear friend who just had a baby, hosting community group, hosting and leading our ladies study/ Desperate Women...

::this week::

praying:  that I would have eyes to see each and every person the way that God created them... that I would see each and every person as created in His image... that I would see their destiny (not their current struggles, conflicts, circumstances), and that I would be able to call those forth from them spurring them to step into those destinies.

praising:  some additional favor and provision for us as we continue to pursue the open doors that God is giving us as Jeremy will soon no longer be at his job and will soon be in full-time ministry.

reading:  Judges, Psalms, Desperate Women of the Bible, Kinfolk, Dreaming with God

cooking:  lettuce wraps, garlic noodles, cinnamon roll cake, chai bars, lemon bars, pumpkin bread, skinny pasta carbonara, warm lentil salad, jerk chicken with rice and beans, pizza

creating:  some cupcake wrappers and toppers for upcoming birthday parties, as well as some fun activities for said parties

doing:  starting an 8 week ladies Bible study (Desperate Women of the Bible) that I will be leading at our house. 

attending a ladies Scavenger Hunt in the French Quarter. 

other than that, not much.  I've been enjoying a slower pace the last few weeks, one with lots of margin, and not many plans.  I've been enjoying lots of extra time to play at the park with Noah in the mornings, and afternoons tinkering around the house while the kiddos play and nap.  I've been enjoying enjoying... with a more relaxed pace, one without rush or pressure, I'm able to better be present in, and cherish each moment.  As much as I like being social, seeing people, and doing fun things, I think that me, the kids I watch, and my family all thrive when I have a slower pace.

pondering:  gratitude. (inspired by this post by a friend).  wanting to read 1000 Gifts, and wanting to start my own list.  Philippians 4:8.

 margin. 

worshipping the Lord with all that I do/ doing ALL to His glory. 

the difference between tools of the devil (i.e. pride, judgement, gossip, etc.) being common vs normal for Christians... they are NOT normal for Christians, but are common... I no longer want to accept them as normal, making excuses for behavior that is not from the Spirit, behavior that is contradictory to who I am in Christ... constantly coming back to my identity in Him, that I am the righteousness of Christ... and I will act like it.

being slow to speak (James 1:19).  not having any idle words (Matthew 12:36).  using all of my words for good/ to encourage others (Ephesians 4:29). 

listening:  lots of IHOPKC, I love how such a large amount of their songs involve singing passages of scripture, it's SO.  VERY.  POWERFUL. 

been listening to lots of Todd White meetings via itunes... he brings Truth, so much truth that I have to listen to each talk multiple times to let the Truth sink in that I want to glean.  one of my favorite things about Todd White is that he NEVER makes fun of anyone... I find that so many pastors use humor at the expense of someone else, and to me that is not love, so I LOVE it and find it quite refreshing when someone doesn't do that.

Skinny Pasta Carbonara

Skinny Pasta Carbonara

This isn't exactly authentic, with the whole wheat pasta, turkey bacon, peas, and mushrooms, but I like the added nutrition from the vegetables and pasta, and reduced fat from the turkey bacon.  This is a quick, inexpensive, yet healthy meal.  Use regular bacon or pancetta if you want a more authentic version, and leave out the veggies.

-1 box desired whole wheat pasta (spaghetti would be most traditional, but I used penne)
-1 Tbsp  olive oil
-1 package (12 oz) turkey bacon, cut into 1/2" slices
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-3 eggs
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 Tbsp butter
-1 package mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
-1/2 c parmesan cheese
-1 c peas (I used frozen peas and cooked according to package directions

Cook turkey bacon, in olive oil, over medium high heat, stirring often.  Once bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes, add garlic, cook 1 additional minute, then remove from pan and set aside.  Cook mushrooms, in butter, over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes, then add to the bacon.  While mushrooms are cooking cook pasta, in salted water, according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking whisk together eggs, pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt (in large bowl).  Once pasta is desired tenderness drain and immediately toss in bowl with egg mixture.  Toss mushrooms, peas, bacon mixture, and cheese with pasta.  Garnish with extra parmesan and parsley if desired and serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken

I made this Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken.  This wasn't the best meal that I had ever eater, but it was good, a solid B.  And due to ease in prep and cooking I would definitely make this again, especially for entertaining on busy days.  I think it would please most palates.  To brighten up the flavor a bit, next time I might stir in some hot sauce, lime juice, and/ or fresh cilantro right before serving.  Top with green onions, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, or avocado and you have yourself a simple, tasty, healthy meal.