Little Moments.

Did life ever get so rushed that you forgot to breathe? Today, after (home) school and morning/afternoon chores, Gabe took Ella out to run errands with him. Leaving me completely.alone. So, I sat down at the table and this is what I saw.

Coupons, to-do list, cookbooks, even my dumb phone had new texts on it. Ugh.

I even had two crockpots going at once. Some days, I swear...I need to write "breathe" on my to-do list, otherwise it will never get done. After their errands, Gabe and Ella came home with a surprise. It totally made my heart melt. My 30th birthday is this Thursday, and while I don't care about turning 30, I also don't care for birthdays. I have always, always wanted one of these.

 

Looking at this sign, it makes me realize just how much God has already blessed my family. Even though I am stressed to the gills sometimes. Even though sometimes it seems like all I do is work, in one capacity or another, at my paid job or at my home. He gives me the energy I need to get up each and every morning and do my work. He gives me the wisdom to teach my child. He gave my husband a job.  He gave us a house to live in where I can hang this sign! Most importantly, He gave us the opportunity to be in fellowship with Him. I overlook that fact so much.

 

I'm promising myself that I won't overlook these little moments anymore: my morning prayer time, the way Ella's face lights up when she masters a hard math problem, my husband's easygoing smile...I have so many blessings. I don't want to overlook a single one.

 

 

Happy Fall, Ya'll.

I love Fall. Really. God's creation undergoes an amazing change, and the food. Oh, my goodness, the food!!!

This has been an amazing week. We are all moved in to our new place, and for the most part are as happy as clams. Sparrow, our cat, was a bit suspicious of the new place, but quickly got used to it and is now loving life.

God has shown Himself to us this week in wonderful ways. First, Ella woke up fever-free on Monday morning. Then, yesterday, while we were stressing about a bill, a man came to our door and handed us that EXACT amount. Also, a washer and dryer was delivered to us last night. It had been paid for by a member of our church. This afternoon, a wonderful church friend came by and gave us a gift card for groceries. I was able to help someone with a bill that they needed to pay.

Ella and I went out and took Fall photos today. I used the flower display at Lowe's Foods as a backdrop, because I'm cheap and stingy. We got some strange looks, but the photos are definitely worth it.

I don't know what it is about this Fall, but I definitely feel a change. I want to do better. To BE better. I want to scream and shout from the rooftops that prayer WORKS. About a year and a half ago, I bought a devotional book entitled "He is Real." I am seeing how real He is every day.

It's not Him, it's me.

Sunday night, with a sick kid in the next room, I broke down and cried. God, why aren't you listening? She's sick. She has a high fever. It's scaring me. Why.are.you.not.hearing.me?

Clearly, this was a breakdown in communication somewhere. I was praying. Begging. And He wasn't listening. Right?

No. I was praying, all right. A very, very selfish prayer. Heal her. Yes. Not listening to any reply he may have.  I went to my husband with my fears. What if something happens? What if this fever doesn't break? What if the doctor can't help her? What if? What if? What if?

And then, my husband, who until very recently had been out of church, (but is the whole reason I became a Christian...more on that another day), began to pray.

"Heavenly Father," he said, "Our child is very sick, and my wife is very worried. We know You can do anything and heal anyone. For Your glory, we ask You to please heal Ella."

I began crying again. Because I had been praying wrong. Because I had all of this so, so wrong. The breakdown in communication wasn't Him. It was me. In my selfishness, I had closed off all receptiveness to Him.

Sunday night, Ella received a dose of medicine, with my full expectation of a trip to the doctor's (O me of little faith). Six hours later, I tip-toed across the house to feel her forehead. Cool. I went back to bed, expecting to be woken up by a feverish child. Yesterday, after school, she began to look a little weak-eyed, and I thought, "Oh, here we go" as I told her to go lay down. Within an hour, she was asking for chicken soup. I felt her forehead again. Cool. Huh.

By last night, she had devoured 2 bowls of chicken soup and a sandwich. The fever never came back. Last night, with a sleeping child in the next room, I opened my Bible and began to cry again. Because He is so good. He is better to me than I deserve. He saved my soul. He saved my life. He gave me a husband who treats me like gold. A family. A church family who is unbelievably supportive. So, so much that I don't deserve.

This isn't about me, and my wants. This is about me using my prayer life, and my life in general to glorify my Lord and Savior.

I'm alive!!!!

Really. I promise I am. We moved. (FINALLY). With the help of great friends and our church family, we are no longer residents of Nelson Road. I haven't felt the greatest (thank you, stress) and Ella's been feeling unwell too. (Which adds to the stress)

I know I've been neglecting this blog. Hopefully, that will stop. No promises though.

Ella seems better today, and I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I hate to see her not feel well. That kid is my pride and joy.

Grade 2

You know what's insane?

That this little baby....

looks like this now...and....

she is starting Second Grade. To think that my baby girl, born at 35 weeks, and declared a miracle from God is now 7 and in 2nd Grade...it blows my mind. I am truly blessed. God is gracious and He gives more than we deserve.

(2nd Grade pictures coming up. I haven't taken them yet)

Lessons Learned the Hard Way: On Modesty

Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and positively cringed? I sure have. Have you ever looked at a picture and said "Why did I wear that?" Guilty! I was sitting down the other day, going through my pictures and saw a few that I know I won't be thrilled with my daughter looking at.

See that? If you look super close, you will see that I am indeed wearing a top. (see the halter string?) Classy, huh? I swear, that picture makes me cringe. I wish I could say I was 15 or 16 when this was taken. Nope. Not so. 21, going on 22. Argh. There's something to be said for modesty, trust me. I had a guy ask me out once. I turned him down. He said, "Well, I figured you'd be up for a good time. I've seen the way you dress." Ugh!!!!!! I wish I could tell you that I stopped making bad fashion choices when I had children. Um....

Not so much. My daughter here is graciously covering up my way, way, way too low neckline. Are there more horribly embarrassing and cringeworthy pics? You betcha. Am I going to post them? Not on your life, buddy. This may beg the question of: what were you thinking when you wore those particular outfits? I wanted to be attractive. I wanted attention. I didn't know I would get THAT kind of attention. I was raised by a well-meaning mother, who would critique my fashion choices harshly. I don't hold that against her now, but at the time I rebelled. (hence the way too low necklines and cringeworthy nearly-naked tops) This brings us to now....

Yes. That is a skirt. Yes. It reaches my ankles. No. I don't wear ankle-length skirts every day. As a matter of fact, most of the time I'm in jeans and a t-shirt. I've learned a few things. One, long skirts and dressing modestly is not only for crazy, Bible-thumping  Baptists (the fact that I am a crazy, Bible-thumping Baptist means nothing here...hehe). Two, I was born to be curvy and will never apologize for that. God made me this way. BUUUUT...nobody except my husband needs to see THAT much of me. I know the curves are there, he knows they are there, they don't need to be on display for everyone and their brother to see. I still have a shape, I promise.

Yes, I probably weigh more than I did in my pre-kids days. But you know what? I respect me more. My husband respects me more. And you know what else? I have a daughter now. She SO doesn't need to see her Mama running around town in low-riders and a crop top. (Can you imagine? Yikes...) If you can do that, more power to you. That's just not who I am anymore. I've taught my daughter to "dress for Jesus", and have caught tons of backlash for it. In the end, she is my daughter. She's made her choice.

Reading the Bible has everything to do with my choice to "tone it down." God created me to glorify Him, and I can promise you, wearing short-shorts and a bikini top to the grocery store with my kid in tow doesn't glorify my Savior. But that's just my point of view :)

As Promised, Country Club Chicken

The other day, I was going through my blogs, and on one of my all-time favorites, Full Bellies, I found a dish called Country Club Chicken, and I decided to try it. Because, c'mon, it's chicken. And cheese. And bacon. And I'm trying to get out of my cooking rut. And stalking Sandra's blog has given me so many great recipes...and this was one of them.

So, here goes. Country Club Chicken, adapted from Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts
1  onion
1 can concentrated cream of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms (the original recipe didn't call for this, but I love me some mushrooms)
4 or 5 slices bacon
1/4 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup sharp cheddar
butter or oil
salt and pepper

I just realized I forgot to mention the egg noodles. My chicken stock is in that green bowl (I make my own)....Yes, I know my salt shakers are Santas. Don't judge!
**Season your chicken with salt and pepper
**Fry your bacon, and drain on paper towels

I love bacon. Seriously. Love. I also love taking pictures. Especially of food.

**Set your bacon aside. Add butter to your pan and brown your chicken, then put the chicken in a casserole
**Saute your onion and mushrooms in the pan together

**Add in your chicken stock, cream of mushroom soup, and your cheddar cheese...

 

When it melts, it becomes this amazing gravy that I swear you could eat with a spoon and be happy with that for dinner. Seriously.

 



I'm not kidding when I say you could just eat that for dinner. I'm not. Ask my daughter.

**Pour this gravy (if you haven't eaten it) over your chicken and top with crumbled bacon

**Bake the whole delicious mess in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, rice or potatoes. It doesn't matter. It's amazing!

 

There ya'll go. As easy as this was, it tastes awesome. Ella said it was "one hundred times better than restaurant food." Gabe scraped the casserole clean to get the rest of the sauce.