Spring. Never have I longed for one season so much in my life. Never.
Fall is my favorite season. Sweatshirts, bonfires, my birthday, our anniversary, pumpkins, apple cider... I'm starting to drool just thinking about it. But this year, this year, I just longed for spring to come. To stay.
Winter has lasted forever here in Indy this year. Hibernation took on new meaning to us. I missed church more than I made it, sent Nick grocery shopping more than ever, even tried out PeaPod (which I am a HUGE fan of now), and was the recipient of a few meals from my mom. I would make my way to work a few days a week, come home, and quickly try to get warm in a house with a thermostat set at 65 (brrrr!). Other days I would just lay curled up on the couch thankful I could at least work on Jamberry from the couch. The months of December and February especially are a blur. We didn't even decorate for Christmas this year.
The Lord saw fit to bring some trials our way this winter, things we didn't see coming before one rather uneventful day in December. There were things that made us put much of our plans on hold and hunker down into survival mode. Dishes and laundry piled up. The to-do list sat abandoned and growing longer with each week. I longed for spring, hoping against hope, that it would bring a change in these trials. I watched dear friends going through some of their darkest days and wanted desperately to be more of an encouragement to them, and I wanted spring to come for them, too.
Now that spring has started to peek its head out from behind our cold, grey skies I can say the trials seem to be fading- for now at least. My heart feels a sense of hope again. Dishes and laundry are caught up on. I have been to the grocery more times than I can count in the past few weeks (and enjoyed every second of it). I even turned the thermostat up to 'a balmy 66 degrees' (ha!) since the temps outside won't mean our furnace is working so hard.
So, now that spring is here I feel like I'm coming up to breathe again. There has never been such hope with the coming of a new season and I am thankful God created the beauty of different seasons. Spring, you may just be my favorite this year.
Head over to my friend Christina's blog to get her take on spring this year!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Saturday, March 1, 2014
From Where I Stand {Chicken Fajitas}
Scrumptious! The hubby spoke right up after his first bite and said
to add this one to the rotation on our monthly meal plan. I'm glad he said so because I was
planning on it after I had a few bites. It is just that good (and
healthy)! And the best part is we can both eat it. Nick eats his in a tortilla and mine tops a bed of salad greens & cilantro (LOVE it!) since I stay away from grains these days.
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips (I used tenderloins and left them as is)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (My preference is olive oil)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt (I omitted this and would again)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, sliced (I used a mix of red, orange, and yellow)
Flour tortillas
Toppings: i.e. cheese, sour cream or greek yogurt, guacomole, salsa
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan and place chicken in it.
In a small bowl combine the oil and spices.
Drizzle the mixture over the chicken. Stir to coat.
Add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Stir.
Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked
Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.
 |
| Picture from an old blog of mine, hence the watermark. |
Nick admitted he made his into more of a burrito after requesting rice. I
was fine with this and served up some brown rice seasoned with cumin
and garlic salt. Whatever keeps him happy!
Enjoy! Be sure to check out my friend Christina's recipe for veggie calzones.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Goals for 2014
I've really been recognizing the importance of being intentional, of writing down my goals, talking about my goals, and even praying about my goals. 2014 has the potential to be a very big year for Mr. Fantastik and I. A BUSY, big year. So, in order to not let the hustle and bustle overtake us we've been talking about what we want to see happen this year.
1. Adoption. This is ultimately on the Lord's time-table, but we need to be devoting a certain amount of time per week to this endeavor. We believe we are called to care for the orphan through adoption and despite our best intentions if we don't keep this focus other things will crowd in and take over. We're committed to praying about, talking about, doing paperwork, fundraising, saving etc etc this year. Ultimately we'd like to spend a minimum of 2-3 hours each week focusing our undivided attention on our adoption. Some weeks there will be less paperwork. Other weeks we may be praying around the clock.
2. Save. save. save. I am SO thankful for a husband who is committed to living debt-free. That said, we know in order to continue to do so we also need to save. Somewhere down the line both of us will need a new car and some new household appliances. In order to offset these costs we need to be saving now. We continue to save anything I make from nannying, teaching, Jamberry, selling items on Ebay or Craigslist to go towards our adoption, but we'd like to be saving even more towards that.
3. Education. Nick is looking into some continuing education. We're both taking an 18 week parenting class through our church. I need tobrush up on learn Spanish in preparation for adopting from Latin America, not to mention the ministry opportunities even here in our city.
4. Read. This could really go along with education as I want to read to grow, learn, and change this year. Yes, I still enjoy fiction, but I want this to be a year I read some very meaningful books. Here are just a few that have made my list:
Choosing Gratitude was given to me almost 4 years ago by a very generous friend during what has been one of the HARDEST seasons of my life. It was a good read then and I need a refresher these days. I seem to be in a season of wrestling with God over some things and need to choose to be thankful no matter what.
Nick gave me a leather bound edition of Mansfield Park when we were dating. It was supposed to be for Valentine's Day, but I got an antique book of poetry that had been in his family for years (yeah, that carried a lot of weight when we had only been dating officially one month). I have yet to read it and that is a MUST for this year.
The Connected Child has been suggested by multiple people connected in some way to adoption. I need to get my hands on a copy and pour through it, allowing it to challenge my thinking.
I have The Excellent Wife and need to get through it, but a friend suggested this one and I really like the emphasis on memorization and application this book has in its daily readings.
One of my all-time favorite pastors is Rick Holland.
He is responsible for the most growth and edification in my life apart from my own pastors through the years. I've started this one, but never made it through due to the craziness a season of dating and engagement brought. I've started it over and already know it is going to be one of my favorites this year.
5. Grow in discipline. We are about to get much busier than we've been since getting married. Small group, Saturday morning men's study, accountability meetings, continuing education, parenting class, covering a maternity leave, nanny job, being self-employed, walking through the adoption paperwork, appointments, phone calls, fundraising, and much more. I get tired just thinking about all the new things we are biting off this year. Yet, this is a year I want to learn to slow down and focus on what is important or at least be disciplined enough to make it happen. I want to pray and pray well. I want to be better about praying specifically for others. I want to be better at asking in faith and believing God will answer.
2014 has already started off with a 'bang', bringing multiple reasons to grieve and 'wrestle' with God, as well as reasons to rejoice. I have a sense this is going to be a very growing year which admittedly can make me a bit anxious as I anticipate how God is going to achieve that. Ultimately I rest in knowing His love for us and take comfort that both the sun and the rain come from Him.
What are your goals for 2014?
1. Adoption. This is ultimately on the Lord's time-table, but we need to be devoting a certain amount of time per week to this endeavor. We believe we are called to care for the orphan through adoption and despite our best intentions if we don't keep this focus other things will crowd in and take over. We're committed to praying about, talking about, doing paperwork, fundraising, saving etc etc this year. Ultimately we'd like to spend a minimum of 2-3 hours each week focusing our undivided attention on our adoption. Some weeks there will be less paperwork. Other weeks we may be praying around the clock.
2. Save. save. save. I am SO thankful for a husband who is committed to living debt-free. That said, we know in order to continue to do so we also need to save. Somewhere down the line both of us will need a new car and some new household appliances. In order to offset these costs we need to be saving now. We continue to save anything I make from nannying, teaching, Jamberry, selling items on Ebay or Craigslist to go towards our adoption, but we'd like to be saving even more towards that.
3. Education. Nick is looking into some continuing education. We're both taking an 18 week parenting class through our church. I need to
4. Read. This could really go along with education as I want to read to grow, learn, and change this year. Yes, I still enjoy fiction, but I want this to be a year I read some very meaningful books. Here are just a few that have made my list:
Nick gave me a leather bound edition of Mansfield Park when we were dating. It was supposed to be for Valentine's Day, but I got an antique book of poetry that had been in his family for years (yeah, that carried a lot of weight when we had only been dating officially one month). I have yet to read it and that is a MUST for this year.
The Connected Child has been suggested by multiple people connected in some way to adoption. I need to get my hands on a copy and pour through it, allowing it to challenge my thinking.
I have The Excellent Wife and need to get through it, but a friend suggested this one and I really like the emphasis on memorization and application this book has in its daily readings.
He is responsible for the most growth and edification in my life apart from my own pastors through the years. I've started this one, but never made it through due to the craziness a season of dating and engagement brought. I've started it over and already know it is going to be one of my favorites this year.
5. Grow in discipline. We are about to get much busier than we've been since getting married. Small group, Saturday morning men's study, accountability meetings, continuing education, parenting class, covering a maternity leave, nanny job, being self-employed, walking through the adoption paperwork, appointments, phone calls, fundraising, and much more. I get tired just thinking about all the new things we are biting off this year. Yet, this is a year I want to learn to slow down and focus on what is important or at least be disciplined enough to make it happen. I want to pray and pray well. I want to be better about praying specifically for others. I want to be better at asking in faith and believing God will answer.
2014 has already started off with a 'bang', bringing multiple reasons to grieve and 'wrestle' with God, as well as reasons to rejoice. I have a sense this is going to be a very growing year which admittedly can make me a bit anxious as I anticipate how God is going to achieve that. Ultimately I rest in knowing His love for us and take comfort that both the sun and the rain come from Him.
What are your goals for 2014?
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