Sunday, September 23, 2012
Where did the summer go?
Whew!!! Where did my summer go? This year, I felt like summer didn't exist. With my husband's cancer treatment, doctor visits, and chemo, our summer went by all too quickly. When I think back, we spent our time at home hoping for the best outcome of Mike's cancer.
What I did accomplish was finally getting my new closet put together with all my clothes hung up in one place. Plus I was able to continue to make cookies for the gun club. In fact, Mike decided we needed to take our vacation trip to Hawaii and the money I've been saving for our trip is becoming a reality. Mike decided he wanted to stay at a Bed and Breakfast the whole time we are in Kona and I gave in (even though I would have loved to spend time on the beach.) So we leave on Halloween and return on November 9th. We are looking forward to just spending time relaxing, reading and enjoying the scenery. The Bed and Breakfast is in the hills (Waimea) near Parker Ranch and has been touted as having the best views in Kona.
As for Mike's prognosis, the cancer has shrunk by 60% and the doctor is happy with Mike's progress. He will receive one chemo drug every other month for two years which is called maintenance by Mike's cancer doctor. The cancer won't be gone, but we hope for no growth. The doctor says if the tumors grow by 25%, we will have to look at other options for chemo or transplant. We will cross that bridge when it arises.
We have been fortunate to have a doctor who is a Christian and he and Mike get along so well together. Next summer, we will take this doctor plus part of his staff on a rafting trip to thank them for all their help with Mike's illness.
Through all the treatments, and doctor appointments, our faith has remained strong and we both look to the future and to spending many more years together. We are excited to see what God is going to do in this next "chapter" of our lives and how God is going to use Mike's illness for His glory and honor.
In keeping with the summer fun, I'm going to give y'all a recipe we make in the summer and one that Mike and I have enjoyed on the grill. It's a recipe I developed as a marinade and uses interesting ingreidents. Enjoy
Sweet & Spicy Pork chops
4 bone in pork chops
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup Worschestire sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
pinch of red pepper flakes
Marinade the pork chops in the above mixture and let sit in the fridge for 4-5 hours.
Grill the pork chops until done (be careful to not let them dry out). Cover with foil after removing from the grill and serve with your favorite condiments and side dishes.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The adventure continues....
So much time has passed since my last post I thought I'd better write an update to what's been happening in our lives this summer.
Most of you know my husband was diagnosed with cancer and he has had four chemo treatments and this week, he will have his fifth. Meaning only one more chemo is left which we are looking forward to. We've also found out a bit more about the type of cancer we are fighting and how it will affect our lives in the future.
The type of cancer Mike has is a "low grade" cancer meaning the cancer is harder to get rid of and not as fun to deal with. In fact, the tumors will probably stay with my hubby forever. After the sixth chemo treatment, Mike will have to undergo additional maintenance chemo treatments for the next two years. The drugs won't be as toxic as the R-Chop chemo but he will continue to get one drug, the Ritoxin. The goal for the cancer is to stop the growth and actually decrease the size of the tumors in his abdomen. A cat scan was done four weeks ago and the scan showed the tumors had decreased some but they are still there. Hence the need for "maintenance" chemo for the next two years.
We don't know what God has in store for us, but we are confident He will be by our sides as we continue the adventure. In fact, we are scheduled to teach a new Bible Study class for our church in the fall called, "Honor". The study is taken from the movie "Courageous" and we are excited to see how God is going to use this study in the lives of couples at our church. Joshua 1:9 keeps croping up and we are relying on this verse a lot. (Do some research and read it).
Now for some fun stuff... chemo has changed my husband a bit. His taste buds have been "skewed" a bit and I'm having to revamp some of my recipes to adapt to his taste buds. One of the things he loved was my take on a spicey bean soup.
Spicey Bean Soup
1 pound of navy beans - sock them overnight
1 pound of chopped ham
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups of diced potates.
12 cups of water
2 teaspoons of salt - or salt to taste
Combine the beans, water and seasonings with the ham and cook until the beans are tender. Add the diced potatoes and cook until they are done. Once the beans and potatoes are done, use an immersion blender and blend the soup only partially - this will thicken the soup and give it some body. Serve hot with a dollup of sour cream and your favorite bread. This soup also freezes well and like any soup is always better the second day around!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
God is in control. Join us on our adventure....
In the last few weeks, my husband and I have been blessed by our family, friends and church family. Knowing we have these kinds of friends has made an impact on both of our lives we will remember forever.
What started out as a normal week the week of May 7th, turned out to be a week we will never forget. Mike was having stomach pains and we thought he had an umbical hernia and would need surgery. The surgeon noticed something else was going on and ordered the CAT scan.
The day after the CAT scan, our general practitioner called Mike into his office and went on to explain, "The news isn't good and I think you may have cancer." I got a one line text from Mike that said, "They think I have cancer." Ok....breathe....breathe...This wasn't happening and all I could think of was.....well, I couldn't even think period.
This began a week long hospital stay where we learned Mike has Non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma. Within a 30 hour period, Mike had a stent put in his left ureter, had a biopsy and a Power Port installed plus his first chemo treatment. Whew!!! even writing this, the events seem surreal and a blur, but when we came home from the hospital. Mike was sitting in his recliner and I was sitting in mine and he looked at me and said, "I have cancer". Just like that....being at home we felt like nothing had happened, however, everything was changed.
Now, Mike and I are givers and when someone is in need, we love helping out by visiting, preparing meals and just being there for others. The tables have now been turned and we have been overwhelmed by our family, friends and church family who have been so wonderful in visiting, sending cards and praying for us. Mike and I found ourselves on the receiving end of the giving and knowing we were being prayed for has been a humbling experience. We are so thankful for each and every one who has sent cards, visited, and prayed for us. I'm learning to say, "yes", and "thank you," although it is still hard for me to do.
Mike and I have been able to share our personal testimonies with so many people including the doctors, nurses and hospital staff. What's even more amazing is we are calm in our faith in Jesus Christ and He is taking us on this adventure for a reason. We just don't know where the adventure will lead. Yet, when people ask us how they can pray for us, we tell them, "Not our will but Thine O Lord." Yes, we are still adjusting to this diagnosis, but we are firm God is in control and we are following the path God has set for us.
Julie, one of our daughters gave us something to put on the fridge and it is simple but so true:
WHAT CANCER CANNOT DO:
Cancer is so limited.....
It cannot cripple.......LOVE
It cannot shatter.......HOPE
It cannot corrode.......FAITH
It cannot destroy.......PEACE
It cannot kill..........FRIENDSHIP
It cannot suppress......MEMORIES
It cannot silence.......COURAGE
It cannot invade the....SOUL
It cannot steal.........ETERNAL LIFE
It cannot conquer.......THE SPIRIT (author unkn)
Mike and I encourage you to join Mike and I on our journey. We appreciate every one of you. God has blessed us by you all. Simply, "THANK YOU."
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Spring has sprung!
Finally warmer weather is making it's appearance known in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. What makes the warmer weather even better is the fact our back yard has been revamped by a good friend. The yard looks new with fresh bark dust, nicely mown grass and no weeds to be seen. What a difference a little hard work makes in making a back yard presentable.
The warmer weather makes me want to spend more time outside reading a book (yes, even in the cooler weather) with a glass of wine or soda sitting on the table. Or even tossing the tennis balls for the Tori dog to play with.
With Spring comes allergies, the desire to do some deep cleaning and finally putting away of the Christmas decorations and taking down the Christmas tree. Yes, mine is still up with all the decorations in the lower living area. Since we don't use this room, it was logical to just leave it up.
Also with the Spring comes the desire to make new things in the kitchen and I'm ready to try and make some of those new recipes I've been wanting to make for quite some time. Developing new cookies has become kind of a hobby especially since I supply the gun club with cookies for sale. I've been working on my molasses cookie and think its finally perfected and ready for publishing. So here it is.
Have a great Spring and don't work too hard cleaning. Take time to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the glorious surroundings God has given us to look at.
Molasses Ginger Surprise cookies
3/4 cup softened butter
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Cream the above until light and fluffy.
Add 3/4 cup molasses and incorporate this into the creamed mixture.
Add 4 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 package of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mix until all is incorporated. Drop by spoonfuls or use an ice cream scoop. After placing the cookies on cookie sheets, refrigerate until firm. This takes a few hours. I usually put all the cookies on one sheet and then when they are firm, move them to parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until the centers of the cookies are set. This makes about 22 very large cookies or about 4 dozen normal sized cookies.
The warmer weather makes me want to spend more time outside reading a book (yes, even in the cooler weather) with a glass of wine or soda sitting on the table. Or even tossing the tennis balls for the Tori dog to play with.
With Spring comes allergies, the desire to do some deep cleaning and finally putting away of the Christmas decorations and taking down the Christmas tree. Yes, mine is still up with all the decorations in the lower living area. Since we don't use this room, it was logical to just leave it up.
Also with the Spring comes the desire to make new things in the kitchen and I'm ready to try and make some of those new recipes I've been wanting to make for quite some time. Developing new cookies has become kind of a hobby especially since I supply the gun club with cookies for sale. I've been working on my molasses cookie and think its finally perfected and ready for publishing. So here it is.
Have a great Spring and don't work too hard cleaning. Take time to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the glorious surroundings God has given us to look at.
Molasses Ginger Surprise cookies
3/4 cup softened butter
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Cream the above until light and fluffy.
Add 3/4 cup molasses and incorporate this into the creamed mixture.
Add 4 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 package of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mix until all is incorporated. Drop by spoonfuls or use an ice cream scoop. After placing the cookies on cookie sheets, refrigerate until firm. This takes a few hours. I usually put all the cookies on one sheet and then when they are firm, move them to parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until the centers of the cookies are set. This makes about 22 very large cookies or about 4 dozen normal sized cookies.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Happy Easter!!!! Growing up, my mother had a habit of dressing my sister and I alike at Easter time. She also did that to my two younger sister. We'd get home sewn dresses in different colors, wear wristlet gloves and hair bands in our hair. In the mornings, we'd get up to find a small chocolate rabbit waiting for us. We'd then troop to church in our finery. After church, it was time to go to my grandmother's house for a big banquet consisting of ham, potatoes, salads and all the fixins. My grandmother would then hide Easter Eggs around the house and if nice outside around the yard as well. Then all the kids would go hunting for all the Easter eggs. What fun we had finding those eggs. When we reached our teens, we got to hide the Easter eggs for our smaller siblings and then watch them as they hunted for those elusive Easter eggs.
Times certainly have changed. I still try to get a chocolate bunny for my kids or whoever is staying with us and then the last few years, I've been making a big breakfast for our church crew consisting of the singers, production crew and staff. I pull out all the stops and make it special. These people are giving of themselves to serve our church and so I make sure to give them something special by serving them. This year, I'm making egg enchiladas and oatmeal.
When I was younger, I served my church by playing keyboard, but now I serve in a different way by cooking for the staff and crew. The egg enchiladas are a new recipe and one that looks good so this is what I'm sharing with you. It doesn't matter whether you have a big banquet or breakfast, or even go out to dinner, as long as you celebrate Easter by serving the One who gave His life for us - Jesus Christ.
May you have a blessed Easter and put your trust and faith into Jesus who gave his life for us.
Egg Enchiladas
12 eggs
2/3 cup half and half
1 pound sausage
1 cup diced onions
1 Jalopeano pepper
1/2 cup diced red and green pepper
3 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
12 enchiladas
Cook the vegetables until tender. In a separate bowl beat eggs with the half and half and add to the vegetables. Cook on low heat until the eggs are set and done. Add the cooked sausage.
Make the sauce by melting the butter and mixing in the flour. Cook out the flour until the raw taste is gone. Add the whole milk and cook until thickened. This is a basic rue. Add the shredded cheese and take off the heat.
Assemble the enchiladas by putting some of the scrambled egg mixture on the enchilada with 1/3 cup of the sauce. Roll the tortilla and place in a 8 x 13 baking dish. Once all the egg mixture is gone, cover the tortillas with the remaining sauce and bake until the mixture is heated through. Serves 12 people. Of course use salt and pepper to taste.
Times certainly have changed. I still try to get a chocolate bunny for my kids or whoever is staying with us and then the last few years, I've been making a big breakfast for our church crew consisting of the singers, production crew and staff. I pull out all the stops and make it special. These people are giving of themselves to serve our church and so I make sure to give them something special by serving them. This year, I'm making egg enchiladas and oatmeal.
When I was younger, I served my church by playing keyboard, but now I serve in a different way by cooking for the staff and crew. The egg enchiladas are a new recipe and one that looks good so this is what I'm sharing with you. It doesn't matter whether you have a big banquet or breakfast, or even go out to dinner, as long as you celebrate Easter by serving the One who gave His life for us - Jesus Christ.
May you have a blessed Easter and put your trust and faith into Jesus who gave his life for us.
Egg Enchiladas
12 eggs
2/3 cup half and half
1 pound sausage
1 cup diced onions
1 Jalopeano pepper
1/2 cup diced red and green pepper
3 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
12 enchiladas
Cook the vegetables until tender. In a separate bowl beat eggs with the half and half and add to the vegetables. Cook on low heat until the eggs are set and done. Add the cooked sausage.
Make the sauce by melting the butter and mixing in the flour. Cook out the flour until the raw taste is gone. Add the whole milk and cook until thickened. This is a basic rue. Add the shredded cheese and take off the heat.
Assemble the enchiladas by putting some of the scrambled egg mixture on the enchilada with 1/3 cup of the sauce. Roll the tortilla and place in a 8 x 13 baking dish. Once all the egg mixture is gone, cover the tortillas with the remaining sauce and bake until the mixture is heated through. Serves 12 people. Of course use salt and pepper to taste.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
What did my grandmother, and mother think?
I just spent four days watching my grandson, Jonah in Washington State while his mommy went to visit his daddy at a school in Philadelphia.
How does one keep up with an almost two year old? I don't know how I did it, but I did!! Watching Jonah play for the few days I was with him made me start thinking. What did my grandmother think of me when I was little, or did my own mother have the same thoughts as I did while watching my own little girl.
When my mother and father went away for the night, my siblings and I would stay at my Grandma's house. I remember her as always stern but her food was good and she made us feel at home and we enjoyed being at her house. Did she think we were cute while we played or pretended in games? One day I will know what she thought as I see her in heaven and ask all those questions I wanted to ask long ago.
My own mother watched my daughter while I attended undergraduate school. I know from talking to my daughter my mother taught her how to count change and shop in a grocery store. I know there were many other things my mother taught her grand- daughter but how did my mother feel watching my daughter pretend and play games? Did she have the same feelings as I did watching Jonah? Again, these are things I may ask my mother once I get to heaven.
What made the biggest impression the last few days - is loving my grandson is easy and watching him play, jabber, and just all around jump around with his toys, playing with the bouncy balls, and other antics - this all made me smile. What made me smile the most was at night I would read to him and then sing "Jesus Loves Me this I know." When I sung to him, he would close eyes and just cuddle. Nothing better than those cuddles.
God has so blessed us with children who have children and watching all these children grow is precious as an adult. One we need to cherish and hold true to our families. I thank God he has blessed me with so many grandchildren and even though some of those grandchildren live in different cities, I love each one with tenderness and the hope each child will grow in God's love and accept the wonderful gift he has in His son, Jesus Christ.
In keeping with a recent posting, I did something new for this grandson. I made him a peanut butter sandwich for the first time in his life and he loved it. So here is a ramped up version of a grilled PBJ sandwich. If you've never tried this, you need to try it at least once.
Grilled PBJ
2 slices any type of bread
Peanut butter
jam of your choice
butter
Spread one side of your bread with peanut butter and place in a skillet with a bit of melted butter in it. Top with the other slice of bread that has been spread with jam. Brown one side at a time. When you get ready to turn the sandwich, melt a bit more butter in the pan and flip the sandwich. Eat hot.
How does one keep up with an almost two year old? I don't know how I did it, but I did!! Watching Jonah play for the few days I was with him made me start thinking. What did my grandmother think of me when I was little, or did my own mother have the same thoughts as I did while watching my own little girl.
When my mother and father went away for the night, my siblings and I would stay at my Grandma's house. I remember her as always stern but her food was good and she made us feel at home and we enjoyed being at her house. Did she think we were cute while we played or pretended in games? One day I will know what she thought as I see her in heaven and ask all those questions I wanted to ask long ago.
My own mother watched my daughter while I attended undergraduate school. I know from talking to my daughter my mother taught her how to count change and shop in a grocery store. I know there were many other things my mother taught her grand- daughter but how did my mother feel watching my daughter pretend and play games? Did she have the same feelings as I did watching Jonah? Again, these are things I may ask my mother once I get to heaven.
What made the biggest impression the last few days - is loving my grandson is easy and watching him play, jabber, and just all around jump around with his toys, playing with the bouncy balls, and other antics - this all made me smile. What made me smile the most was at night I would read to him and then sing "Jesus Loves Me this I know." When I sung to him, he would close eyes and just cuddle. Nothing better than those cuddles.
God has so blessed us with children who have children and watching all these children grow is precious as an adult. One we need to cherish and hold true to our families. I thank God he has blessed me with so many grandchildren and even though some of those grandchildren live in different cities, I love each one with tenderness and the hope each child will grow in God's love and accept the wonderful gift he has in His son, Jesus Christ.
In keeping with a recent posting, I did something new for this grandson. I made him a peanut butter sandwich for the first time in his life and he loved it. So here is a ramped up version of a grilled PBJ sandwich. If you've never tried this, you need to try it at least once.
Grilled PBJ
2 slices any type of bread
Peanut butter
jam of your choice
butter
Spread one side of your bread with peanut butter and place in a skillet with a bit of melted butter in it. Top with the other slice of bread that has been spread with jam. Brown one side at a time. When you get ready to turn the sandwich, melt a bit more butter in the pan and flip the sandwich. Eat hot.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The phone call that changed my life....
Have you ever had a single phone call change your life? I had a phone call 30 years ago changing my life forever. About this time of the year, I tell the story of how my life changed for the better based on the phone call I received February 8, 1982.
The call came at 4:00 in the afternoon and I was home alone doing what I did every day at this time, thinking of supper and what to make. The caller was from the Oklahoma Children's Baptist Home and getting a call from my social worker was common because she would call every once in awhile asking how I was doing. This phone call started out like any other call with the social worker. I let her know I wasn't working and I was thinking of what I would fix for supper. She paused then proceeded to tell me, "You are now the proud parent of a little baby girl." I sat there stunned to say the least!!! I said, "What did you say?" She reiterated again that I was now the proud parent of a 1 month old little girl. I started screaming, "Are you kidding? Are you sure? Me??? How? What? When? where was this little girl?" The caller said she could call back when I was a bit calmer, but at this point, I didn't want the caller to hang up! Like any parent, I wanted to know if this little girl had 10 toes and 10 fingers, what she looked like, how long was she, and how much did she weigh when she was born.
After writing down all the information (I knew I wouldn't remember anything she told me so I had to write it down), the caller wanted to know if I had a named picked out for this little girl - all I could think of was Sarah Elizabeth because both were Biblical names and both women waited until they were older when they had their children. I didn't even hesitate with the name and I didn't even consult my husband at the time about the name. The name just seemed like the right one and it seemed so fitting. The caller said they would start calling the little girl Sarah right away and have her name on all the paperwork ready for us when we picked her up.
The caller had one other thing to tell me, "We need you and your husband to pick up Sarah on Wednesday at 1 in the afternoon." At the time, we lived in Lawton and driving to Tulsa was a 4 hour drive. Basically, I had one evening and 24 hours to get ready for a newborn baby. What was I thinking??? Was I really ready to have a little baby come into my life? Panic attacks don't usually happen, but I found myself having a panic attack and I called my mother to give her the news.
The first thing she said she did was cry for the birth mother for giving up her little girl so I could have a newborn baby and the second thing she said she did was cry for me because I finally had a child - one I had prayed for since the beginning of my marriage 10 years earlier. My mother calmed my fears and reminded me I grew up the oldest girl in the family and had cared for all the smaller siblings my mother had. (There were 3 smaller children eventually in our family so caring for them came naturally.)
The adoption agency said this little girl was the prettiest baby they had seen in 10 years and she definitely was coming into my home. I remember holding her for the first time, tears streaming down my face looking into her quiet sleeping face being overwhelmed with instant love. The love that only comes between a mother and her child.
I am so thankful and grateful to the Lord above for his gift to me. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed God gave me the desires of my heart to have a baby and nurture that baby into an adult. I now see the love she has for her son and am constantly reminded of God's initial gift to me.
Just last year this beautiful daughter found her birth family and she now has a pair of twin sisters and a brother whom she has met and learned to love. She also has met the wonderful woman who was selfless in giving me the opportunity to raise a daughter who is beautiful inside and out. I'm thankful God has given her the gift of a birth family as well as an adoptive family. Happy Adoption day Sarah!!!!!
One of Sarah's favorite things to eat growing up was my banana bread so this is the recipe I'm sharing today.
Sarah's banana bread
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs
cream the above ingredients until light and fluffy
Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 cups flour. When blended, add 3 mashed ripe bananas and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Bake in a loaf pan for about 45 minutes until the center is done. While still in the pan, brush the top of the loaf with 2 Tablespoons melted butter 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Remove the loaf from the pan and when cool, slice, spread with butter and eat. Very yummy....
The call came at 4:00 in the afternoon and I was home alone doing what I did every day at this time, thinking of supper and what to make. The caller was from the Oklahoma Children's Baptist Home and getting a call from my social worker was common because she would call every once in awhile asking how I was doing. This phone call started out like any other call with the social worker. I let her know I wasn't working and I was thinking of what I would fix for supper. She paused then proceeded to tell me, "You are now the proud parent of a little baby girl." I sat there stunned to say the least!!! I said, "What did you say?" She reiterated again that I was now the proud parent of a 1 month old little girl. I started screaming, "Are you kidding? Are you sure? Me??? How? What? When? where was this little girl?" The caller said she could call back when I was a bit calmer, but at this point, I didn't want the caller to hang up! Like any parent, I wanted to know if this little girl had 10 toes and 10 fingers, what she looked like, how long was she, and how much did she weigh when she was born.
After writing down all the information (I knew I wouldn't remember anything she told me so I had to write it down), the caller wanted to know if I had a named picked out for this little girl - all I could think of was Sarah Elizabeth because both were Biblical names and both women waited until they were older when they had their children. I didn't even hesitate with the name and I didn't even consult my husband at the time about the name. The name just seemed like the right one and it seemed so fitting. The caller said they would start calling the little girl Sarah right away and have her name on all the paperwork ready for us when we picked her up.
The caller had one other thing to tell me, "We need you and your husband to pick up Sarah on Wednesday at 1 in the afternoon." At the time, we lived in Lawton and driving to Tulsa was a 4 hour drive. Basically, I had one evening and 24 hours to get ready for a newborn baby. What was I thinking??? Was I really ready to have a little baby come into my life? Panic attacks don't usually happen, but I found myself having a panic attack and I called my mother to give her the news.
The first thing she said she did was cry for the birth mother for giving up her little girl so I could have a newborn baby and the second thing she said she did was cry for me because I finally had a child - one I had prayed for since the beginning of my marriage 10 years earlier. My mother calmed my fears and reminded me I grew up the oldest girl in the family and had cared for all the smaller siblings my mother had. (There were 3 smaller children eventually in our family so caring for them came naturally.)
The adoption agency said this little girl was the prettiest baby they had seen in 10 years and she definitely was coming into my home. I remember holding her for the first time, tears streaming down my face looking into her quiet sleeping face being overwhelmed with instant love. The love that only comes between a mother and her child.
I am so thankful and grateful to the Lord above for his gift to me. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed God gave me the desires of my heart to have a baby and nurture that baby into an adult. I now see the love she has for her son and am constantly reminded of God's initial gift to me.
Just last year this beautiful daughter found her birth family and she now has a pair of twin sisters and a brother whom she has met and learned to love. She also has met the wonderful woman who was selfless in giving me the opportunity to raise a daughter who is beautiful inside and out. I'm thankful God has given her the gift of a birth family as well as an adoptive family. Happy Adoption day Sarah!!!!!
One of Sarah's favorite things to eat growing up was my banana bread so this is the recipe I'm sharing today.
Sarah's banana bread
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs
cream the above ingredients until light and fluffy
Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 cups flour. When blended, add 3 mashed ripe bananas and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Bake in a loaf pan for about 45 minutes until the center is done. While still in the pan, brush the top of the loaf with 2 Tablespoons melted butter 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Remove the loaf from the pan and when cool, slice, spread with butter and eat. Very yummy....
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Resolved, Resolution -
Resolution - the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc; the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute, firmness of purpose.
Have you ever made a resolution and stuck to it? My husband and I saw the movie "Courageous" where four men resolved to make changes in their lives impacting their families and walk with the Lord. We both were moved by the movie and checked out the website.
On the website, there was a Bible study geared towards men and women called, "Honor". My husband leads a Community Group for our church and we've been following a classic type of Bible study where we discuss and ask questions about the pastor's sermon from the Sunday before. We've been doing this for several years but when we saw the "Honor" Bible study, we thought, "Wouldn't it be a good idea to see if our group would be interested in changing our format and going through the study."
After ordering the leader's kit and reading the study booklets, we discussed changing our Bible study with our group to follow the movie and "Honor" format.
For me, there is a booklet included in the study called, "The resolution for Women." I've been reading this book now for about a week and am so impressed with its content I decided to write about it on my blog.
The first resolution in the book reads as follows: "I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment." (The Resolution for Women, page 6)
Wow! I was immediately reminded I need to embrace my current season in life and felt God was speaking through his Holy Spirit to change a few things in my life.
1. I need to be more flexible in my lifestyle, changing as my life changes
2. Being "retired" means I don't have a schedule to follow and I don't have to "Hurry" through my life. I need to enjoy it
3. I need to work on being content with what God has given me
I'm looking forward to see what other "gems" God will give me as I journey through this Bible study. I also believe God has been prompting me to finish my book, "Shelter from the Storm" this year. Writing, I want it to be perfect and edit as I write, but usually go through and edit the whole thing. I need to write without editing and once its completed, then edit the finished product.
Finally, I'm claiming 2 Corinthians 9:8 as I journey through this next year and "resolve" to accomplish the goals I have set for myself.
Coming up with a recipe for this post has been difficult so I'm resolving to try a new recipe every month to expand our culinary tastes. This is a new recipe I tried out last night. It was a hit with those who ate them and my husband ate his share - 4.....
Garlic butter biscuits
1 cup Biscuit mix (buttermilk baking mix)
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese (cheddar and jack mix)
1/2 cup milk
Mix and drop by small spoon fulls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes until the biscuits are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and while still hot, spoon on the following mixture:
3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves.
This will make about 12 small biscuits and they are yummy.
Have you ever made a resolution and stuck to it? My husband and I saw the movie "Courageous" where four men resolved to make changes in their lives impacting their families and walk with the Lord. We both were moved by the movie and checked out the website.
On the website, there was a Bible study geared towards men and women called, "Honor". My husband leads a Community Group for our church and we've been following a classic type of Bible study where we discuss and ask questions about the pastor's sermon from the Sunday before. We've been doing this for several years but when we saw the "Honor" Bible study, we thought, "Wouldn't it be a good idea to see if our group would be interested in changing our format and going through the study."
After ordering the leader's kit and reading the study booklets, we discussed changing our Bible study with our group to follow the movie and "Honor" format.
For me, there is a booklet included in the study called, "The resolution for Women." I've been reading this book now for about a week and am so impressed with its content I decided to write about it on my blog.
The first resolution in the book reads as follows: "I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment." (The Resolution for Women, page 6)
Wow! I was immediately reminded I need to embrace my current season in life and felt God was speaking through his Holy Spirit to change a few things in my life.
1. I need to be more flexible in my lifestyle, changing as my life changes
2. Being "retired" means I don't have a schedule to follow and I don't have to "Hurry" through my life. I need to enjoy it
3. I need to work on being content with what God has given me
I'm looking forward to see what other "gems" God will give me as I journey through this Bible study. I also believe God has been prompting me to finish my book, "Shelter from the Storm" this year. Writing, I want it to be perfect and edit as I write, but usually go through and edit the whole thing. I need to write without editing and once its completed, then edit the finished product.
Finally, I'm claiming 2 Corinthians 9:8 as I journey through this next year and "resolve" to accomplish the goals I have set for myself.
Coming up with a recipe for this post has been difficult so I'm resolving to try a new recipe every month to expand our culinary tastes. This is a new recipe I tried out last night. It was a hit with those who ate them and my husband ate his share - 4.....
Garlic butter biscuits
1 cup Biscuit mix (buttermilk baking mix)
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese (cheddar and jack mix)
1/2 cup milk
Mix and drop by small spoon fulls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes until the biscuits are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and while still hot, spoon on the following mixture:
3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves.
This will make about 12 small biscuits and they are yummy.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Snow and Rain, oh my!!
The rain this past week has been unbelievable even for Oregon! With rain measuring over 7 inches in one week, our ground is sodden, wet and squishy if there ever was such a word.
Starting the week, we had quite a bit of snow and I enjoyed watching the falling snow create a winter wonderland. Once the snow ended, the rain began and didn't stop until today when there was a bit of sun showing; but that didn't last long either because when I was outside, I felt raindrops again.
Mike and I were fortunate because our power did not go out and we were able to stay warm and dry. Learning how to live without power can be trying and hard on those who don't know how to cope with it. Living on the farm growing up, my family lost their power on a regular basis - sometimes living without power for several days. One time when we lost power, my mother had homemade rolls rising and a pot of soup on the stove. When I got home from school, she had the camp stove out finishing up the soup but had to throw away the rolls. We bundled up and stayed dry with a fire in the fireplace. After supper, we all sat around the table bundled up with a lantern playing card and board games to. pass the time away
Hearing of the power losses in both Oregon and Washington reminded me I should have some type of emergency kit ready in case our power went out. Here's the recipe for a simple but important reminder to keep things, "In Case of Emergency."
Emergency Kit
First Aid Kit
Bottled water
Sleeping bags
Camp stove
canned food in the Pantry that needs little or no heating
Powdered milk
Flashlights for every member of the family
Extra toilet paper
Games to play to pass the time away
Books to read by light of the flashlight
Replace the food on a regular basis so you have fresh non-outdated food. I'm sure I forgot something on the list, but you can build your kit specifically for your family. My daughter's family lost their power in Washington and she did a great job coping and adapting to the difficult time until the power came back on.
Starting the week, we had quite a bit of snow and I enjoyed watching the falling snow create a winter wonderland. Once the snow ended, the rain began and didn't stop until today when there was a bit of sun showing; but that didn't last long either because when I was outside, I felt raindrops again.
Mike and I were fortunate because our power did not go out and we were able to stay warm and dry. Learning how to live without power can be trying and hard on those who don't know how to cope with it. Living on the farm growing up, my family lost their power on a regular basis - sometimes living without power for several days. One time when we lost power, my mother had homemade rolls rising and a pot of soup on the stove. When I got home from school, she had the camp stove out finishing up the soup but had to throw away the rolls. We bundled up and stayed dry with a fire in the fireplace. After supper, we all sat around the table bundled up with a lantern playing card and board games to. pass the time away
Hearing of the power losses in both Oregon and Washington reminded me I should have some type of emergency kit ready in case our power went out. Here's the recipe for a simple but important reminder to keep things, "In Case of Emergency."
Emergency Kit
First Aid Kit
Bottled water
Sleeping bags
Camp stove
canned food in the Pantry that needs little or no heating
Powdered milk
Flashlights for every member of the family
Extra toilet paper
Games to play to pass the time away
Books to read by light of the flashlight
Replace the food on a regular basis so you have fresh non-outdated food. I'm sure I forgot something on the list, but you can build your kit specifically for your family. My daughter's family lost their power in Washington and she did a great job coping and adapting to the difficult time until the power came back on.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
First taste of snow!
The appearance of snow outside my window this morning brought back so many memories of growing up on the farm. The winter months would bring their excitement of snow, riding on the tractor while my Dad would clear the snow or building the biggest snowmen of all time. My bother and sister would make snow forts too so we could throw snowballs at each other. Or even walking with my brother in the snow trying to trip each other so we'd end up in the snow either face down or face up.
My mother would bundle us up with our farm boots, woolen gloves, and baggies. Yes, I said baggies. My mother was a genious when it came to improvising!! She would let us put on the gloves and boots, but then we would add the baggies to our gloves held in place by rubberbands and also the boots were covered in plastic bags held in place with rubber bands. Who knew back then you'd be able to find tools like rubber bands and baggies doubling as winter wear gear....Yep, she was a genious, and yes, our hands got cold but they stayed dry. Same for the feet.
After playing outside until our hands were frozen (at least we thought so), we'd end up standing or sitting next to the fireplace warming our hands and feet with a cup of hot cocoa. What warm and cozy memories of the snow. Even to this day, I get excited about the snow and didn't get much sleep last night anticipating the first sight of the snow this morning.
My mother would also make ice cream snow so this is the recipe for this post. If you do make this, be sure to get your snow from a clean source (most snow now isn't as clean as it used to be). Growing up, making the ice cream snow was almost as much fun as playing in it.
Ice cream snow
2 cups of snow
1/2 cup of cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons of sugar
Keep the snow cold while mixing your other ingredients together. Then pour the cream mixture over the snow and scoop the snow into either a cone or dish. Enjoy.
My mother would bundle us up with our farm boots, woolen gloves, and baggies. Yes, I said baggies. My mother was a genious when it came to improvising!! She would let us put on the gloves and boots, but then we would add the baggies to our gloves held in place by rubberbands and also the boots were covered in plastic bags held in place with rubber bands. Who knew back then you'd be able to find tools like rubber bands and baggies doubling as winter wear gear....Yep, she was a genious, and yes, our hands got cold but they stayed dry. Same for the feet.
After playing outside until our hands were frozen (at least we thought so), we'd end up standing or sitting next to the fireplace warming our hands and feet with a cup of hot cocoa. What warm and cozy memories of the snow. Even to this day, I get excited about the snow and didn't get much sleep last night anticipating the first sight of the snow this morning.
My mother would also make ice cream snow so this is the recipe for this post. If you do make this, be sure to get your snow from a clean source (most snow now isn't as clean as it used to be). Growing up, making the ice cream snow was almost as much fun as playing in it.
Ice cream snow
2 cups of snow
1/2 cup of cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons of sugar
Keep the snow cold while mixing your other ingredients together. Then pour the cream mixture over the snow and scoop the snow into either a cone or dish. Enjoy.
Monday, January 2, 2012
What is Retirement?
During my 40's, I had it all...a new college education, a wonderful brand new home for myself and my daughter, a new career and of course a new husband who came with 8 children and bunches of grandchildren. Finding a new career was an exciting time in my life - about 15 years later than most career minded people but I got there with the help of my folks and other family members.
Thinking of retiring wasn't in my volcabulary back then and "somewhere down the road" I was going to retire, maybe when I was 65, hahaha. I don't think I ever wanted to retired. Sometimes peoples' plans don't coincide with God's plan for their lives and in this case, my life. I got laid off from the new career but God gave me another job and in this new job, I met a family who became life-long friends. Career-wise it wasn't the most demanding job, but I did enjoy it until God decided I should make another career move.
At 50 my husband and I made a decision maybe I needed more education so I took an accelerated Master's course and got an MBA. Who in their right mind would take a 2 year course in 18 months? Yep, ME!!! It wasn't easy but I graduated in a class starting out with 11 people and ending up with only 5 graduating on time. Those were crazy times but through this I got the job of my dreams in 2006. This job was demanding, but rewarding in its own way and soon I was part of an association where I sat on a Board of Directors and was considered a "high powered executive". The job also demanded I commute to Portland adding another layer of stress.
In 2009, only 3 years after receiving my dream job, I lost the job and was looking again for a new position utilizing my education and skills. Now honestly, who would hire someone in their 60's in an executive position? Not many people and, I found I would interview for a great position, but as soon as someone saw me, I would not get the job due to my age or disability (bad knees).
I started praying and asking, "God, if you want me to work, find me a job. If not, I guess I'll be retired." The job never came to fruition but applying for Social Security Disability was one outlet. I thought if I can't work, I'll see if I qualify for benefits. No one gets SSDI on their first try....that is except me. God was definitely telling me something about time to retire. I guess at that point, I needed an attitude adjustment regarding retirement.
So after all this, what is retirement? I've heard on the news there are approximately 2,000 baby boomers retiring every day. Is retirement all play, staying at home doing nothing, or just letting life slip by? I've come to the conclusion retirement is a new and exciting career change. I get to sleep in (don't have to be on the road to Portland by 5:30 every morning and don't have to plan meetings, be in charge of meetings, etc.), make anything I want for supper (doesn't matter how long it takes to cook - I have time), learning new hobbies to keep me busy, write a book, or even volunteering a few days a week.
I've learning to accept my limitations and embracing retirement albeit in a different sort of way. I volunteer at a home twice a week babysitting a wonderful baby, I'm learning to use a new sewing/embroidery machine and I'm working on my book, "Shelter from the Storm" which I hope to finish in 2012 (Lord willing). Maybe I'll even start a new book after the one I'm working on is finished. Who knows. But the main thing is I'm learning to be retired and not fighting it.
Now for the recipe from this "retired" person. I've acquired a taste for croissants from Williams Sonoma. These don't take any time except they do cost so here's the recipe.
Go to the Williamssonoma.com website and hunt for food. Order one of the boxes of croissants. Follow the directions on the label and enjoy. Serve warm or use them as sandwich bread. These items were one of Oprah's favorite things she gave away every year on her show. Now that's taking it easy with being retired and cooking!! Have fun Baby Boomers retiring!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)