The OTHER Crocker Chronicle

My Boy Can Read!

2009-06-06T21:31:00.002-04:00

It's a very exciting day at our house...Jason can READ!! Congratulations, buddy. Click here if the player does not appear.

Impossible

2009-01-23T09:30:00.003-05:00

As I watched the Inauguration of President Obama this week I really enjoyed the performance of John Williams' "Air and Simple Gifts" by Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill, and Gabriela Montero. As a violinist of 28 years, I wondered how in the world you could play stringed instruments outdoors in temperatures below freezing.

It made me remember my college days and all the fun gigs I had the privilege of playing. I once played the part of Fiddler on the Roof at a wedding--actually on the roof of the family's home. I'm sure they didn't pay me nearly enough for that! The temps were not as brutal as they were in Washington D.C. this past Tuesday and I struggled to stay warm and keep my instrument in tune.

As I suspected, it turns out that Yo-Yo Ma and company were forced to fake it at the inauguration and use their pre-recorded version of the piece. (You can read more about it here.) None-the-less, I enjoyed the extra touch of class the quartet provided to the historic ceremony. Click here if the video does not appear.

Life in Florida

2009-01-04T19:53:00.003-05:00

12 Days of Christmas

2008-12-18T10:03:00.001-05:00

Maybe you've already seen this, but as a person who adores Christmas music I always savor the chance to hear something new and fun! Enjoy...

Advent Jesse Tree

2008-11-22T16:08:00.009-05:00

December and the Advent season has a tendency to catch me by surprise--despite the fact that I am already hearing Deck the Halls on TV commercials! This year I am determined to follow-through with an Advent Devotional for our kids that I have been wanting to do for many years.

One of my most meaningful Christmas celebrations took place more than a dozen years ago when I was living overseas. A dear friend of mine introduced me to a book called The Advent Jesse Tree. As author of the devotional Dean Meador Lambert writes,

The Advent Jesse Tree seeks to tell the story of God's redemptive plan for the world through 25 symbols from the Old and New Testament. The symbols trace the heritage of Jesus Christ from the beginning of creation. Each symbol is explained with scriptures, devotions, questions, prayers, a memory verse, and songs...You may choose to make ornaments and place them on a small Christmas tree to coincide with this book of symbols.

While living overseas, we invited some friends who didn't know Christ and used the symbols to share about the true meaning of Christmas. Now that I have a house full of little people, I want to teach them that Christmas was part of God's plan since the very beginning of time.

There are various resources online if you search for them, but the one I liked best can be found here. It includes the scriptures and printable symbols you need--all in one stop. We are printing, laminating, and tying strings on ours so that they can be hung on a small wire Christmas tree like ornaments. Then we can use them year after year!

Smilebox

2008-11-22T14:37:00.003-05:00

I came across this fun online scrapbooking site called Smilebox this week in my Family Fun Magazine. You can create them for free and post them to your blog or Facebook account. So fun! I'm sharing one that I made in a very short amount of time this afternoon.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Football and My Dairy-Free Life

2008-09-07T20:52:00.005-04:00

This weekend has largely been about football at our house.

Yesterday Brennan played in his 2nd ever Upward Flag Football game. Game day involves lots of sweating--not only for the players but also for the spectators. (I must confess that I prefer indoor sports in Florida!) But like any mother, I'm willing to sweat a bit to experience the pride of seeing my little boy having a good time, learning skills, and throwing touchdown passes.

For the first time in my life I can call myself a coach's wife. Scott has taken on the challenge of coaching Brennan's 2nd/3rd grade Flag Football team. It's so fun for me to see them having those father-son bonding moments .

Today a bit of fantasy football misfortune struck at our house. Our eight year old's first round draft pick, Tom Brady, left the game in the 1st quarter after a knee injury--boo hoo.

I can't help but like Brett Favre, even though

a) I'm from Detroit, and

b) He's been a knucklehead in recent months.

I know Peyton Manning has a wife...but I never see her at any games--just mom and dad! Where is Ashley???

Enough about football.

My nursing baby is allergic to cow's milk, so I've been an avid label-reader as I've worked really hard to eliminate all the dairy from my own diet. The things I miss the most are:

Ranch dressing

Cheese--this goes without saying since most yummy things have cheese

Half and half in my coffee

McDonald's french fries--surprise, they have milk!

After quite a bit of trial and error, I've finally come up with an acceptable solution to my morning cup of coffee dilemma. I brew some hazelnut flavored coffee, then I add one packet of Splenda and a bit of Silk Very Vanilla Soy Milk. It's tolerable, but one of the first things I will do when the baby is weaned is hit Starbucks for a Cinnamon Dolce Latte!

Cookbook Wishlist

2008-08-04T22:54:00.007-04:00

I love cookbooks! Here are a few that I'd love to add to my collection sometime in the near future.

The first one is Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. The book created a buzz when Jessica appeared on Oprah in October 2007. The recipes have some hidden ingredients--fruit and vegetable purees--that trick kids into eating some healthier foods. (Some controversy followed not long after the appearance when another cookbook author claimed the idea was really hers. I'll spare you the details here, but you can read about it this USA Today article.) At any rate, I think it's an interesting concept (regardless of who thought of it) and I would love to get my kids to eat more vegetables any way I can.

Next is Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I used to watch Martha Stewart on a regular basis, but have to admit that I'd be highly unlikely to cook about 97% of the recipes I've seen on her show. A couple of years ago I discovered the Everyday Food TV show on PBS which is based on the Everyday Food magazine. It is a production of Martha Stewart Living Television but it showcases fresh and easy recipes that real people would & could actually cook at home. Martha does not appear on the show, which is a good thing (pun intended), but I appreciate the high quality her influence undoubtedly brings to the show. I regularly end up downloading recipes after I watch the program with my daughter, so this one seems like a no-brainer for me.

Finally, I would really love Everyday Italian by Giana De Laurentiis. Although I don't have cable TV at my house, I love when I have the chance to see the show of the same name on the Food Network. Who wouldn't love to know how to make more great pastas and sauces? This one will have to wait until I can eat dairy products again, though--which is an entirely different blog post...

Summer Fun

2008-07-17T23:54:00.007-04:00

Our family went on a short canoe/camping trip on the AuSable River in northern Michigan with some ministry partners from Crossroads Community Church. Scott took the kids out on a short trek down the river and made a few memories along the way, but he can tell you about that...

We can't imagine life without this sweet face.

I believe this photo speaks for itself!

This is not just any hill...it's a Canadian one! Our family took a day-trip over the Blue Water Bridge from Port Huron, MI to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

Facelift

2008-07-17T23:51:00.003-04:00

My friend, Chandler, has a cute blog which inspired me to give mine a new look. Maybe I'll actually write something now that it's a more beautiful place to visit...

Funny Kids

2008-05-03T23:43:00.001-04:00

One of the perks of being a mom is getting to hear the funny (and often sweet) things your kids say as they are figuring out the world around them. Here are a few things I've heard around my house recently...

One day on the way home from school we were discussing butterflies--the topic of the week during science class. The kids had learned that male butterflies are more beautiful than the females so that they can attract their attention. I happened to mention how humans seemed to do things the other way around--the girls try to make themselves pretty so the boys will notice them. Brennan, in his 8 year old wisdom proudly exclaimed, "Yeah, but I don't fall for that." Good boy.

Leah and I were talking about a friend who recently discovered that she was going to have a baby. She was curious how she knew that she was pregnant, so I told her that she had taken a test. Being a studious child, Leah was dying to know, "Well, how many questions were there?"

Jason and I were driving around town a while back and heard Chris Tomlin's version of Amazing Grace on the radio. I had no idea how closely he was listening until he asked, "Mommy, who found that man?" We had a little discussion about the man being lost and far away from God because of the bad things he did and God going out to find him and bring him back. A week or so later we heard the same song again. His reply was, "God found that man. Isn't that awesome?" Well said, son. Awesome, indeed.

Photos

2008-03-08T18:30:00.003-05:00

My friend, Kristina, is an amateur photographer and snapped some sweet pictures of my little one the other day. Check them out on her photoblog, Life in Orlando.

2008-01-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

We just got back from a visit with the doctor. After weighing the options with him, it seemed best to schedule a C-Section for this Thursday morning, January 24th at 7:30am. So, if Aaron stubbornly persists on staying on the inside until then, that is the plan. We'll see how it works out! Scott's mom will get here on Tuesday at lunch, so we'll have our babysitting arranged from then on--which relieves my stress level quite a bit.

Right-Side-Up

2008-01-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all of your prayers and messages. We had good news at our ultrasound this afternoon--the baby is not breech. Either he did some amazing gymnastics in the last 24 hours or the doctor was mistaken about what was going on. (At least we got a good start at meeting our insurance deductible!)

The funny news is that he is really not an infant, but an NFL linebacker instead! The ultrasound tech estimated that he weighs a whopping10 pounds! You can see some photos here:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=o8u9xu2.2edvtx6i&Uy=-dc73ud&Ux=0

We'll keep you updated if there's anything newsworthy!

Upside Down?

2008-01-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to give you a little update on our baby. I saw the doctor this morning and she said the heartbeat sounded good and that I'm still holding at 1cm dialated--so no major progress to report. She did say that it didn't feel like his head was down, so we potentially have a breech little guy on our hands. (This was not something I was expecting since things have been moving along pretty uneventfully up to this point and it's the first mention of anything like this.)

The doctor's office was a complete zoo today, so the earliest I could get back in for an ultrasound is tomorrow (Friday) at 1pm. Unfortunately, my doctor's office is only open until 2pm on Fridays, so it's possible that they may not receive the results until Monday--which definitely feels like a long time to me. I'm praying that God will make a way for them to see the results quickly and that we'll have the wisdom we need to know how to proceed no matter what we discover. I'd appreciate your prayers along with us.

A Christmas Lesson

2007-12-22T08:01:00.000-05:00

I had the rather humbling experience this week of being pulled over by a Florida State Trooper as I was out and about finishing my Christmas shopping. He saw me pause instead of stop at a stop sign. So many questions went through my mind as I sat on the side of the road awaiting my fate.

Can’t you see I’m pregnant?
Weren’t you impressed by my outstanding driving record?
Am I really the worst person you could have pulled over? (After all, at least a dozen people did the very same thing I just did while you were writing me up!)
Do you know I can’t afford this?
Does this really have to happen at Christmas?

It turns out that there was no mercy for me from the trooper. No matter how I try to justify it, the truth is that I’m guilty. There’s no denying it. I didn’t fully obey the law. I got exactly what I deserved and now I will have to pay what is due.

To be honest, this was just another bad thing among numerous other stresses that have come our way recently. In the midst of my sadness & frustration, I realized how I so easily question God in the same way I questioned the trooper when faced with the sin in my life.

Can’t you see my circumstances?
Aren’t you impressed by my good performance in the past?
There are others who are much worse than me, right?

But the real relief comes in accepting my guilt and enjoying the great gift of a Son sent by His Father to take the penalty that was far too costly for me. Justice and profound mercy together for an undeniable law-breaker.

I suppose Christmas wasn’t such a bad time to re-learn this lesson after all.

Comebacks?

2007-12-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

The end of a pregnancy always seems to bring insensitive and often downright rude comments from perfect strangers who feel compelled to comment on the size of your abdomen. This pregnancy, I'm disappointed to say, is no exception.

So, does anyone have some witty and/or humorous comebacks that I could use on people when I feel the urge to be equally rude right back? :-)

Yummy Dinner

2007-11-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

I've received several invitations recently for recipe exchanges but haven't had time to send anything along. This week my mom and I found and tried this great recipe from Rachael Ray's magazine. It's not too difficult, but definitely nice enough for company. It uses my new favorite ingredient, Panko bread crumbs. I don't think I'll ever use regular bread crumbs again.

HUMMUS-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

One 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and wrung out

2/3 cup hummus

¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied by your butcher and pounded ¼ inch thick

½ cup flour

2 large eggs

½ cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

4 Tbs. butter

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, hummus, pine nuts and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken with salt and place one-quarter of the hummus mixture on the right side of each breast. Fold the left side over the mixture. Using toothpicks, close the open sides.
Place the flour in a wide shallow bowl and season and salt and pepper. Beat the eggs in another bowl and place the panko in a third bowl. Coat the stuffed chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the chicken in the egg, then coat with the panko.
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until the foaming stops. Add the chicken and cook, turning once and adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Discard the toothpicks and slice each breast into pieces.

TIP: For a change: Replace the chicken with pork medallions.

My 3 Sons

2007-09-14T09:21:00.000-04:00

Solo Femininity is one of my favorite blogs. She linked to this video from Retro Evangelical in a recent post that made me glad that I'll soon have 3 sons. Evidently, chivalry is not dead.

What to Have For Breakfast

2007-09-11T09:10:00.001-04:00

The recipe for my very favorite breakfast casserole, which I received as a wedding gift, was temporarily missing. After tearing apart my pantry and various kitchen drawers (where recipes occasionally hide), I managed to find it--in the exact place it was supposed to be in the first place--the recipe box. I figured I'd post it...that way I'll know where to find it the next time it's lost.

6 slightly beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup Bisquick
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups grated cheese
1 stick melted butter

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Status

2007-09-08T14:29:00.000-04:00

It's funny, but I find it much easier to update my Facebook Status nowadays than to actually do a blog post. So, in lieu of a post with actual sentences and coherent thoughts, here are a few of my unposted Facebook Status updates for this past week.

Lori is...

...excited to feel her baby boy kicking every day now.

...frustrated with the neighbor whose dog pooped on our grass (while we were all watching) and neglected to pick it up. What's up with that?

...enjoying watching her son "fight-along" with a Star Wars DVD. (I think that's equivalent to a little girl doing a Disney Princess Sing-Along.)

...bummed that her Caribou Coffee travel mug melted in the microwave today.

...happy that her kids are enjoying school.

...upset that her scrapbooking plans didn't turn out exactly as she had hoped (due to her own stupidity)...but still pleased with her progress on the kids' school books.

...thinking that she has a really nice husband.

...is an only child who wonders why her children must always touch each other.

...watching High School Musical 2 for what seems like the hundredth time.

...sad that she missed her family Labor Day campout in Ohio.

...enjoying a fish fry and good laughs with the Impact Staff.

Award Winner

2007-04-03T19:27:00.000-04:00

In February, Brennan entered the Black History Month Essay Contest at school and won first place for the First Grade! I'm proud in a lot of ways...that he is laying a foundation for a greater understanding of black history than I ever had...that he picked a cool guy like Tony Dungy to write about (even if he did mix up his facts a little)...that he has that beautiful penmanship. So many things to make a mother smile!

First Round

2007-03-15T21:58:00.002-04:00

I just couldn't stop laughing when I checked on my tournament picks a minute ago. My children occupy 3 out of the top 4 spots so far. Leah is in first place...keep in mind that this is the child who picked a Butler victory in the first round because they have "but" in their name. Life just isn't fair.

My Favorite Things

2007-02-16T16:11:00.001-05:00

One of my duties as the wife and mom in this house includes shopping--a role that I must say I enjoy. I don't mind buying store brands for a lot of things to save a buck or two, but there are a few things I absolutely love and don't really compromise on:

Betty Crocker Corn Muffin Mix. It's moist and yummy every time.

OPI Nailpolish. Cheyenne Pepper is my personal favorite.

Eucerin Calming Cream. It totally eliminated Leah's dry skin in a matter of days.

Creative Memories Photo Albums. I love nearly everything they sell, but their albums can't be beat.

Pampered Chef Batter Bowl. How did I ever live without this?!?

Clinique Gentle Waterproof Mascara. It stays on when you need it to, but comes off without a hassle.

Charmin Ultra Toilet Paper.

DRI Sleeper Excel. We've had 8 out of 9 dry nights at our house! Some of the best money we've ever spent, no kidding.

Coke Zero...it's like Diet Coke, only better. Add a lime and it's heavenly.

Gum

2007-02-10T17:34:00.001-05:00

It is possible to get gum out of a child's hair with peanut butter. I know this by experience.

Birthday Pressure

2007-02-05T13:43:00.000-05:00

Now that my kids are in school, it seems that we've received our share of invitations to birthday parties. Some are from friends, near and dear, and others come from folks who are practically strangers to us. The children look forward to these events, and I don't blame them. People are putting on some pretty good parties nowadays. But sometimes it makes me feel under the pile. Before I was a parent I would not have believed that parenting would seem so much like a competetive sport as it does. The voices in my head say, "What great birthday party are YOU going to put on for your kids this year? How do you compare?"

A couple of weeks ago I had the Today Show on in the background and heard a story about a website called Birthdays Without Pressure. They list some of the reasons they think birthday parties have gotten out of control:

"We live in a supersizing consumer culture: more, bigger, splashier.
Today’s parents have high expectations of themselves and want to make every activity enriching for their children.
Some parents are competitive and keep raising the bar for birthday parties in their communities.
Other parents are afraid that their child’s party will fall below that bar, and therefore do more than they really want to.
Today’s “time squeeze” leads to outsourcing birthday parties and spending more than at home.
Smaller families allow for more spending on each child’s birthday.
Some parents may be compensating for their guilt over being too busy and overscheduled.
A lot of parents nowadays want their children’s approval and have trouble setting limits and saying “no.”
Birthday parties are a new profit area in a “more and better” business environment.
The “Martha Stewart Syndrome”: make it wonderful, and from scratch."

I couldn't agree more!! Do you know how much those "outsourced" parties cost? You'll need at least $120 to take your child and 6 of their friends (that's the minimum of kids) to the Build-A-Bear Workshop. A party at the indoor inflatables place (at least in this area) starts at $199 and only gets higher. You can easily drop $20 on a simple cake from the bakery. Then there are the obligatory "goody" bags which rarely contain more than junk that ends up between the couch cushions in a matter of hours. Plates, cups, napkins, streamers, pinatas, balloons, and wrapping paper all in the hottest theme aren't cheap either! With all of that, who has money leftover for a present?

While I am not against having birthday parties, I think we need to be careful. I know I do. We all seem to have a natural tendency to compare, and my children and I are no exception to that. I hear their pleas for a fancy party and see their puppy dog eyes begging for what their friends have and do. As a parent I want to give them good things. But I'm not convinced that getting on the big party bandwagon every year is going to benefit them. I don't know about you, but I'm going to be looking for ways to make them feel special while keeping it simple! I'll just have to pray that they won't be talking to their therapists about their deprived childhood later in life.

Stuff

2007-01-28T23:25:00.001-05:00

The temperature could be near 32 tonight--let's all panic!!! This weekend I had to turn on the heat and the air conditioning in the same 24 hour period. Tuesday's low will be 31; Friday's high: 77 and sunny.

I wish there was a National Coney Island in Orlando...I'm hungry for a coney.

We're on a mission in the Crocker house to put an end to bedwetting. I had the same problem as a kid and it's one of those hereditary things, unfortunately. We started with this alarm system call the DRI Sleeper, so I'll let you know how it goes. I cannot wait until the day when I can proudly say that everyone wears underwear to bed and I no longer clip coupons for Pull-Ups!

A while back I wrote a post venting my frustration about my neighbors and their loud car stereos. Things had gotten worse in recent weeks and I found myself fuming more than once as the windows in the house were rattling. Someone suggested that I go over there and ask them to turn it down--something I must admit I had NO intention of doing! Well, God is so nice. Just a day later I went out front to play with the kids and it just so happened that my noisy neighbors found themselves in need of some jumper cables. (They REALLY love their cars!) When they asked me to borrow some I happily took the opportunity to do something neighborly and help out. I was able to introduce myself to a young woman who lives there and kindly ask if they might be able to turn it down a bit. To my relief, it was received pretty well. Only time will tell--but so far, so good!

The Office Crime Drama

2007-01-27T15:53:00.001-05:00

Anyone who enjoys The Office should get a kick out of this one...

Kung Pao Chicken

2007-01-16T21:35:00.000-05:00

I haven't been too inspired in the kitchen in recent days, but I do think this recipe is blog-worthy. My favorite Chinese take-out dish is Kung Pao Chicken and this is an at-home version that satisfied my craving.

For the sauce: Mix 3 T. dry sherry, 2 T. soy sauce, 1 T. water, 1 t. cornstarch and 1/2 t. crushed red pepper. Set aside.

Cut 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Heat 1 T. cooking oil and 2 cloves minced garlic in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 C. bias-sliced carrots 1/2 C. bias-sliced celery, and 1/2 C. broccoli and stir-fry for a few minutes (until tender-crisp). Add 1 can sliced water chestnuts and 3 green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces; cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove vegetables from the pan. (** These are the veggies I used, but you can use whatever you like!)

Add chicken (and a little more oil if necessary) and stir-fry until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken aside and add sauce mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return veggies to pan and add 1/3 C. dry roasted peanuts. Stir to coat. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes until heated through. Serve with rice.

(This recipe was adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.)

24

2007-01-14T09:56:00.000-05:00

We are late-comers to watching 24. We left off somewhere in the middle of Season 2. My question is this: Is it OK to start watching the new season without seeing everything that has come before? Opinions will be greatly appreciated...

2007-01-06T21:34:00.000-05:00

Impact Conference. What can I say? We spent 8 nights at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta, which was really beautiful. My favorite thing at the hotel was the bathroom. Until now, I felt that the Frankfurt Airport Sheraton had the very best bathroom, but the Omni sure was good. It had beautiful marble countertops, a lighted make-up mirror, one of those huge round showerheads and a shower curtain that bowed out to give you extra elbow room. My shower at home pales in comparison.

I haven't been to an Impact or any other Christmas Conference since 2000, so in a way it was good to be there. But the truth is that conferences (particularly long ones) can be lonely places for moms. Scott had a lot of responsibility, so most of my time was spent trying to keep my own kids occupied and happy or doing my job in childcare. I'm afraid to say that my attitude was not always the best and I was mostly relieved when it was over. It was helpful for me to remember that it's really not about or for me, though. I don't really have a feel for how God was working through the conference, so I'm looking forward to hearing some good stories in the coming weeks!

On the lighter side, Scott and I went to see Rocky Balboa this week. I'm not ashamed to say that I really enjoy Rocky movies, especially with my husband. I found it to be quite touching. I won't spoil anything, but I think the ending was perfect for what will hopefully be the last movie in the series!

I realize it's a little behind the times, but we finally got a PlayStation 2 at our house. Brennan and I have been enjoying playing Lego Star Wars together--a game that's fun and still easy enough that even a mother can play.

Today we went to a wedding with Steve & Judy Douglass, Andrea Buczynski, Steve & Christy Sellers, and Mark & Kristi Gauthier and numerous other leaders in the ministry. But the thing I love about working at headquarters is that I get to see them being regular people. I love going to weddings with Scott because it's such a good reminder of the promises that we made 8 1/2 years ago. I still can't believe I have such a great husband. Anyway, the wedding was beautiful and so Christ-centered. I didn't really know the couple very well, but they were both from Mexican families, so they incorporated a lot of Mexican wedding traditions into their ceremony. I love learning about culture and everything they did added so much meaning to the day. The mariachi band was awesome and they even released doves outside by the lake, which is something I'd never seen done before.

Have I mentioned that I love Florida in January? :-)

Santa

2006-12-21T17:13:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, this is the first picture the kids have ever had taken with Santa! We just happened to find his place at Sea World Orlando.

My Other Artist

2006-12-10T14:11:00.000-05:00

Leah is proud to announce that she has another art project on display in the online Art Gallery. She is now a member of the Contemporary Artist Gallery--an honor given to 20 students at school, only 3 of whom are in kindergarten. Beautiful job!

More Artwork

2006-12-08T19:11:00.000-05:00

Brennan had his very first art project chosen for his school's online Art Gallery.

Congratulations, buddy!

On My Mind

2006-12-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

I just found last year's (yes, I mean 2005) leftover Halloween candy in a remote cupboard. Yuk.

I love December in Florida. Today the temperature is under 60 degrees and people are wearing hats--no joke. I even saw some boots. Do they think it's gonna snow or something?

We have an artificial Christmas tree. Always have--always will. But you don't have to feel sorry for me. I like it that way. Must be my practical side--either that or the controlling one. It makes me happy to be able to rearrange the branches to fill in the gaps or create just the perfect spot for an ornament.

The tree and I have spent a lot of time together this year. I stripped it of its 600 pre-strung lights due to some serious malfunctions. I don't recommend it. It took me nearly 6 hours, off and on. I've touched each of the 1,200 tips at least twice in the re-lighting and decorating process. Our children, God bless them, hung most of the ornaments on the same 20 branches directly at eye level. After they went to bed, I edited their placement. They're mostly past the stage of rearranging them on a daily basis, for which I am very thankful.

My mom's oldest sister, Joyce, has been in very poor health over the last couple of years. Aunt Joyce lived not too far from us when I was growing up in Michigan, so we spent a lot of time together when I was a child. I was able to talk with her from her hospital room today. She sounded nothing like the jovial person I've always known, which was a little disconcerting for me. We were able to say good-bye. She has been a faithful supporter of our ministry since the beginning...investing thousands of dollars in reaching students for Christ. Even in what seems to be her final days on this earth she said how she was proud she was of what we are doing, which means the world to me.

Nothing, Sunday reflections and grace

2006-11-27T00:17:00.000-05:00

Scott always says that the problem with doing nothing is that you never really know when you're done. That's kinda how I feel about this weekend. Part of me enjoys doing nothing--relatively speaking, for a mother of 3 young children--but the other part of me is happy that tomorrow is Monday and we are getting on with doing more "something" and less nothing. (As a side note, one of the ways I found to do nothing this weekend was to work on Kakuro puzzles. They're a little like Sudoku only WAY harder. I highly recommend it if you have some time to kill!)

I really dropped the ball on the whole Sunday Reflections thing I said I would do every week. Even my mom asked me what happened--and she doesn't spent much time online. It has a little to do with the fact that I'm finding it difficult to really engage with the Lord. One way that I resist going deep is to complain about my Bible Study...BSF. It goes something like this: "There's so many rules...why did God put me in this group...these questions are dumb...it's all doctrine (we're in Romans) and nothing personal...these notes are so long..." I could go on and on like this.

But God is so kind to me. As I sat down with my lesson and my usual bad attitude tonight (after Sunday Night Football--Go Colts!) He still chose to meet me. That whole thing in Romans 6 about being dead to sin and alive to God is Christ Jesus blows my mind. He showed me some ways that I offer my body as an instrument of unrighteousness. He reminded me that sin is not my master because I'm not under law, but grace. Then I was listening to Matthew West's song, Only Grace. I tend to connect with God most easily through music and these words were so fitting:

There is no guilt here

There is no shame

No pointing fingers

There is no blame

What happened yesterday has disappeared

The dirt has washed away

And now it’s clear

There’s only grace

There’s only love

There’s only mercy

And believe me it’s enough

Your sins are gone

Without a trace

There’s nothing left now

There’s only grace

You’re starting over now

Under the sun

You’re stepping forward now

A new life has begun

Your new life has begun

To quote the apostle Paul...thanks be to God!

Pumpkin Pie

2006-11-21T20:53:00.000-05:00

I've done my research and reached a decision. The Crockers will be eating Paula Deen's Pumpkin Pie this year for Thanksgiving. I'm not sure how Paula could have made a recipe with less than 1 stick of butter, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Here's the recipe in case you haven't settled on yours yet...

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

You Know You're a Floridian When...

2006-11-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

...you wonder if an 80 degree day is warm enough to go to the beach. I really thought this!! What is happening to me?!?

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our November day at Cocoa Beach.

Leah loved the sand and the waves!

Brennan is our little swimmer!

Jason loved the snacks.

Guess the Logo

2006-11-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

I found this really fun--and extremely difficult--Logo Quiz on one of my favorite blogs, Pop Candy.

My score was miserable...how about yours?

Gator

2006-11-07T21:02:00.000-05:00

We've lived in Florida for a little more than 2 years (though not continuously) and I've never seen a real alligator. I was driving by the pond at the entrance to our neighborhood yesterday and thought I saw something that resembled an alligator on the grass near the water. I dismissed it as nothing, but I saw it again when I was out and about today. I drove around to get a better view and realized I was right! I finally had my first live gator sighting!! He (or maybe she) seemed relatively small--at least as far as alligators go--but then again, I guess I wouldn't really know.

I'm proud to say I've seen one. I feel more like a Floridian, somehow. I just hope he doesn't show up on my porch.

ER

2006-11-02T22:52:00.000-05:00

Why did they change the ER theme music? I love that old music. It's just not the same...

World Series Bound

2006-10-14T20:40:00.000-04:00

I haven't felt this good about the Tigers since 1984!

Bye Bye Yankees

2006-10-07T20:26:00.000-04:00

Yea Tigers!!!!

Kid Logic

2006-10-07T12:46:00.000-04:00

This post is in honor of our staff friends, Adam & Anne, who have a semi-regular feature on their blog called "Kid Logic." Our kids are close in age, so I always get a kick out of what their kids are saying and doing.

For context you need to know that our oldest son, Brennan, hates to color. This was our conversation...

Brennan: "Coloring is not important."
Me: "Why not?"
Brennan: "Because life is really about Jesus Christ."
Me: "True, but..."

I have no good response for this one!

Loud

2006-10-05T16:19:00.000-04:00

My neighbor's home. I know this by the thumping bass sound that I hear each and every time she pulls into the driveway--day or night. I'm mostly mad when I hear this sound. My kids are sleeping, after all. It's against the neighborhood rules to play music that loud. I feel pretty justified about my anger...but it's not doing me (or anybody else) any good to glare at her through the blinds and call her names under my breath.

Next time, I'm gonna pray for her...and for me.

Red Velvet Bars

2006-10-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

While I was away at the retreat last weekend I was able to catch a few shows on the Food Network. (We don't have cable at home, so that's a treat for me!) I don't know if living in the south is starting to get to me, but I keep being attracted to southern style recipes. I need to look for an excuse to make these Red Velvet Bars sometime soon.

For Cake:
1 box (18 1/4 ounces) German chocolate cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 ounce red food coloring (recommended: McCormick)

For Cream Cheese Layer:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened (recommended: Philadelphia)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (recommended: McCormick)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 by13-inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat with an electric mixer on low speed, cake mix, butter, egg, and food coloring until combined. Press cake mixture into prepared pan; set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat to combine. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake layer.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bars barely start to pull away from sides. Cool completely before cutting.

Retreat

2006-10-01T18:33:00.000-04:00

I think this picture says it all...

I'm Off...

2006-09-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

...to Daytona Beach for the Lake Hart Wives Retreat this weekend. It's been a long time since I've been anywhere besides SuperTarget, so I'm really looking forward to it. As a mom I sometimes don't know what to do with myself when I have freetime, but I'm gonna work hard to get over that! Here are some things I won't be doing:

Watching any shows on PBS Kids or the Disney Channel
Helping anyone in the bathroom
Serving drinks in sippy cups
Listening to songs from High School Musical
Laundry
Swimming in the kiddie pool
Checking e-mail or blogging

I feel relaxed just thinking about it...

Florida in the Fall

2006-09-27T18:33:00.000-04:00

Before I tell you what I enjoy about Florida in the fall, I realized that there's one more thing that I miss about home, especially this year:

I miss hearing local news about the Tigers from Bernie Smilovitz. I love that smart-alec sports guy!

OK, here goes:

I love that the kids don't have to bundle up in coats to go trick-or-treating. Most importantly, you don't even need to think about owning a jacket until December!
I like that we get a lot more wear out of our summer clothes.
The end of hurricane season happens in the fall. That can only be good news.
I like that school starts at the beginning of August. By then I'm pretty much out of interesting activities for them to do anyway.
It gets cooler and less humid. Believe me, those of us who live here can tell the subtle difference between 91° and 88°.
Fall is the season before winter and winter is by far the best season in Florida!

I'm trying to be positive here, but it's just no contest. Home 1, Florida 0.

Fall and Home

2006-09-23T10:43:00.000-04:00

I've been reading people's posts about the fall and I have to confess that I'm kinda jealous. I really do like living in Florida, but this is the time of year that makes me miss home. I think a cold front passed through on the first day of fall, but that only meant that it would be 87 instead of 90 with a record low of 66 overnight! Anyway, here are some of the things that I miss about being at home in the fall.

I never thought I would say this, but I miss Michigan drivers. They have their moments of craziness, but they're better than the knuckleheads around here! (I guess this doesn't have much to do with the fall, but this is my blog and I get to write about whatever strikes me!)

Caribou Coffee in downtown Royal Oak. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Starbucks as much as the next person and the Hazelnut coffee from Panera is delicious...but my all-time favorite coffee drink is a Peppermint Patty from Caribou. You can only get a proper one in Royal Oak--not Troy, 'cuz they use a different type of cocoa...at least they used to...but I digress. Even without the coffee I'm still partial to Caribou. I love the location and the atmosphere...just about everything!

Trees and leaves. I don't need to say much here. The leaves in Florida eventually turn brown and fall off, but you just don't get the beautiful colors.

The annual trek to the Cider Mill. Nothing says fall more than apples, cider and donuts!

Getting to wear warm weather clothes.

The first fire of the year. I love the smells and sounds of a real woodburning fireplace.

Next time: Things I like about Florida in the fall!

Art

2006-09-11T22:41:00.000-04:00

My budding artist's first art project on display in her school's online art gallery.

It does a mother proud.

What to Have For Dinner

2006-09-06T14:52:00.000-04:00

Now that fall is here--even though it still doesn't feel like it in Orlando--I occasionally like getting out the crock pot to save my santiy at the crazy hour we call dinner. Even though Labor Day is supposed to mark the official end of BBQ season, this recipe for Virginia Barbecue is good and easy for anytime of year. It's also good for a crowd.

Virginia Barbecue

2.5 pounds trimmed boneless pork loin roast or shoulder roast

1/2 of a medium onion, minced

1 cup ketchup

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Cut roast into chunks. Place in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker.

2. Mix onion, ketchup, sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Pour on roast. Cook on low 8 hours (or on high for 4 hours).

3. Remove pork from cooker; shred. Mix with sauce in cooker.

*** The meat was so tender that I didn't even have to take the meat out of the pot to shred it! It was great served on buns with cole slaw and corn bread on the side. :-)

Big Boy

2006-09-04T21:26:00.000-04:00

For the first time in close to 7 years I am happy to announce that we no longer have a crib set up in our house! Jason made the jump from his crib to his big boy bed this afternoon. He was so proud! So far he hasn't gotten out of bed--although he's been talking to Brennan and himself for the last hour. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that his obedience continues all the way until morning.

Ernesto Update

2006-08-29T12:30:00.000-04:00

It looks like Ernesto is coming to town! We're expecting 3-5 inches of rain along with winds of up 50 mph during the day and evening on Wednesday. Local6 is my favorite channel for news and weather, so you can check out their website for updates if you want them. Clicking the picture above will take you to a video forecast, but I am not technically savvy enough to make the buttons show up for it!

I expect that the kids will be home from school on Wednesday, but we haven't received official word on that yet.

In other school news, we got a letter that someone in Leah's class has head lice. Yippee. She looks OK for now, but we'll have to keep an eye out. I don't think I could handle a tropical storm and head lice all in the same week! A hair dresser once told me that if you put some hairspray in your hair it helps protect against the lice. I hope it's true!!

Here We Go...

2006-08-27T14:14:00.000-04:00

The last time I watched the weather (which I think was Saturday) the entire state of Florida looked safe from the projected path of Tropical Storm Ernesto. What a difference a day makes! Now Ernesto is officially a hurricane and appears to be headed for Tampa. You can click the picture to read more...

I guess I better get emergency supplies together for later this week. SuperTarget, here I come!

Sunday Reflections

2006-08-27T13:15:00.000-04:00

Oh, it's been so quiet lately among my blogger friends...a sure sign that school is back in! My cycles of momentum are a bit different in the office. I'm not terribly busy right now, but once New Staff applications start rolling in, I'll have a hectic October/November. As of this week, I am taking over the distribution of New Staff Application files to the regions for evaluation--a job that has been done extremely well by my friend, Debbie Brown, for a number of years. I feel like I have some big shoes to fill! I'll also help with training new evaluators this October, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of things to do to fill my time in the upcoming weeks.

Well, I skipped church this morning...so no big Sunday Reflections from there. But the staff in the National Campus Office occasionally get an encouraging e-mail from Dave Dickens and Debbie Barron about MPD. I like the one that Dave sent this week. Maybe you already received it, but it definitely bears repeating!

"I recently asked MPD coaches from around the country and in various ministries to identify what they thought were the top ten key beliefs or attitudes that staff need to have to be successful in MPD. Here is what they came up with:

1. The Lord desires to meet all your needs

2. MPD is a process, not an event

3. People need to be given the opportunity to invest in the Great Commission

4. People want to give, they just need to be asked

5. People give to the Lord and not to you. You are not begging for money

6. MPD is a Biblical process

7. MPD is a spiritual activity and a way for you to minister to others

8. MPD needs to be done in community

9. Satan is opposed to you being at full support

10. People giving to your ministry is one of the best investments they can make."

It's easy for me to get hung up on #5. Sometimes I get it in my mind that I have to somehow make myself worthy of people giving their money to me. When the time comes that someone says no about being on our team it can be a source of great disappointment. To be honest, it's hard not to take it personally. But there is such freedom in realizing that people are giving to the Lord...that's a freedom I want to experience!

DONE!

2006-08-19T16:42:00.000-04:00

It seems like it has been forever, but I have FINALLY finished Jason's First Year Scrapbook. It's a good feeling to put those page protectors on and add the book to the shelf of completed albums! Here's a few of my favorite pages:

My next project is our life in Indiana. We weren't there for too long, but we have plenty of pictures to keep me busy for a while!

Bargain

2006-08-14T20:16:00.000-04:00

I love a good bargain. Even more than that, I love FREE STUFF! Must be from all these years on staff--I'm comin' up on 11, by the way. Anyway, since the kids started back to school last week, I realized that I needed a new umbrella stroller to keep Jason contained when we picked them up. (He takes great joy in running away from me in public places!)

On Sunday I was looking through the paper and noticed that CVS was offering a FREE umbrella stroller--valued at $12.99--if you bought $20 worth of baby products. I used to be a loyal Walgreen's customer, that is, until I moved to Florida and had CVS at my corner! I guess I'm not so loyal after all. Besides, CVS actually gives you money for shopping there--it's really true. And like I said, I love free stuff. They also sell Hallmark cards, which I think are the best...but I digress.

Where was I?

Oh, I ended up with 2 packs of Easy-Ups, 1 box of baby wipes, a gallon of milk, 1 bottle of laundry detergent, 3 keychains and an umbrella stroller.

After using $3.oo worth of coupons plus $4.00 in CVS Bucks my grand total was $22.06!! All in all, with coupons and sale prices I saved $21.19. I LOVE THAT!

On Notice--UPDATED

2006-08-14T09:37:00.000-04:00

Something or someone buggin' you? Put them On Notice like Stephen Colbert here! (Found this on TV Squad.)

***Well, my husband said I have to give him his props since he actually was the first in our household to make his "On Notice" list. Perhaps he'll post his soon...

Emeril's Ribs with Spicy Root Beer and Bourbon Glaze

2006-08-11T19:48:00.000-04:00

I've never actually made ribs at home, but this recipe sure makes me want to try! It's the Root Beer in the glaze that really caught my attention. It does have some unusual ingredients that I don't normally keep on hand, but maybe I'll get adventurous and try it out!

Ribs With Spicy Root Beer and Bourbon Glaze
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril's Food of Love Productions, 2006

For the glaze:
2 (12-ounce) cans of root beer
2 tablespoons hot pepper jelly
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons steak sauce (recommended: Emeril's Steak Sauce)
1 teaspoon Caribbean Pick-a-Peppa sauce
6 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 teaspoons bitters (recommended: Angostura)
1 cup bourbon
1 cup sugar

For the ribs:
4 to 5 pounds baby back ribs (2 full slabs, each cut half)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1½ teaspoons granulated onion powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup chicken stock

Directions:

To make the glaze, place all the ingredients for the glaze in a 6-quart pot or larger, and cook over medium-high heat. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar.

Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and allow it to reduce to a glaze consistency, about 25 to 30 minutes longer. Remove the glaze from the stove and strain though a fine mesh strainer. Reserve and keep warm, until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Place the ribs on a large baking sheet. In a small mixing bowl, combine the kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir well to incorporate, and use 1 tablespoon of the spice rub to cover each of the racks of ribs. Rub the mixture into the meat and allow it to sit undisturbed for at least 20 minutes.

Pour the chicken stock into the sheet pan, and cover the pan with aluminum foil, making a tight seal. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the ribs are very tender.

Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the foil and the fat and oil from the sheet pan, and allow the ribs to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat a grill to medium.

Brush the ribs with a generous coating of the glaze, about 3 tablespoons of the glaze per set of ribs. Place the ribs directly on the preheated grill, and cook until the ribs are browned and caramelized, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your grill. Be careful not to let the glaze burn from flare-ups.

Remove the ribs from the grill and lay on a cutting board, meaty-side down. Use a sharp knife to cut the ribs apart. Serve the ribs with some of the leftover glaze on the side, if desired.
Yield: 4 appetizer portions

Orange...

2006-08-10T13:44:00.000-04:00

...no, not the fruit...the terror alert level. It's not something that would ordinarily bother me, but Scott is in the air today, so I admit that I felt a little more nervous than I usually do. We made an early run to the airport so he could get through security, being sure to keep his shampoo and toothpaste in his checked bags!

I'm reminded today not only to pray for his safety but also for the many Muslims who need Jesus.

On a lighter note, I saw this lady on the news complaining that she had $100 worth of lip gloss confiscated at the airport. Now, I love lip gloss, but I can't imagine bringing that much with me on a trip...

First Day

2006-08-07T10:48:00.000-04:00

The day I have long awaited has finally arrived. Today is the first day of school!! (Yes, believe it or not, we start school in early August here in Orlando!) For Brennan the routine is old hat...after all, this is his 3rd first day of school. But Leah has never been to school, so she was very eager to don her Disney Princess gear and get going.

I must admit that I teared up when Mrs. Smith instructed the children to kiss mommy and daddy good-bye, but I managed to hold myself together for Leah's sake. The day is bittersweet for me. I am happy for the quieter hours I will have at home with Jason--although I don't yet know how we will fill them. But today I can't help but miss them, wonder what they are doing at each and every moment, and wait until 3:00--when the sweet chaos will begin once again.

Sunday Reflections, Volume 4

2006-07-31T08:33:00.000-04:00

We continued our time in Galatians at Lake Baldwin Church yesterday. I could fill you in on the details of Escaping the Performance Trap and living a life with "Grace Motivation," but the top story in church yesterday was the lack of air conditioning. I know that many parts of the country are experiencing a heat wave, and I sympathize with them, but here in Central Florida it's not unusual for us to have temperatures in the 90's every single day for months. That being said, we really depend on our AC!

Throughout our 2 1/2 hour meeting time we fanned, worshipped, sipped bottled water, connected in small groups, and even did a little complaining. And we survived.

I'm afraid to say that I'm a wimp. I confess that I spent some time thinking of excuses to go home. But in the end, I was glad that we stayed. It was good to connect with one another, spend time in the Word, and share honestly from our lives. I couldn't help but think about the people of faith who have gone before us and how they dealt with troubles a whole lot worse than the air not working for a couple of hours. Then there are the dangers believers face as they try to meet together in places like China. (As a side note, if you have never read the book Safely Home by Randy Alcorn it's worth it. You'll learn a lot about the persecuted church.)

"Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the day approaching." Hebrews 11:25

Even if the air conditioning is not working.

Sunday Reflections, Volume 3

2006-07-23T19:47:00.000-04:00

Our study of Galatians 4:8-20 led to a discussion of idols in our lives at church this morning.

"An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone. Anything that...is central to my ife, anything that seems to me...essential...An idol is anything by which I live and on which I depend, anything that...holds such a controlling position in my life that...it moves and rouses and attracts so much of my time and attention, my energy and money."
--D.M. Lloyd-Jones

OK...I've got them, so I'm guilty as charged. I don't know if this is true of others, but it's a subject that always causes anxiety in my heart...especially when I know that I'll be participating in small group discussion on the topic! Pastor Mike, probably smelling the fear in the room, put us all at ease with this statement:

"It is always safe to unlock your heart in the presence of grace."

I was reminded that God doesn't reveal the idols in my life just to be mean, but he approaches me gently--like a Father--so that I can live in freedom rather than slavery! (Gal. 4:9)

After all, isn't that what the gospel is all about?

Lost Missions?

2006-07-21T15:56:00.000-04:00

I just read a thought-provoking article from Christianity Today about some trends in missions and our motive for missions. Copyright laws prevent me from reprinting it, but I think it's worth a read. You'll find it here...

24

2006-07-20T20:11:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, I have never watched a single episode of 24. When I still had ALIAS I saw no need to get attached to another show, but now the time has come. I have a lot of catching up to do...

technorati tags: 24, TV

Sunday Reflections, Volume 2

2006-07-16T16:10:00.000-04:00

Is it Sunday already?

We talked about adoption in church this morning. I really admire the many families I know that have welcomed children into their lives through adoption. There aren't too many things that give us a better picture of our relationship with God.

"The devil may wear Prada, but we are clothed in Christ."
--Pastor Mike Tilley, from a sermon on Galatians 3:26-4:7

"Adoption is the highest privilege the gospel offers."
--J.I. Packer

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew or Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise."

--Galatians 3:26-29

Happy National Ice Cream Day

2006-07-16T14:56:00.000-04:00

I was pleased to discover that the third Sunday of July has been designated as National Ice Cream Day. Yet another excuse to enjoy my favorite dessert in the world. You can read a few interesting facts about the frozen treat on Slashfood.

My personal favorites are Breyer's Chocolate and Edy's Mint Chocolate Chip...how about you?

technorati tags: ice cream

It's Potty Time

2006-07-13T14:49:00.000-04:00

I'll spare you the pictures, but I am very proud to say that our youngest child is officially potty trained--#1 & #2! I've been hesitant to put it in writing because I wanted to be sure it was true, but I think 7 consecutive days is good enough to claim victory.

Our diaper pail is going to be seeing a lot less action from now on...HALLELUJAH!

July Photos

2006-07-09T15:37:00.000-04:00

You can take a peek at some new photos at the Kodak Gallery! Just click the button...

Sunday Reflections

2006-07-09T13:44:00.000-04:00

"The faith that surmounts the evidence and is able to warm itself at the fire of God's love, instead of having to steal love and self-acceptance from other sources, is actually the root of holiness..."

Richard Lovelace

I hope you'll enjoy my Sunday Reflections as a regular feature here on my blog. We've found a church that we really like here in Orlando, so I'd love to be able to share the things that God is showing me from our times of teaching and small group discussion.

technorati tags: God, faith, love

Love Languages

2006-07-07T10:37:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my friend, Sandie, for helping me remember this stuff again. It also makes me want to give more thought to what my kids' love languages are. What are yours?

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Receiving Gifts
with a secondary love language being
Words of Affirmation.

Complete set of results

Receiving Gifts:		12
Words of Affirmation:		8
Quality Time:		5
Acts of Service:		4
Physical Touch:		1

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

Discovery

2006-07-04T15:06:00.000-04:00

We just saw the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery...WOW! Just seconds after watching the lift-off on TV the kids and I ran out to the backyard and were able to see the fireball and contrail with our own eyes. (A great benefit of living in central Florida!) Again, I say WOW! Happy Independence Day.

technorati tags: space shuttle, discovery

Carrot Cake Cookies

2006-07-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

I'm a big carrot cake fan, so I was excited to see this recipe today on Everyday Food. They are the cutest little sandwich cookies! I can't wait to try them!

Carrot Cake Cookies

(Makes 18; Prep time: 30 minutes; Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.)

For the Filling:

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 oz. butter, softened

¼ c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

For the Cookies:

½ c. butter, melted

½ c. light brown sugar

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

¾ c. flour

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. salt

1 cup rolled oats

¾ c. finely grated peeled carrots

1/3 c. dried currants

Preheat oven to 350º. Make filling: with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar and lemon juice; beat until combined. Cover; chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make cookies: In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugars and egg yolk. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir until combined. Mix in oats, carrots, and currants.
Drop dough by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten with the palm of your hand to make uniform sizes. Bake until edges are crisp, rotating baking sheets halfway through, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
When cool, put about 1 tsp. of filling on half the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges. Serve immediately.

technorati tags: cookies

Birth Order

2006-06-27T14:54:00.000-04:00

This sure sounds like me!

You Are Likely a First Born

At your darkest moments, you feel guilty.
At work and school, you do best when you're researching.
When you love someone, you tend to agree with them often.

In friendship, you are considerate and compromising.
Your ideal careers are: business, research, counseling, promotion, and speaking.
You will leave your mark on the world with discoveries, new information, and teaching people to dream.

The Birth Order Predictor

Happy Day

2006-06-23T17:22:00.000-04:00

There is one day every 2 months that I look forward to: the day my Creative Memories lasting moments magazine arrives in the mail. Today is that day!! I got the subscription as a Christmas gift from my in-laws and I couldn't love it more. I just may make myself a cup of coffee and sit down with it right now...

technorati tags: creative memories

Random

2006-06-21T19:30:00.000-04:00

A friend was watching the kids for me today and a funny thing happened when I arrived to pick them up. I knocked on the door and heard her 6 year old son say, "I don't know who it is, but she looks nice!"

I'm glad I looked "nice" to him. :-)

Got Skype?

2006-06-17T10:28:00.000-04:00

Someone told me about skype.com the other day. You can use it to talk to friends overseas for free! You can do computer-to-computer or even computer to land line. Check it out...

technorati tags: skype

In Debt Before You Start

2006-06-17T08:53:00.000-04:00

Here are some excerpts from a recent USA Today article titled In Debt Before You Start. You can read it in its entirety here, but here are a few highlights:

The average college senior graduated this year with more than $19,000 in debt...

After years of rising college costs and shrinking financial aid, it's come to this: Some graduates are now leaving college with student-loan debt in the six figures...

Graduates with more than $100,000 in debt still account for a small subset of borrowers. But their numbers are rising. And the proportion who are leaving college with some level of unmanageable debt — debt they can't repay without significant hardship — is swelling...

In 2004, nearly 8% of graduating seniors carried student loans of $40,000 or more, according to the Project on Student Debt, a non-profit advocacy group. In 1993, even adjusted for inflation, only 1.3% of college seniors had debt that large, says Robert Shireman, director of the project...

About 11% of graduates of private, non-profit colleges have loans of $40,000 or more vs. 5.5% for public colleges and universities, Shireman says...

The rise in unmanageable debt has raised concerns that many graduates won't be able to pursue careers in fields that have traditionally paid modest salaries. Nearly a quarter of four-year public-school graduates and 38% of private-school graduates who become teachers can't afford to repay their debts on a starting teacher's salary, a recent report by the Public Interest research Group's Higher Education Project found...

That last paragraph breaks my heart because full-time Christian ministry is one of those jobs that pays a modest salary! It makes me so sad when someone applies to the staff of Campus Crusade and I have to tell them cannot join us because they have too much debt. Maybe they would have made some different choices along the way if they had only known the long-term ramifications.

When I was a senior in high school I came to a crossroads. I desperately wanted to attend Anderson University, a small Christian university in Indiana. They said they could give me a partial scholarship for tuition but no help with room and board. Despite my pleas, there was no more money available for me from Anderson. Wayne State University on the other hand was offering to pay all of my tuition for 4 years...128 credit hours worth. The drawback was that I would have to commute and live at home.

My parents could tell you that my attitude was pretty bad about the whole thing. I wanted to go away to college, and I was disappointed that it might not become a reality.The day finally came when my parents told me that I would be accepting the scholarship to Wayne State. They let me know that it would be unwise to go into debt when I had the chance to have college paid for.

I am eternally grateful to my parents. As an 18 year old I had no idea what God had in store for me. Fortunately He is sovereign. He knew that he would lead me to Campus Crusade. He knew that he would call me to join staff. The guidance of my parents saved me from having to wait to serve God in the way that He had called me to do.

So what can students and parents do? I'm no expert on this, but I do have a few suggestions:

1) Choose a school that is more affordable. Resist the urge to attend a prestigious or private school if you can't afford it.

2) Work while you are in school. If necessary, take a semester off occasionally as you go.

3) If you must take out a student loan, don't borrow to pay for everything. Pay for what you can along the way--you won't regret it in the long run.

technorati tags: debt student loans campus crusade wayne state university

Funny Stuff on the Road

2006-06-13T21:48:00.000-04:00

These are a few amusing things that we saw on our road-trip to Michigan...

The first billboard advertising Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan was sighted nearly 1,000 miles away--in north Florida!! (By the way, Frankenmuth is also know for its great chicken...well, at least by my relatives.)

A sign for the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center. (Is it really that different from, say, North Central Kentucky?)

I think this one was also in Kentucky..."Used Cows For Sale." What??

Scott and I puilled into the Arby's drive-thru in Marysville, Michigan only to be told that the manager left and there was no roast beef. How could Arby's run out of roast beef? And where was the manager? We had Taco Bell instead. They had tacos.

Tyler's Ultimate BBQ Chicken

2006-05-29T12:32:00.000-04:00

I saw Tyler Florence (another of my favorite Food Network chefs) on Good Morning America this morning. He made this great looking BBQ Chicken which he soaked in a brine solution. Now, my mom always soaks our Thanksgiving turkey in brine and it is delicious, so I figured this might be worth a try. I haven't made it yet, but Scott loves BBQ chicken, so I know I'll be hitting the grill very soon.

The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken
(Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 chickens (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each), quartered
Brine: 2 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
4 sprigs fresh thyme

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the brine, combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme in a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat a 2-count of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors.

Preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a non-stick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid way, and cook for a total of 15 minutes. Then brush the chicken with the sauce and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 10 more minutes. Serve with extra sauce.

technorati tags: tyler florence food network bbq chicken gma

Hurricane Preparedness

2006-05-28T15:16:00.000-04:00

Here are some funny thoughts from Dave Barry on preparing for this year's hurricane season.

A tip for the hurricane season: Try to have some kind of a clue
by Dave Barry

"The 2006 hurricane season is here, and if you're a resident of Florida, you know what that means: It means you have the IQ of bean dip. If you had any working brain cells, by now you'd have moved to some less risky place, such as Iraq. This is especially true after last hurricane season, which was so bad that we went all the way through the alphabet of official names and had to refer to the last batch of hurricanes by making primitive grunting sounds.

Unfortunately, it appears we're in for another bad season. The National Center for Making Everybody Nervous About Hurricanes is predicting that this season there will be 10 major hurricanes, defined as ``hurricanes that cause Bryan Norcross to lose his voice.''
According to the center's computer simulations, at least four of those storms will hit the mainland United States, and at least one of those will come directly to your house and cause a tree branch, traveling at 150 mph, to impale you through your chest. (Bear in mind that these are only predictions. It could also be your skull.)

IMPORTANT TIPS

That's why it is so important that you be ready for hurricane season. Here are some tips to help you prepare:

TIP 1: TRY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A CLUE.
Let me explain:
When a hurricane is approaching South Florida, we get a LOT of advance warning. Usually for the entire week leading up to its arrival, the newspaper prints large headlines that say HURRICANE COMING, along with many stories reminding people to stock up on water, gas and food. All the radio stations announce roughly every 25 seconds that a hurricane is coming and people will need water, gas and food. On TV, Bryan spends hour after hour pointing at the oncoming radar blob and rasping, in the voice of an ailing seal, about the need to stock up on water, gas and food.

So what happens, EVERY SINGLE TIME? I'll tell you! Immediately after the hurricane passes, lines begin to form all over South Florida -- lines of people, thousands of them, who are in desperate need of -- water, gas and food! WHERE HAVE THESE PEOPLE BEEN? Did the hurricane winds just carry them here from Madagascar? Can they not function on their own for 24 hours without having to get into a line? How can they not even have WATER?? Were they not aware that, as the hurricane approached, they could have gotten all the water they needed MERELY BY TURNING ON THE FREAKING WATER FAUCET???
That's what I mean by ``have some kind of clue.''

TIP 2: BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES.

As you know, Florida Power & Light had some problems last hurricane season, when it was discovered that, because of an error in the engineering specifications, thousands of the company's power poles were in fact really tall breadsticks. FPL has been working hard on this problem, and a company spokesperson states that this year, if we are struck by another Wilma-level hurricane, FPL personnel will immediately implement an action plan designed to provide all customers, as quickly and as safely as possible, with realistic-sounding excuses as to why their power will not be restored for an indeterminate period of time.

EXPLANATION OF `OOPS!'

''Our goal is to have plausible excuses for 80 percent of our customers within three days,'' stated an FPL spokesperson. ``Of course it may take longer, especially if we have to bring in excuses from other power companies.'' So just in case, you might want to invest in a generator. These invaluable machines enable you, even when your power is out, to annoy the hell out of your neighbors. If you do get a generator, remember the basic rules of generator safety:

• Don't drink and generate.
• If you are a guy, and you get into a dispute with a neighbor guy over who has a bigger generator, do NOT attempt to settle the dispute by holding a ``spark-off.''
• Never bathe with a generator while it is running.

MOVE IT OR LOSE IT

One final note: If we do lose power, the traffic signals will be out. That's why it's so important to remember:

TIP 3: KNOW THE CORRECT PROCEDURE FOR A FOUR-WAY STOP.

What do I mean by ''the correct procedure for a four-way stop?'' I mean: Get out of my way."

technorati tags: hurricane dave barry

Two Words...

2006-05-24T14:09:00.000-04:00

GO TAYLOR!!

More Pictures

2006-05-21T14:55:00.000-04:00

You can take a peek at our May Photos at the Kodak Gallery.

Brennan painted this cool picture at school when they studied Vincent Van Gogh and other famous artists. The entire kindergarten at Cypress Springs Elementary School got to show off their work in their own art gallery. To be honest, some of the kids were better artists than me, but I guess that's not saying too much!

The Pumped-Up Price of Water

2006-05-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

I came across this article in another blog that I enjoy called Slashfood.

The pumped-up price of water
Priced per gallon, it's way higher than gasoline

Sunday, May 07, 2006
By Mackenzie Carpenter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If you think you're getting gouged at the gas pump, wait until you reach into your refrigerator for a bottle of water.

That 9-ounce bottle of Evian spring water at $1.49? That'll cost you about $21 a gallon, thank you very much. That 16-ounce Dasani or Aquafina -- filtered tap water brought to you by Coke or Pepsi, espectively -- that will be $1.50 at your nearest vending machine.

Of course, lots of things cost more than gasoline these days. Diet Snapple goes for $10.32 per gallon. Heck, Pepto-Bismol is $123.20 a gallon.

But we consume much more water on a daily basis than that pink stuff -- at least, let's hope so.

Part of the reason stems from the still common -- but mistaken -- belief that we need to drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day to be properly hydrated. People embraced this "first commandment of good health" with a vengeance, and it was rare that you'd pass someone on the street who wasn't carrying a bottle of water.

You can read the rest of the article here...

I May Live in the South...

2006-05-17T14:44:00.000-04:00

...but I ain't no Southerner!

Your Linguistic Profile::

65% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

5% Midwestern

5% Yankee

0% Dixie

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

What to Have For Dinner

2006-05-15T18:13:00.000-04:00

My favorite cook on the Food Network is Rachael Ray. She's famous for her 30 Minute Meals and I absolutely love her cookbooks! If you're looking for a tasty dinner you should try the Grilled Flank Steak Sandwiches that Scott asked me to make from one of her most recent cookbooks titled "365: No Repeats." (Thanks for the Christmas present again, honey!) Here's the recipe as Rachael wrote it...I'll tell you a couple of minor adaptations I made at the end.

2 lemons
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.5 pounds flank steak
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar (eyeball it)
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/4 c. blue cheese
4 kaiser rolls, split
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 ripe Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc pear
8 slices prosciutto di Parma
1 large bunch of arugula, cleaned and trimmed (2-2 1/2 cups)

In a shallow bowl, combine the juice fo 1 1/2 lemons, the thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the flank steak and toss to coat. Marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard with the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in 3 Tbsp. of the EVOO, then the blue cheese. Toast the rolls. Rub the toasted cut sides with the garlic clove.

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill on high. Grill the steak for 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and loosely tent with foil to let the juices redistribute before slicing.

Thinly slice the pear, and toss in a salad bowl with the juice of the rmaining half lemon. Slice the prosciutto into strips. Add the arugula leaves and prosciutto to the salad bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Thinly slice the steak against the grain and on an angle. Layer half of the steak slices onto the rolls and top with the arugula pear salad. Add the remaining steak and rolls tops.

Makes 4 servings.

(**Lori's changes: I used dried thyme instead of fresh. I couldn't find the kaiser rolls, so I used Onion Rolls. In place of arugula I used what I had on hand--Romaine & Spinach. They turned out great!)

Bon Appetit!

technorati tags: rachael ray 30 minute meals

What's A Mom Worth?

2006-05-07T21:37:00.000-04:00

This article comes courtesy of Ellen Wulfhorst:

Study: US mothers deserve $134,121 in
salary

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A full-time stay-at-home mother would earn
$134,121 a year if paid for all her work, an amount similar to a top U.S. ad executive, a marketing director or a judge, according to a study released Wednesday.

A mother who works outside the home would earn an extra $85,876 annually on top of her actual wages for the work she does at home, according to the study by Waltham, Massachusetts-based compensation experts Salary.com.

To reach the projected pay figures, the survey calculated the earning power of the 10 jobs respondents said most closely comprise a mother's role -- housekeeper, day-care teacher, cook, computer operator, laundry machine operator, janitor, facilities manager, van driver, chief executive and psychologist.

"You can't put a dollar value on it. It's worth a lot more," said Kristen Krauss, 35, as she hurriedly packed her four children, all aged under 8, into a minivan in New York while searching frantically for her keys. "Just look at me."

Employed mothers reported spending on average 44 hours a week at their outside job and 49.8 hours at their home job, while the stay-at-home mother worked 91.6 hours a week, it showed.

An estimated 5.6 million women in the United States are stay-at-home mothers with children under age 15, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.

NOT 'JUST A MOM'

"It's good to acknowledge the job that's being done, and that it's not that these women are settling for 'just a mom,'" said Bill Coleman, senior vice president of compensation at Salary.com. "They are actually doing an awful lot."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some 26 million women with children under age 18 work in the nation's paid labor force.

Both employed and stay-at-home mothers said the lowest-paying job of housekeeper was their most common role, with employed mothers working 7.2 hours a week as housekeeper and stay-at-home mothers working 22.5 hours in that role.

"Every husband I've ever spoken to said, 'I'm keeping my job. You keep yours.' It's a tough one," said Gillian Forrest, 39, a stay-at-home mother of 22-month-old Alex in New York. "I don't know if you could put a dollar amount on it but it would be nice to get something."

To compile its study, Salary.com surveyed about 400 mothers online over the last two months.

Salary.com offers a Web site where mothers can calculate what they could be paid, based on how many children they have, where they live and other factors. The site will produce a printable document that looks like a paycheck, Coleman said.

"It's obviously not negotiable," he said.

On average, the mother who works outside the house earns a base pay of $62,798 for a 40-hour at-home work week and $23,078 in overtime; a stay-at-home mother earned a base pay of $45,697 and $88,424 in overtime, it said.

In a Salary.com study conducted last year, stay-at-home mothers earned $131,471. The potential earnings of mothers who work outside the home was not calculated in the previous study.

Where Should I Be Living?

2006-05-06T23:20:00.000-04:00

American Cities That Best Fit You:

65% Honolulu

60% Miami

55% Austin

55% Portland

50% Atlanta

Well, although it would be ideal to live in Honolulu, I suppose Orlando's not too far off!

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Our April Photos

2006-04-30T21:24:00.000-04:00

You can check out our April pictures at the Kodak Gallery. Enjoy!

Proud Mama

2006-04-27T12:57:00.000-04:00

Brennan and I went bowling with the AWANA gang on Saturday afternoon and had a great time together--with a little help from the bumpers. It was so cute to watch him try to hurl that ball down the lane! Not only did he beat me, but he ended up getting the 3rd place score for all the Sparks (that's the K-2nd graders)! But the part I liked the best was watching the sparkle in his eyes and his semi-toothless grin as he received his very first trophy--and what a lovely trophy it was! It's fun to watch him try new things and experience the thrill of victory. I was so proud of him!

Lately I've had lots of reasons to be proud, whether it's a progress report from school saying he is an outstanding student, the many Bible verses he's committed to memory through AWANA, or the way he can now read The Cat in the Hat to me. It's hard to believe that he's growing up so quickly.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Zephaniah 3:17.

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over
you with singing."

If I can feel such pride and delight in my son and his accomplisments, I just can't fathom how God feels about me!

technorati tags: mother AWANA bowling

Thoughts on Being Sick

2006-04-18T20:45:00.000-04:00

The past couple of months have been filled with a series of medical issues for our family. It all started on February 8th when the curiosity of a 2-year old combined with a nightlight, resulting in 6 stitches on the pinky finger. Twelve days later, the stiches came out. Only 4 days after that, it was well-checks for the younger kids...which meant shots for our Leah. (Oh, the things you have to do to get into kindergarten.) The early morning hours of February 28th brought a trip to the emergency room to treat Jason for croup. With Scott being gone, I was especially grateful to have my mother-in-law here with me that night! On March 9th, (again, while Scott was out of town), Jason made another trip to the doctor to check out a piece of nightlight stuck in his ring finger. Not a big deal on the finger according to Dr. Tom, but he did discover an ear infection. Poor little guy! So, every kid gets amoxicillin when they have an ear infection, right? I guess this was Jason's first need for antibiotics because I never knew before this point that he is allergic to it, made obvious by the hives on his chubby little legs. Fortunately, the second drug was a success and he quickly recovered.

March 16th marked the first day of my turn being sick. The flu struck hard and put me out of commission for 3 weeks. I can't remember a time in my life when I've been that sick (and tired). After 2 weeks of fever, chills and coughing, I finally went to the doctor. He told me it was probably viral, but threw a bottle of amoxicillin at me anyway. Five days later I was still miserable--I will never forget my 34th birthday for that reason. I couldn't even enjoy the friends my husband had so lovingly gathered, not to mention my piece of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory! The day after my birthday I returned to the doctor. A chest x-ray showed I had pneumonia, of all things. (My grandma Gresko always called it the "death-of-pneumonia" and warned me continually to wear my hat and fasten my coat to avoid it!) So, the doc hooked me up with the right antibiotic and I began the slow road to real recovery. Scott had to leave for a conference the following week and I was so grateful to have my mom come to stay with the kids and me, considering that I had done almost nothing for myself or my family in nearly 3 weeks! That week included a CT Scan of my chest to check out something that looked "abnormal" and some anxiety about what they would find. In the end all was normal and I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

I felt a lot of things during the past few months: misery, weariness (emotionally and physically), frustration, fear, sometimes even anger--but sickness & challenges have been good teachers for me. I think the thing that sticks with me most is a new ability to sympathize with others who are suffering over a longer period of time and in much greater ways than I did. I know (or know of) 3 people under the age of 35 who are struggling with cancer...another young mother on staff is facing it for the second time...a friend's mom continues to fight the same battle. Many others I know have bodies that simply do not work as well as they used to. I have a fresh desire and ability to pray in practical ways for those who are truly sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
On the personal side, a dozen co-pays to the doctors and pharmacist cause me to remember that God is the one who provides all my needs. I have lots to be thankful for--particularly a husband who did an amazing job taking care of me and my responsibilities at home and a loving family and friends who showed God's love in such practical ways. Thanks!

First Run

2006-04-13T21:19:00.000-04:00

OK, so here is my first feeble attempt at a blog. I'm sure I'll be asking my husband for help with it about 101 times a day!