In case you were wondering

I copied this questionnaire from a friend's blog.

1. What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now? Burt's Bees
2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No
3. Is there anything moldy in your refrigerator? No
4. Are there any dirty dishes in your sink? No, just loaded them in the dishwasher
5. What would you change about your living room? Tile or wood instead of carpet
6. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? Being washed as I type
7. Do you have a can of mushrooms in your pantry? Yes
8. White or wheat bread? 100% wheat.
9. What is on top of your refrigerator? Old glass bottles, bowl of fake grapes, and a pair of binoculars so I can see the birds better.
10. What color is your sofa? brown leather, tan leather
11. What color or design is on your shower curtain? purples, greens, golds and tan with red poppies
12. How many plants are in your home? 1 that Grant planted at school (it's from last year and it's still alive)
13. How many candles are in your home? Less than 10
14. Is your bed made right now? No
15. If you have a coffee pot, what color is it? Black
16. Electric or standard can opener? standard
17. Theme in your living room? browns, blues, going for the clean uncluttered, pottery barn look
18. Colors in the bedroom? brown, gold, reds, warm tones
19. Colors of your bathroom? purple and green for one, tans and red for the other
20. Comet or Soft Scrub? neither
21. Is your closet organized? Yes, mostly
22. What color is the flashlight that you use the most? White, I think
23. What kinds of things are in your junk drawer? I don't have a junk drawer
24. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? glass
25. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? no, I'm from Massachusetts :)
26. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? Yes, it's full, but mostly organized
27. Curtains or blinds? Both
28. How many pillows do you sleep with? 1 wonderful temperapedic like pillow
29. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? no
30. How many ceiling fans are in your home? 4
31. How often do you vacuum? Whenever it looks like it needs it.
32. Standard toothbrush or electric? standard
33. What color is your toothbrush? blue and orange
34. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? Doesn't have any words on it, but there is a mat
35. What is in your oven right now? Nothing
36. Is your microwave clean or dirty? clean, we hardly ever use it
37. Is there anything under your bed? no, our bed goes all the way to the floor. The one in the guest room is a different story.
38. Chore you hate doing the most? cleaning up after I cook
39. What retro items are in your home? hmmmmmmm
40. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? No, our computer is in our den
41. If you have a yard, who mows it? me
42. Is there anything on your kitchen floor right now? dirty paw prints since it rained today
43. How many mirrors are in your home? 5
44. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? no
45. What color are your walls? gray, "adobe", "red potato", yellow, purple, blue, tan, sage green
46. Which rooms in your house have wallpaper? None
47. Do you have a peephole in your front door? no, it's half windows
48. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? a beagle
49. What does your home smell like right now? what I cooked for dinner
50. Fave candle scent? citrus
51. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? don't have any
52. What color is your Bible? Black
53. Do you have plenty of cabinet space in your kitchen? a little more wouldn't hurt, but it's liveable
54. Do you own a stereo? No
55. How many tvs do you have? One
56. How many house phones? Two
57. Do you have a housekeeper? No
58. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? Solids
59. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Yes - a couple of them
60. In case of fire, what are the items you would grab if you only could make one quick trip? scrapbooks, the stack of my favorite old books
61. Do you know how to work your electrical box? Yes
62. What temperature in your home is most comfortable to you? We keep it around 78 in the summer, 70 in the winter

Today's five

1. When we were pulling into the Walmart parking lot we saw two rainbows. Rainbows make me smile.

2. The rain, for the third day in a row.

3. An upfront parking place at Walmart today while it was raining.

4. Coffee milk.

5. A little boy who sorted the laundry in the laundry room tonight, without being asked, just to surprise me.

Another Song...

Our college minister preached a sermon this morning about knowing Jesus and living our lives to follow Him. Following Him isn't always easy. It's not really that popular either. Going to church is popular, doing church things are even popular, but they really aren't the same as knowing Jesus. Sometimes following Him means we don't get to do what we want, we don't get what we think we deserve, we don't even know the plan. There is suffering. There is sacrafice. There is also the reward of Jesus- knowing Him, sharing Him, living the life that He purposed for us. As Brian said, "the cost is high, but the benefits are higher."

This song came to my mind several times during the message.


I Repent
Derek Webb

I repent, I repent of my pursuit of America's dream
I repent, I repent of living like I deserve anything
Of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
In our suburb where we're safe and white
I am wrong and of these things I repent

I repent, I repent of parading my high liberty
I repent, I repent of paying for what I get for free
And of the way I believe that I am living right
By trading sins for others that are easier to hide
I am wrong and of these things I repent

bridge
I repent judging by a law that even I can't keep
Of wearing righteousness like a disguise
To see through the planks in my own eyes

I repent, I repent of trading truth for false unity
I repent, I repent of confusing peace and idolatry
By caring more of what they think than what I know of what we need
Of domesticating you until you look just like me
I am wrong and of these things I repent.

Comfort food

It's been a busy week. We are getting back into the swing of school, schedules, and my new job. So, tonight for dinner I wanted comfort food. My favorite comfort foods are breakfast foods and one of my favorite breakfasts is Orange French Toast. It's so good. Here's the recipe, courtesy of the Food Network, if breakfast foods equal comfort foods for you, too.

Emeril's Favorite French Toast Recipe

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (I always use more, at least one whole orange)
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 slices bread (really should be white bread if your going to do it right:) )
8 teaspoons unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk well.

Add the milk, orange juice, orange zest, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk until well combined.

Working quickly, dip each bread slice into the egg mixture in the bowl, turning it to coat both sides with the mixture. Transfer the coated bread slices to a plate while you finish coating the remaining slices.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat until hot, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in the skillet, then add a slice of coated bread, and cook until the bread is golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn with a plastic turner and cook until the second side is golden, about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes.

Transfer the French toast from the skillet to a baking sheet. Cover lightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the other slices.

Repeat with the remaining slices, being sure to add 1 teaspoon of the butter to the pan before every slice.

Sprinkle the French toast with confectioners' sugar and serve with maple syrup or cane sugar if desired.

Yield: 4 to 8 servings

Paper Airplanes

Last Saturday was a simple, quiet day at home. Todd and Grant spent hours coloring, folding, and flying paper airplanes. They raced them, figured out the perfect techniques to fly them properly, and even named them. I grabbed the camera.

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It's becoming more real

Sunday we had a get together with the group that will be going to Africa. Yesterday I filled out Hope Chest's short term mission application for the trip. Today I'm sitting at the computer downloading the forms I need to renew my passport. It is starting to feel real now.
I'm going to Swaziland. It's not just a dream, actual pieces are starting to fall into place. I've met most of the other team members. God is bringing a unique group together. I can't wait to see what it is going to look like. My heart is already starting to feel the distinct reality that we will be "wrecked for the ordinary" to use Tom's phrase.
I want to be ready.

Random

On the way home from school today, out of the blue, "Mom, I can gurgle, but sometimes I choke."

Tonight from the bathroom during tooth brushing time, "Oh no, not the toothpaste goatee." I look in to see a great big grin and a triangle of spit out toothpaste hanging from his chin.

The random funniness of Grant.

First Day Of Second Grade

The first day of school. Grant woke up right on time, hopped in the shower, and was ready for his first day in plenty of time for the customary "first day" pictures.

This Too Shall Be Made Right...

This song moves me everytime I hear it. Derek Webb's music is incredible.

This Too Shall Be Made Right
Derek Webb

People love you the most for the things you hate
And hate you for loving the things you can't keep straight
People judge you on a curve
And tell you you’re getting what you deserve
This too shall be made right

Children cannot learn when children cannot eat
Stack them like lumber and children cannot sleep
Children dream of wishing wells
Whose waters quench all the fires of Hell
This too shall be made right

The earth and the sky and the sea are all holding their breath
Wars and abuses have nature groaning with death
We say we’re just trying to stay alive
But it looks so much more like a way to die
This too shall be made right

There’s a time for peace and there is a time for war
A time to forgive and a time to settle the score
A time for babies to lose their lives
A time for hunger and genocide
This too shall be made right

I don’t know the suffering of people outside my front door
I join the oppressors of those I choose to ignore
I’m trading comfort for human life
And that’s not just murder it’s suicide
This too shall be made right

My boy

There are days that I look at my life and am just overwhelmed by the blessings it holds. This week we celebrated Grant's eighth birthday and in this post I want to celebrate him! Just looking at him, fills my heart with joy. Here are some of the reasons why...

He has a love of learning.
I love his green eyes that are just like mine.
I love that he is not afraid to be himself, just like his dad.
I love that when he reads he never just passes by a word he doesn't understand.
He is the protector of his cousins and loves them dearly.
I love how he looks like a surfer dude in the summer with his blonde hair and great tan.
He loves his family.
I love his tender heart.
I love his quirky sense of humor.
He has a spirit of contentment.
I love that he sticks to a task until it is all the way finished.
He is an observer and he doesn't miss the details.
I love his hugs.
Sometimes he is really silly.
He is an encyclopedia of Nascar information.
I love how he prays almost every night for the men at the Firehouse shelter and "for the poor people of the world to have what they need and for them to especially find Jesus because He is what they need most."
I love that he likes U2 and Rich Mullins.
He loves Animal planet.
He makes sure that everything recyclable goes into the recycle bin.
He loves calculators, watches, and maps.
I love how kindly he treats his dog.
He doesn't take things at face value- he asks questions until he understands.
He is loyal.
He fits the meaning of his name- "God's great gift".

Happy Birthday Grant!

The Last Eight Years

Haven't done one of these in a while...

Today I'm thankful for....

1. A new day

2. Coffee beans from O'Henry's

3. Freshly mowed grass

4. My new Derek Webb cd- wow, his music makes me think and pray

5. Clean laundry