Just wanted to let everyone know that I have started a new blog. It is going to be all about our adoption! Yes, that's right! If the Lord allows us to, we will be adopting a little girl from China. We are sooo excited! I decided to create a new blog that will just be about our adoption journey.
You can click on the following title Spirit of Adoption to read all about it. I will also have a link to the new blog here on our family blog, which I intend to keep, that you can always find under My Other Blogs.
We really covet your prayers as we begin this process!!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Please pray!
I wanted to ask you guys to pray for a friend of mine, Beth and for her husband Jason. He is very sick and at this moment in the hospital because of an internal abscess they have found that is located near his tailbone, the size of a regulation football. They have operated and it looks like the infection continues to spread. Click here to access the information on their Caring Bridge site. Jason and Beth have 4 children and their youngest is only about a month old, so you can imagine what this is like for Beth, as she has the responsibility of caring for the 4 kids, as well as being with Jason.
Thanks for praying!!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
In You Alone
This has become one of my favorite songs. I am so thankful that in Christ alone we can find all that we need. So many times I only truly begin to understand this when I realize I have nowhere else to turn but to Him. And the sad part is that I should have known that from the start! I am so thankful for His patience with me. His mercy is overwhelming. I am so glad that when I reach my end, He is just beginning!!
When I am weak, You carry every burden
When I'm alone, You're just a breath away
When I am restless, You're the One who stills me
And where I fail You always stay the same.
In You alone I'm lifted up to Heaven
In You alone I soar on borrowed wings
When I reach the end, You are just beginning
In You alone I find all that I need
When I am lost, You rescue me from danger
And when I fall, You pick me up again
When I resist, you love past my defenses
And though I stray, You're patient to the end.
When I am weak, You carry every burden
When I'm alone, You're just a breath away
When I am restless, You're the One who stills me
And where I fail You always stay the same.
In You alone I'm lifted up to Heaven
In You alone I soar on borrowed wings
When I reach the end, You are just beginning
In You alone I find all that I need
When I am lost, You rescue me from danger
And when I fall, You pick me up again
When I resist, you love past my defenses
And though I stray, You're patient to the end.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
A Very Merry Christmas!
We wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. The Lord has been good to us this year, in spite of some hard times, He has remained faithful and daily gives us the strength, as we need it, to move forward. He is our blessed hope and the reason that we can truly find joy and hope in this season and every day.
I leave you with one of my favorite cartoons of this season and a reminder of what Christmas is really all about. Merry Christmas everyone!!
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Monday, December 14, 2009
Christmas Countdown Blocks Tutorial
I realize it is probably a little late for any Christmas Countdown projects and I meant to share this one earlier, but if not this year, then this could be a good one to save for next year.
I found this cute idea for a Christmas Countdown over at Whitney and Ashley's fabulous Shanty2Chic blog.
She ordered all the pieces she needed that are sent out in a kit ready to assemble and for real cheap, too. Which would be a great idea, if it wasn't for the fact that I live all the way over in Europe, so I improvised and it turned out to be a very simple and extremely cheap project! So, here are the steps...
First you need three blocks of wood....2 would be squares and the 3rd a rectangle that the 2 squares can sit on. I went to our local lumber yard to see if I could find some scraps of wood for cheap and instead found some long posts that were leftovers and going to be trashed and they let me have them for free!! So, with Jeff's help, we sawed 3 smaller blocks from the long posts and ended up with what you see below. After cutting them to size I sanded them and then very lightly spray-painted along the edges of the wood with a black matte color.
After this I chose some rich red paint to cover the blocks with. I did not put it on very thick, because I wanted some of the black color I had spray-painted underneath to come through and give it a bit of an old, worn look.
The red paint ended up being a little too shiny for my liking, so after it dried, I sanded it down a little more and it made the color a little more dull, plus brought out a little more of that black under the red paint.
The next steps I did not get pictures of, but you can see them here. I basically cut out 12 pieces of scrapbook paper into squares and one rectangle. Then, using the Princeton Let font in Word, in 300 pt. font, printed the following numbers...0,0,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. I glued the scrapbook squares to the blocks and then cut the letters out so that none of the black borders on the letters were showing and glued them over the scrapbook paper. I used a glue stick and it worked great.
I can't remember what font I used for the "days till Christmas" and I will probably look for some nicer Vinyl letters for next year, but this will do for now.
The last thing I did was mix 2 parts glue and 1 part water to make a thin paste that I brushed over the whole thing to completely seal it and give it a more finished look.
So, there you have it. I think it's adorable and it was so simple to make. My son loves to switch the blocks everyday to see how many days are left till Christmas and it's a fun reminder that Christmas is almost here!!!
I found this cute idea for a Christmas Countdown over at Whitney and Ashley's fabulous Shanty2Chic blog.
She ordered all the pieces she needed that are sent out in a kit ready to assemble and for real cheap, too. Which would be a great idea, if it wasn't for the fact that I live all the way over in Europe, so I improvised and it turned out to be a very simple and extremely cheap project! So, here are the steps...
First you need three blocks of wood....2 would be squares and the 3rd a rectangle that the 2 squares can sit on. I went to our local lumber yard to see if I could find some scraps of wood for cheap and instead found some long posts that were leftovers and going to be trashed and they let me have them for free!! So, with Jeff's help, we sawed 3 smaller blocks from the long posts and ended up with what you see below. After cutting them to size I sanded them and then very lightly spray-painted along the edges of the wood with a black matte color.
After this I chose some rich red paint to cover the blocks with. I did not put it on very thick, because I wanted some of the black color I had spray-painted underneath to come through and give it a bit of an old, worn look.
The red paint ended up being a little too shiny for my liking, so after it dried, I sanded it down a little more and it made the color a little more dull, plus brought out a little more of that black under the red paint.
The next steps I did not get pictures of, but you can see them here. I basically cut out 12 pieces of scrapbook paper into squares and one rectangle. Then, using the Princeton Let font in Word, in 300 pt. font, printed the following numbers...0,0,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. I glued the scrapbook squares to the blocks and then cut the letters out so that none of the black borders on the letters were showing and glued them over the scrapbook paper. I used a glue stick and it worked great.
I can't remember what font I used for the "days till Christmas" and I will probably look for some nicer Vinyl letters for next year, but this will do for now.
The last thing I did was mix 2 parts glue and 1 part water to make a thin paste that I brushed over the whole thing to completely seal it and give it a more finished look.
So, there you have it. I think it's adorable and it was so simple to make. My son loves to switch the blocks everyday to see how many days are left till Christmas and it's a fun reminder that Christmas is almost here!!!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
An Attitude of Gratitude
"Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude." E.P. Powell
Thanksgiving has come and gone and now everyone is enveloped in the frenzy of Christmas preparations.
It seems like every year this season whizzes by quicker than the last.
So even though we are onto another holiday, I wanted to share a few pictures from our Thanksgiving this year and some quotes I found about gratitude....
We spent the day with my Dad, Mom, sister and our good friends the Starks. We have much to be thankful for!!
"Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies." Charles E. Jefferson
Reflect on your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. Charles Dickens
When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place. C.S. Lewis
Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings to counting your troubles. Maltbie D. Babcock
If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. Frank A. Clark
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thanksgiving has come and gone and now everyone is enveloped in the frenzy of Christmas preparations.
It seems like every year this season whizzes by quicker than the last.
So even though we are onto another holiday, I wanted to share a few pictures from our Thanksgiving this year and some quotes I found about gratitude....
We spent the day with my Dad, Mom, sister and our good friends the Starks. We have much to be thankful for!!
"Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies." Charles E. Jefferson
Reflect on your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. Charles Dickens
When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place. C.S. Lewis
Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings to counting your troubles. Maltbie D. Babcock
If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. Frank A. Clark
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Moroccan Dish - Tagine
I wanted to share a Moroccan dish that has become a favorite in our home, ever since a friend who lives there taught me how to make it. Jeff, Aaron and I were actually able to travel to Morocco in October and tried the real thing a few times while there. It is delicious!!
The dish is called Tagine, mainly because of the clay dish that it is cooked in. Here is a picture of what it looks like....
But, for those of us with no clay "tagine" dish, a big stock pot will work just fine. So...here is the recipe:
You will need: (You kind of have to eyeball these amounts based on how many people will be eating)
Red onions (White or yellow ones will work, too)
Potatoes
Carrots
Chicken breast (or any cut of chicken you may have in your fridge!)
Tomatoes
Cilantro
You will also need to mix the following spices together in a separate bowl or cup:
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cummin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
salt
pepper
garlic salt
Ok, so you start off by cutting the onions into thin slices and placing them at the bottom of your stock pot like so...
Next you peel and slice the potatoes into thin slices and layer them over the onions in the pot...
You then do the same with the carrots. Peel and slice and place over the potatoes...
Next you place your chicken breasts over the carrots and pour the spice mixture over the entire thing. Then add some water to the pot until it's about a 3rd of the way up. Too much water will make this dish more like a soup, so don't overdo it. You want this to be more like a stew. Keep in mind that as it cooks, it will produce it's own juice. I just pour until I begin to see some of the liquid on the sides of the pot. You can add some fresh cilantro at this point, too.
After this you put the lid on the pot and cook on medium heat till the meat is white. You then check the sauce for flavor and add more spices accordingly. At this point I usually just mix the same amount of spices I poured in the first time, with less oil, and pour it over the chicken. You then put the lid back on the pot and continue to cook on medium to low heat until all the vegetables are cooked. I usually let it cook for anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. The slower the better; like stew!! I have cooked it fast in a pinch and the onions burnt, which by the way, is ok with this dish. My friend told me that it's actually ok if they burn some and that's why they put the onions on the bottom! When it's about done, slice some tomatoes and chop up some cilantro and place them over the chicken. Let this cook only long enough for the tomatoes to get somewhat soft.
Then it's time to dig in! Oh, and serve it with bread!
Seem a bit tedious? Well, the first time around it may be, but it is soooo worth it. Seriously...do try! If any of you daring cooks out there try it, let me know how it turns out and what you think!
The dish is called Tagine, mainly because of the clay dish that it is cooked in. Here is a picture of what it looks like....
But, for those of us with no clay "tagine" dish, a big stock pot will work just fine. So...here is the recipe:
You will need: (You kind of have to eyeball these amounts based on how many people will be eating)
Red onions (White or yellow ones will work, too)
Potatoes
Carrots
Chicken breast (or any cut of chicken you may have in your fridge!)
Tomatoes
Cilantro
You will also need to mix the following spices together in a separate bowl or cup:
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cummin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
salt
pepper
garlic salt
Ok, so you start off by cutting the onions into thin slices and placing them at the bottom of your stock pot like so...
Next you peel and slice the potatoes into thin slices and layer them over the onions in the pot...
You then do the same with the carrots. Peel and slice and place over the potatoes...
Next you place your chicken breasts over the carrots and pour the spice mixture over the entire thing. Then add some water to the pot until it's about a 3rd of the way up. Too much water will make this dish more like a soup, so don't overdo it. You want this to be more like a stew. Keep in mind that as it cooks, it will produce it's own juice. I just pour until I begin to see some of the liquid on the sides of the pot. You can add some fresh cilantro at this point, too.
After this you put the lid on the pot and cook on medium heat till the meat is white. You then check the sauce for flavor and add more spices accordingly. At this point I usually just mix the same amount of spices I poured in the first time, with less oil, and pour it over the chicken. You then put the lid back on the pot and continue to cook on medium to low heat until all the vegetables are cooked. I usually let it cook for anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. The slower the better; like stew!! I have cooked it fast in a pinch and the onions burnt, which by the way, is ok with this dish. My friend told me that it's actually ok if they burn some and that's why they put the onions on the bottom! When it's about done, slice some tomatoes and chop up some cilantro and place them over the chicken. Let this cook only long enough for the tomatoes to get somewhat soft.
Then it's time to dig in! Oh, and serve it with bread!
Seem a bit tedious? Well, the first time around it may be, but it is soooo worth it. Seriously...do try! If any of you daring cooks out there try it, let me know how it turns out and what you think!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Back to the Basics of Christmas
I read this article on Dave Ramsey's Website that my husband had posted on our ministry site and thought I would share it.
BTW...if you have never heard of Dave Ramsey and are seeking some sound financial advice or are about to make a big financial decision and aren't sure if it's the right one, get his book and download his daily podcast..great stuff!! Ok, well, that was my little "Dave Ramsey" plug and now, enjoy the article!!
"No matter what your budget is this Christmas, remember to be thankful. Take a deep breath in the middle of all this craziness.
You might have a lot. You might have a little. If you are driving a beater, be thankful for that beater. You would rather drive that than walk, wouldn't you? There is always something to be thankful for.
That's what contentment is all about. When you understand and really grasp contentment, it becomes easier to save money and invest. Stress slowly disappears. Budgeting is easier. Relationships improve.
Be happy with what you have. More than three billion people, almost half the world, live on $2.50 a day. Sometimes we need a little perspective to become content with our current situation.
Without contentment, it's easy to be bitter and apathetic. Happiness is sold to us, especially during this time of year. We think if we can just get one more piece of stuff that "true" happiness will be right around the corner.
We say things like, "I'll be happy when I get that house!" or "I'll be happy when I get that new car!" But happiness cannot be bought. Sure fun—in the form of a house, a car, a new LCD television—can be bought, but fun is temporary. True happiness, or contentment, is lasting.
You can get out of debt, save money, and get on a budget, but until you realize that stuff doesn’t bring contentment, you will always feel stressed and unhappy. Contentment brings peace. And isn’t this time of year about bringing "peace on earth and good will toward men"?
Remember what this deal is all about. It's not about trees, lights, gifts, baked hams, and shopping malls. It’s about a little child who was born in a manger and grew up to die on a cross. It’s about peace on earth and good will toward men.
So if the Christmas frenzy is wearing you out, you've missed the point of Christmas. Make a plan with your money, and make a plan to get back in touch with the true meaning of this special day.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Lamp redo
Hey there! I thought I would rejoin the blogging world, after a looong time off. It seems like over the past few months we have gone from busy to busier and now things "seem" to be calming down a bit. We recently moved to a new home and have been doing some painting and decorating and I thought I would share a lamp redo that I made for our upstairs hallway. This was sooo cheap and incredibly simple. Oh, and fun, too! So here is how I did it and some pics to go with it....
I found this lamp at a store that was going out of business, so it was dirt cheap as well as UGLY!!! Seriously. I forgot to take the before pic, but it was painted yellow and green...nuf said!! haha
I started by spray-painting the lamp. It only took one coat and I did not even have to use a primer for it. I went with a matte finish instead of a shiny one, since to me, shiny can sometimes look cheap.
I also found this lampshade that was horribly stained and had this really yucky green border on the edges. I peeled the border off and...
this caused the entire lampshade to no longer be attached to this metal support. So I spray painted that part as well and when it was dry, I carefully re-attached it to the lampshade with some clear tape.
I didn't get a picture of this part, but I basically traced the lampshade with a pencil on a brown piece of paper, by starting at the seam and rolling it all the way around until I arrived back at the seam. After that, I added an extra inch on all sides for seam allowance. Then I cut the pattern out and pinned it to my material. After that I carefully cut it out and before anything else, wrapped it around my lampshade to make sure that it had been cut out correctly and would fit around my shade.
I then folded one end of my material over and ironed it.
Then,using a glue gun, I carefully glued first the top and then the bottom edges of the material over the lamp. I have seen where some people use spray adhesive and that might be a tad easier, but the only one I could find was 9 euro!!! The glue gun worked just fine, too. I had to cut along the edges as I glued, to be sure that the material would lay flat as it went around. This is what the inside of the shade looked like....
And here is the finished product! I had originally thought of adding a trim to the bottom of the shade, but liked how this turned out and didn't really think that it needed it. So, there you go. Hopefully this has inspired you to go out and try it out for yourself!
I found this lamp at a store that was going out of business, so it was dirt cheap as well as UGLY!!! Seriously. I forgot to take the before pic, but it was painted yellow and green...nuf said!! haha
I started by spray-painting the lamp. It only took one coat and I did not even have to use a primer for it. I went with a matte finish instead of a shiny one, since to me, shiny can sometimes look cheap.
I also found this lampshade that was horribly stained and had this really yucky green border on the edges. I peeled the border off and...
this caused the entire lampshade to no longer be attached to this metal support. So I spray painted that part as well and when it was dry, I carefully re-attached it to the lampshade with some clear tape.
I didn't get a picture of this part, but I basically traced the lampshade with a pencil on a brown piece of paper, by starting at the seam and rolling it all the way around until I arrived back at the seam. After that, I added an extra inch on all sides for seam allowance. Then I cut the pattern out and pinned it to my material. After that I carefully cut it out and before anything else, wrapped it around my lampshade to make sure that it had been cut out correctly and would fit around my shade.
I then folded one end of my material over and ironed it.
Then,using a glue gun, I carefully glued first the top and then the bottom edges of the material over the lamp. I have seen where some people use spray adhesive and that might be a tad easier, but the only one I could find was 9 euro!!! The glue gun worked just fine, too. I had to cut along the edges as I glued, to be sure that the material would lay flat as it went around. This is what the inside of the shade looked like....
And here is the finished product! I had originally thought of adding a trim to the bottom of the shade, but liked how this turned out and didn't really think that it needed it. So, there you go. Hopefully this has inspired you to go out and try it out for yourself!
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