All About Me (and a recipe!)

After having a less than ideal week, I was blessed with an amazing weekend that was exactly what I needed to rejuvenate and recharge. Aren’t good weekends one of life’s best blessings?!

I found my recharge button at the PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) Retreat. The entire retreat focused on learning about our personality type and translating that into how God might use us. I love to learn about personality types!  Be warned, I’m always trying to categorize myself and those around me. I love to think about people and what makes them tick.  It’s so much fun! Once I found out that I’d be spending two days taking quizzes and analyzing myself, I signed right up!  Oh, and it was a 11 hours total WITHOUT kids!

Here’s what I knew:

I’m a Melancholy.

Here’s what I learned:

I’m an ESTJ (Extravert, Sensing, Thinking and Judging). 

I’m a Collaborator. Which means, when there is a conflict, I want to talk about it…a lot…and I really need everyone to be happy.  

I’m an Encourager.

And most excitingly (probably only to me) - according to StrengthsFinder^® - my five most dominant themes of talent are: Restorative, Harmony, Learner, Empathy and Input. I’ll admit, the Input category makes me sound a little dull – but it’s actually a “cool” trait and I’m no longer ashamed that I keep files filled with articles or ideas, cut-outs from magazines of places I want to see/things I want to do, books I want to read, letters from high school, memory boxes, journals, etc. Someday, I will use all that info!  As for the Restorative trait, “what is certain is that you enjoy bringing things back to life/to restore something to its true glory.” Wow! It’s almost mind-blowing to think how I might be able to use that in the future! 

And, apparently, I’m a dork.

As I drove home, I imagined what my house might look like, since Hubby was in-charge of the kids Friday night and all day Saturday.  Not that he isn’t completely capable (because he is!) but I was certain someone – either Hubby or the kiddos – would be tied-up in the closet! 

I held my breath, turned the key in the lock, opened the door and…SURPRISE!  Hubby and the kiddos had cooked dinner and dessert, decorated the house with balloons and drawings, and handed me stack of love letters!  It was a “JUST BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU” party…just for me!  I didn’t cry, it was a party after all, but I wanted to – in a good way.  It was exactly what my heart and soul needed. 

Here's what hubby made me for dessert: 

Mystery Mocha Cake

Ingredients

• 2-ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup cold coffee

Directions   

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the chocolate and butter together over hot water. Meanwhile, sift together 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the chocolate mixture and blend. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Pour into a greased, square 9 by 9-inch cake pan. Mix brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cocoa powder and sprinkle over the batter. Pour coffee over and bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold from the pan.  (We ate our cake with vanilla bean ice cream.)

Now, I’m ready to face another week of chaos!