Counting My Blessings in 2013

When I think about 2013, the first word that comes to mind is HARD. Just-keep-putting-one-foot-in-front-of-another-and-get-through-this kind of hard. I think about a year filled with sickness, pain and heartache.

Yet, that isn’t the entire picture. When I really stop and think about this year, I see a year filled with blessings, God’s provisions, and a whole lotta grace.

I’m going to choose to focus on that part as I send this year off into history. So, for fun, I’m going to highlight some of my favorite parts of this year.

1) We are blessed with some amazing friends, and even if I don’t call as much as I should (sorry), don’t think that I take one of you for granted. I count my friends as one of my biggest blessings. Here are just a few fun memories we had with friends this year….

Sienna's Valentine's Day "Tea with Dolls" Party

Our monthly Deployment Countdown Celebrations. Here we're celebrating Bill's birthday on our "3rd month done" celebration.

CFA meals with friends

2) Another highlight to the year is the visitors we had this year. Want to earn some extra “treasures in heaven”? Go visit a military family. It means SO MUCH to us. Honestly, you have no idea how happy it makes us when you come visit.

This year, both sets of our visitors braved the El Paso heat to come visit us. That’s dedication and love!

My aunt and uncle came to visit in early summer…

And I enjoyed a girls’ weekend with Shaena and Suzanne in the late summer…

3) I can barely type these words with out tears filling my eyes, but here goes (please excuse typos at this point)…God was so good to me this year. I read a Sally Clarkson blog article recently and she basically outlined how when we’re going through a tough season of life, God is actually holding us tighter and caring for us more, just as a parent tends to a sick child a bit more than they might with a child that is well. (Shout out to Sally for ALWAYS speaking to my heart right where it’s hurting) I can give many examples of how God cared for me in His own little way through out this year, but the one that first pops into my mind is this one….

At what I’ll call my “darkest hour” of the year, when I was just surviving the days and calling out to Him for help and hope, this beautiful rainbow was waiting for me right outside my back door. I let the dog out in the morning and – BAM! – this huge, beautiful rainbow.

You could say it was just a rainbow - a work of science/atmosphere/whatever - but I KNOW that God gave me that rainbow as a visual sign of the hope and promise I have in Him. (I can appreciate the whole Noah’s ark rainbow so much more now!)

4) Another huge boast in morale was adding two adorable kitties to our house. They are a pain but they bring us (us=me and Sienna) so much joy and happiness. There is something quirky about cats' personalities that I love so much.

5) Sienna’s baptism was a huge blessing to us too. The fact that she took the initiative and pushed to be baptized all on her own, encouraged my heart and soul a million times a million. I wish Bill could have been there in person (thankfully he was able to watch online) but I know that it was all God’s timing and I'm happy to see my little ones grow in their walks with God.

6) Sometimes getting out of the daily routine and exploring a new place is necessary to feel rejuvenated. Traveling to Albuquerque and Santa Fe this summer with our friends was exactly that for me. Although it was exhausting to travel outnumbered (2 Moms, 5 Kids), it was a lot of fun and will always be a fun memory for me. 

7) The turning point in the year was when we welcomed Bill home from the deployment. We are so thankful to have him home safely. I pray we don’t have to do that again anytime soon!!  Even though it was “only 9 months” it was incredibly hard and I’m happy to put it behind us. 

8) I started homeschooling the kids this year. I love it, the kids love it, and I'm so glad I took the plunge and did it. 

9) Speaking of learning, I learned how to knit this year! It's something I've always wanted to learn how to do. Be warned, I foresee lots of scarves as Christmas gifts next year. 

10) Finally, to me, the entire year has been redeemed in this one month of December. We have had so much fun setting up our new house (which has everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more!) and we’re enjoying all the nature (snow, birds, etc.) and having lots and lots of family time to create new and happy memories together.

Despite the hard times, I will look back at this year fondly and be thankful for all the blessings.

And now…Happy 2014!!!

The Gs Hit DC

One of the best parts about moving is exploring the new surroundings and finding places to go and eat. Everything is new and exciting and thrilling. It’s like a restart button on life. As for places to eat and things to see, we are completely spoiled here. If we lived here our whole lives, I don’t think we’d be able to cover it all. I love it and I keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. I can’t believe I get to live here.

We’ve been good about exploring locally but we needed to go explore some of THE city. So we decided to go into the city yesterday to explore and see some sights. We didn’t have an official timeline or agenda. We were just planning things as we went. It was awesome! We had a great day and everything worked out well.

We live about 45 minutes outside of the heart of DC. For our California friends, it’s about the same as the trek from Eastvale/Corona area to Los Angeles. But unlike California, we have public transportation options. So yesterday we decided to take the Metro. Even though I love good public transportation, I was dreading the trip. Thankfully, it wasn’t nearly the drama I thought it’d be. Every thing was rather easy to figure out (with Bill’s help, of course!) and an uber-friendly attendant at the Metro stop helped us figure out the tickets and fees, etc. And the kids, oh my goodness, they LOVED it. I think we could have just taken a ride on the train and the kids would have been happy with that. 

It was a beautiful sunny day. There was still a chill in the air but not nearly as cold as it’s been here lately. 

We decided to go to the National Museum of Natural History (say that five times!). Entrance was FREE. It was busy but not overwhelmingly busy. It did become more crowded in the afternoon but by then we were almost done seeing everything we wanted to see.

It is a beautiful building with lots to see. The exhibits kept the kids' interest throughout the day.

The exhibits were family-friendly and they had just opened an exhibit especially for kids - with lots of hands-on activities - and both our kids had fun going through. 

Here's a picture of Grant with his favorite animal - a Giant Squid. 

My favorite part of the museum was watching the show “Jerusalem” in the IMAX theater. Some of it was probably over the kids’ heads, but I still think it’s important to expose them to things they might not fully understand. I haven’t looked up any scientific evidence to prove this but I do think that we absorb a lot in our subconscious before it actually registers in our brains. So, we dragged the kids into the show when they really wanted to see the ocean IMAX instead. But it was a very interesting show – and even the kids were engaged in it.

And yes, homeschool friends, I'm counting this as a Field Trip! 

We left the museum in the late afternoon and walked to the Capitol building. 

The sun was setting and everything was “glowing” in the late afternoon sun. It was truly beautiful. I’m a person that gets inspired by my surroundings and nature, and this setting made me want to go “conquer the world” …but then I realized I can’t even “conquer” my kids, so I better keep my work at home for a little while longer. Still, it was inspiring and I felt rejuvenated by time we headed home.  

T'is the Season ...to Bake!

This week I started one of my favorite parts of the holiday season - baking!! 

I thought I'd share the recipes I'm cookin' up this holiday season, in case you need some inspiration. These recipes are tested and approved by everyone in my family! 

Saltine Cracker Toffee - Over the past few years, these have become a family favorite at Christmastime. They are super easy to make and so delicious. 

What does Ginger do when she gets mad? She snaps! 

That's a joke that someone I used to work with told everytime he saw me. Well, with this recipe, Ginger (cookies) won't snap but instead melt in your mouth. I like it better this way. 

Brown Butter Soft Batch Ginger Snaps 

Christmas isn't complete without Sugar Cookies and cookie decorating. I let the kids go to town last night. There was sugar and frosting everywhere - counters, floor, foreheads, etc. At the end of it, I was so proud that I was able to suppress my clean-freak tendencies so the kids could have a fun time. Memory making in progress! 

This year, I let Trader Joe's save the day on the Sugar Cookies. This kit was too cute to pass up. We added M&Ms, mini chocolate chips and colored/glitter frosting to the decorating line-up. 

This is a lot of cookies even for us, so we're planning to package them up and bring them to the neighbors this afternoon.  

I came across a recipe for Almond Shortbread that looks pretty tasty. I haven't tried this recipe yet but I'm hoping to make them soon.
 
Finally, I also like to make pecan pies during the holidays. I tried this recipe (Trisha Yearwood's Pecan Pie) last year and loved it and everyone I shared it with loved it too. I'm planning to make it again this year. Maybe for New Year's Eve? 

What are your favorite holiday recipes? I'd love for you to share them! 

Happy Baking! And may your holidays be merry and bright! 

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends (and a whole lotta prayer!)

It has been a very hard few weeks for me. I’ll save the specifics but I will say that it was the final hurdle of this deployment and the first time I was completely emptied out and clinging solely to God for help. I really thought my battleship was sunk. 

The following verse sums up so much of what I was feeling and dealing with emotionally, spiritually and physically.

^8-11 We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

The Message (MSG)

Obviously my circumstances weren’t as terrible as what is being referenced in this verse but I was definitely in my own “Asia province” -- and I feel confident that He sent me this verse to guide me and encourage me when I needed it the most. The first thing was that I needed to trust God completely. And since I had no more strength left – I had exhausted all of my “control” and effort and work – it was pretty easy to give it all over to God. It was basically my only option.  Second, I had to remember all the other times God had rescued me in the past. How? Well, I set out to make my list – and guess what?! The list was very long. Third, like a lightening bolt to my brain, I realized that I really needed to call in the prayer reinforcement of my friends and family. And I did. I asked several friends and family to keep me in their prayers. I love the last half of this verse: “I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played a crucial part.” It’s so important to lift each other up in prayer and this situation reminded me of it more than ever. Prayer works!

And I want to greatly thank every one who did lift me up in prayer, who sent encouraging notes, made the time for a “pep talk” phone call, sent “just checking in” text messages and even mailed me chocolate (bonus points for the chocolate). I was on the brink and your prayers were the rescue mission. I see that so clearly now. So a million times thank you. And because of the prayers and God’s grace alone, I can happily report that things are finally on the “upswing” for us. Hooray and hallelujah! 

Our First Week of Homeschool in Photos

This week we started our homeschool adventure. Eeks! I was geared up for a hard transition but the kids were very excited and eager to learn. A welcomed change from the usual back-to-school drama we experience leading up to the first day of school. I loved being so involved in curriculum choices, the flexibility and, to my surprise, I felt a lot less rushed and stressed during the day. And we all loved having NO HOMEWORK.

First Day of School

I'll be homeschooling Sienna full-time and Grant will be joining us part-time. He starts back at his private school in a couple of weeks. He'll be there for a half day in the morning and then we'll cover some science and history together when he's home in the afternoon. I want to include him in the homeschooling fun but I don't think I'm cut out for teaching ABCs and the fundamentals of reading. I'll leave that to the professionals! He'll continue there until we move and then I'll homeschool him full-time the rest of the year. 

US History

Wrote letters to our "adopted" Compassion International kids for Language Arts and then learned about their countries for Geography!

We haven't come up with a name for our school yet (any ideas?) but we do have a mascot. We are the Dangerous Dogs! And here's our fearless mascot...

Speaking of animals, the kitties were less enthusiastic about school. 

Something you wouldn't see in public school!

 

We had a great first week of homeschool. I'm hoping and praying this trend continues. I’m excited to see where this year takes us.

Lazy Summer Afternoons

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." - Henry James

Summertime is in full swing around here. It’s hot, hot and even hotter. Even typing this out is taking dedicated effort because the summer heat is making my entire body lethargic and eyes droopy and tired. But these relaxed afternoons are one of my favorite things about the summertime. No schedules. No rushing. NO HOMEWORK!

Since we don’t have a pool, the kids and I have been reading a lot in the afternoon. It’s too hot to do anything else – and eating ice cream all day isn’t really an option. I love reading with the kids and it’s been fun to see how their imaginations have been sparked by the stories.

For example, earlier this summer we read “George’s Marvelous Medicine” by Roald Dahl. It’s a hilarious story about a boy on a mission to make a potion to “fix” his cranky and creepy Grandma. Roald Dahl is one of my favorite children’s authors and this book was so entertaining that we finished it in two days. The kids were begging me to keep reading. Of course, I was happy to oblige. Anyway, after we finished the story, almost every day for about two weeks, the kids would go around the house creating their own magic potion. They thought it was the funniest thing.

This week we finished reading “Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I think every child (and/or adult) should read this book. The hardships and trials this family faced sure put my trivial annoyances into perspective. And I think it gave the kids an ounce of appreciation for their home, toys and life, too. The kids have been playing “prairie life” in the backyard. It’s amusing to watch Sienna pretend to be Laura and Grant pretend to be Pa (and sometimes Mary, when Sienna forces him). We haven’t watched the TV show yet. I’m waiting to introduce it until we’ve read most of the series. I didn’t watch the show growing up so I’m looking forward to watching it with the kids.

Speaking of shows, during our TV time, Sienna and Grant are hooked on the show called “Horseland.” We’ve been having trouble finding a good show for Sienna. She’s too old for the Nick Jr. shows and I really try to limit the amount of Disney TV shows she can watch. “Horseland” seems to be a good compromise and I love that Grant watches it too.

As for me, after the kids go to sleep, I’ve been hooked on a show called “Call the Midwife.” It’s based on a memoir of a midwife in London during the ‘50s. I think it’s fascinating!

I’ve also been doing quite a bit of reading. As with “Call the Midwife,” for some reason I’ve been drawn to stories about strong and inspiring women. Our book club pick this summer was the two-part book series, “Her Mother’s Hope” and “Her Daughter’s Dream” by Francine Rivers. I’ve always enjoyed stories that span generations and this story focuses on the relationships (and misunderstandings) of mothers and daughters through several generations. I think it’s a story most women can relate to in some way or another. And now I’m reading “The Favored Daughter” by Fawzia Koofi, Afghanistan’s first female Parliament Speaker. I’m only a quarter through the book but every chapter is inspiring and devastating at the same time. Another story that makes me really appreciate how fortunate I am to live in this country, at this time in history.

So, that’s what we’re watching and reading this summer. What about you?

"Do you know the way to Santa Fe?"

My friend/neighbor/deployment husband, Tricia, and I loaded up her minivan (2 moms, 5 kids) and hit the road for Albuquerque and then Santa Fe for a few days. It was such a nice break from the daily grind and I realize now how much we all needed some time away – time dedicated to fun and relaxing only. And someone else made the beds and cooked dinner! Yippee!

As a side note, it was impressive (and exhausting at times) how much energy my kids had during this trip. They did not and could not stop until they dropped and somehow bounced right back up at the early hour of 6 am. I did my best to keep up but – wow – just wow! Thank God for coffee!

Anyway, Albuquerque is about 4 hours north of us and Santa Fe is about an hour further north. It was a relatively easy and uneventful drive (well, for me!) and all the kids did great! The landscape was desert, of course, but it was a pretty desert view with patches of green farmlands, a few mountains and big, blue open skies.

We stopped at Albuquerque first and then Santa Fe but I want to tell you about Santa Fe first because I kinda fell in love with this city, to the point that I added it to my “where we might want to live when we retire” list. The Plaza area had a European feel; there were lots of niche little stores (Amethyst cleansing, anyone?), bookstores and shops; local artists and products options; street musicians playing soothing music of harps, guitars and windpipes; an AWESOME Saturday morning Farmer’s Market; and best of all, a gazillion pilates and yoga studios.

On our first night, we explored The Plaza area. There are so many restaurants with rooftop dinning – how fancy! – and lots of little boutique shops. We found a cute local bookstore, called Collected Works Bookstore and Coffeehouse. A lady at the bookstore recommended a “family friendly” restaurant to us (no guessing why?!) and so we walked about a mile (maybe longer because I kept taking us in the wrong direction!), in the rain, only to find out it was a “reservations only” restaurant. Argh! Can you imagine turning away two wet Moms with five hungry kids?! I was furious. So back we trekked into the rain to find a place to eat. We ended up at a Subway, it was the only place not crowded and we were getting desperately hungry. Surprisingly, it had a little outside patio area so I got my rooftop dining experience at half the price! And I wasn’t the least bit embarrassed when the kids sang VBS songs the entire time! 

Storm's a brewing...

The next day we visited El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a historical “living museum” rancho. The kids had fun exploring the adobe buildings and Sienna liked seeing “Josefina’s house.” I'm still not sure how to pronounce the name, though.

We ended our trip with a super delicious dinner at Blue Corn Café. Don't Google the menu...you'll start to drool.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn and really liked it. It was a clean hotel, great service, hot breakfast in the morning and an indoor pool. We were happy campers.

Local friends, Santa Fe is definitely worth a trip to visit! :)