The Land Flowing with Milk & Maple Syrup

TOMORROW we're going to VERMONT!  

The land flowing with milk and maple syrup!!

And I am completely out of maple syrup, so that means a trip to VT is officially overdue!  :)

Vermont is a dreamworld for outdoorsmen who like to pitch their tents in the pines and sleep under the stars...

 

And for babies who like to sleep inside the house in their tents...

...all night long!

Yes, this is Knox's handy dandy new baby travel bed, which we're hoping against hope will help him (and us) sleep a little better from now on while we're traveling.  ???

Because last time we took a trip we came home looking like this.

We've been practicing sleeping in the tent this week and so far it's gone pretty well...

So I have a glimmer of hope for more sleep this vacation.

Here's to hoping!

Yes, Monkey and Giraffe will also be making the trip with us to Vermont.

I'm always excited to go home to Vermont, but this visit is especially exciting because Knox gets to meet his Aunt Courtney and Uncle Justin for the very first time. 

They left for Indonesia right before he was born so the only interaction they've had with him has been over Skype, which is great, but you know...not the same.

We can't wait to see them...and my parents...and everyone else we love in Vermont!♥

Knox and I fly out tomorrow and Josh will join us there next week for a very special wedding...

My sweet cousin Kimberly and cousin-to-be Thomas!

which is going to be a blast.

Hurray!!!!!

So will I be blogging from Vermont?  

That's a good question.  I don't know.  I guess it depends mostly on how patient I am with the (long amount of) time it takes to upload photos to the internet from the middle of the woods. :)

And I'm afraid I am not usually very patient with that sort of thing...


So we may just have lots to talk about when we get back.


Either way, we'll see y'all later, y'all!!!

:)

Just Before the Sun Comes Up

 
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 

5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 

6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 

9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken.  

Luke 5:4-9

Does anyone else think it's a little interesting that on this particular day, when Peter leaned over the side of his boat and saw that his nets were overflowing with shiny, flapping fish, his first response was not to jump up and down for joy? 

His first response was to ask Jesus to leave him, because he was overwhelmed with a realization of how sinful he was.

That caught my attention when I read these verses the other day.


Why?  How did seeing those fish make Peter suddenly so aware of his sinfulness?

I didn't see the answer at first, but then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

I think it's because although Peter believed Jesus, and although he was obedient, he was also doubtful.

He had just sat in his boat for hours next to this man Jesus, listening to Him preaching to multitudes who were hanging on His every word, listening from the shore.

Peter was impressed by what he heard and saw in Jesus.  He knew this Jesus was no ordinary guy...that He was someone truly Special.

But Peter also knew fish.

Before Jesus asked to borrow his boat he had been just been fishing all night, and with no luck. 


There just weren't any fish to be caught. 

So when Jesus told him to row back out and drop his nets, Peter wanted to believe in this Jesus; He wanted to believe He could do something out of the ordinary...a miracle...in his life...if He wanted to.

But he was also doubtful.  Master, I'm not sure if You know this but we have just toiled all night and caught nothing.  Are you sure about this?

And even with the doubt lingering in the back of his mind, Peter decided to do what Jesus told him to do.  He obeyed.  Because he really did believe this was no ordinary man.  

...nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.

He rowed his boat back out to sea and threw his nets overboard.

He believed.  And he obeyed.  But he also voiced some doubt. 

Sound familiar?

It does to me.

Oftentimes even in believing, and even in obeying, we doubt.


Then, when we peer over the edge of our boat and actually catch a glimpse of all the fish wriggling and jumping and tearing our nets...when God answers our prayers, when He provides for our needs, when He meets us in prayer and overwhelms us with His love...we are astonished that God actually came through for us!

And then we, like Peter, suddenly get it.

We can see so clearly, in hindsight, how wrong we were to doubt Him.

Lord, I don't deserve this!  I doubted You!!  I know who You are, I know what You can do...and yet I still doubted you.

When we see the miracle, we hang our heads in shame.

I am a sinful man, O Lord!  I don't deserve to be near You.  I doubted You.

But Jesus says,

Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men.  (v. 10b)

In His loving, patient, and quiet way.

Yes, I saw your doubts. I heard them.  I know how weak you are.

But I love you.  And I also saw your faith.

Don't be afraid.

From now on you will catch men.

Peter, I know I just blew you away with what I put in your net, but this is just the beginning!!!  There is so much more that I am going to do in your life!  I have a plan for you and you are going to see even bigger things than this...

Wow.  That is grace.


And so, Peter learned his lesson and never doubted Jesus again.  He lived happily ever after, trusting Jesus every time.

HA!

Nope, that line is not in there.

Peter did doubt again, many times.  But he also believed.

Months later, when Jesus told Peter to come and walk out on the water to meet Him (Matt. 14:28-32), Peter remembered all the miracles he had seen Jesus do before.  I bet the picture of all those fish filling and weighing down his boat flashed through his mind.

And he believed!  Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water!!

But then he looked around at his surroundings and realized what was happening (that he was walking on water!  and that there were big scary waves all around him!) and he began to doubt.

Yes Jesus had worked in the past, but this...this was way too impossible.

And he began to sink.

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matt. 14:31)

We believe, and we obey.  And yet we doubt.

It's so easy to believe Him in the part of the story where we are basking in the blessing...staring at the answer to our prayer, living our dream, leaning over the side of the boat watching the fish so plentiful that they are breaking our nets... 

But right before that, during the part of the story where we're slowly rowing out to sea for the second time in a day to throw down our nets where we know there are no fish...

That's when it's hard to believe.

Father, help us to trust You more FULLY, even in the dark hours that always come just before the sun comes up.

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!  Mark 9:24

Skip-Bo, Anyone?

I guess he DID know how to open that box!

 

Mini Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Breakfast Frittatas

I have a tendency to create a lot of unnecessary stress for myself.  It's something I am seriously working on this year...relaxing and enjoying life rather than being uptight and stressed all the time about things that don't even really matter.

But I'm a work in progress.

Last week when I was getting ready for Girls Weekend I spent a long time searching out recipes and planning an elaborate menu for the weekend.  I love to cook, and I wanted to make a special menu for a special weekend.

But when Josh realized what I was doing he said, very gently, "You want to be a Mary, not a Martha this weekend, don't you?  The girls won't be here very long, I don't think you are going to want to spend all your time cooking..."  

And I looked up sheepishly and answered, "Um, yeaaaah...I guess you're right."

He was.  

Sometimes I need reminders like that.  

So I scratched that super time consuming menu and decided to serve simpler dishes that I could make ahead...like this green chile soup, this pizza dough, and these carmelitas.

And it was a good thing, because we had WAY too much talking and playing with babies to do to leave any time for extra food prep.  :)

The only thing I really left to whip up while they were here were these frittatas, which were quick to make and really delicious.  

I love that they are baked in individual servings, it makes them extra fun.  They were a huge hit with the girls and this is definitely a recipe I'll be making again!

Mini Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato 

Breakfast Frittatas

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup packed fresh spinach, chopped
• 4 whole eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 8 sun-dried tomato halves, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 425°F. Coat 4 small baking dishes with cooking spray. Set aside. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook shallot until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Lightly whisk eggs and egg whites in a bowl. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, basil, spinach mixture, salt and pepper. Spoon into baking dishes; bake until firm in the center, 14 to 18 minutes.  

So there you have it...some beautiful frittatas that still allow you be a  Mary host. :)

Hero Points

So while Knox and I were having fun with the girls this weekend, Josh was in CHICAGO.  

Which may have made me just a tad bit jealous, 

until he walked off the plane carrying THIS:

A frozen, half-baked Giordano's cheese pizza.

Which, upon arriving home from the airport,

we promptly threw in the oven.

And consumed, with much rejoicing.

This man is always my hero:

But this week he got extra hero points.

Now please excuse me 

while I go heat up the last leftover piece for lunch.

And yes I do realize it's not even 11:00 yet.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

My Little Women

Knox and I just had a very special weekend.  

My three closest friends from college flew to Dallas from Boston, Iowa and Wisconsin to visit us.  Katy, Laurie & Bethany.  

And they brought two special little girls with them: Nya and Charity.

In college we called ourselves the "Little Women."  And these will always be my Little Women.  

This would be a great place to insert a photo of the four of us, but all my photos seem to be of our kids.  So you can refer to yesterday's post to see all of us. :)

These women are very precious to me.  We have lived together, fought together, made up together, grown together, served together, and worshiped together.  

They are the kind of friends who inspire you, and encourage you, and pray for you.  The kind of friends with whom you stay up very late having deep conversations, full of laughter and tears, about who God is and what He is doing in each of our lives....even when you know one of the babies is inevitably going to wake us all up at 5:00 the next morning. :)

Katy is Jo.  Back in college a little wild, a little tomboyish...restless, spontaneous, full of energy.  But she's also very inspiring and very deep.  Like Jo in the book she has turned into a wonderful, solid, caring woman who is the sweetest Mommy to Nya and a little boy who arrives later this summer.  She is full of passion.

Laurie is Meg.  She has always been responsible and caring...a natural mother.  But with a little more spunk than Meg in the book, I have to say. :)  Laurie was the first one to meet her prince charming and to begin a family; she is an amazing, mother of 4 kids now and has always been a role model for the rest of us.  Laurie knows how to encourage other women and moms and has an amazing blog that you should really read, here.

And our Bethany.  She is Beth 100%.  She is just very special to us all.  As Laurie used to say, she has a "heart of platinum."  She is gentle and loving and caring and strong and the past few years also became a mother...to 30 beautiful orphans in India who are HIV positive.  But unlike Beth in the book, she is not going to die young :) but is now building an organization of her own that will care for severely traumatized orphans in India and also train existing orphanages to better care for their kids.

Last but not least, I am Amy.  Because...well, if limes are in fashion I just might be tempted to spend my last dime on a lime. :)  I have been known to be a little dramatic at times, a dreamer, and to have a liking for the finer things in life...you know, wine taste and a beer budget, as they say. :)  But like Amy I have grown up to be pretty level headed, too.  And - sorry girls - but I ended up with the best guy in the book. ;)

It's been 9 years since we graduated from college now.  We've gone in separate directions, and don't get to catch up often.  But when we do, it is just very sweet.

I love my Little Women.

And the new little little women, too...

 

Knox was a little outnumbered (we had to kick Josh out for the weekend)...but he didn't seem to mind.

Girls are interesting creatures. :)

And pretty fun!

 

 

We miss them already.

Reunion Weekend!!

4 best friends from college

+

3 sweet babies 

(+ Chuy's Mexican food) 

=

 wonderful.

 

to be continued...

Motherhood...

My favorite dish towel...from my own mom :)

Puffed Apple Pancake

This was my Mother's Day breakfast.

Made by Josh and Knox.

(Mostly Josh) 

Just for me!

(Although I did share some with the two of them.)

And it was soooo good.  

My favorite thing to order at The Original Pancake House is always their baked apple pancake but I think I will never need to go there again now that Josh found this recipe. :)  This is a less sickly sweet version and I actually like it better.

Drizzle a tiny bit of maple syrup over it if you wish, but you don't even need any with an extra shake of  powdered sugar.

I am a BIG FAN of Mother's Day!  :)

 Puffed Apple Pancake

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 12 ounces Golden Delicious apples (about 2), peeled, cored, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl until well blended. Add flour and whisk until batter is smooth. Place butter in 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Place dish in oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Place apple slices in overlapping rows atop melted butter in baking dish. Return to oven and bake until apples begin to soften slightly and butter is bubbling and beginning to brown around edges of dish, about 10 minutes. 

Pour batter over apples in dish and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake pancake until puffed and brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.  Serve warm. 

Our Little Angel

If you look closely you might catch a glimpse of the

white, radiant angelic aura surrounding him. :)

Happy 9 Months, Knox! 

Life would be so boring without you. ♥

A Few Things I Love About My Mom

She's so pretty.

One of her main gifts is hospitality...her home is beautiful and she makes everyone feel welcome there.

She is very passionate about what she loves.

She can visit with anyone.

She is disciplined and determined.

She trusts God with her daughters' lives...even when it means He takes them to China, and Indonesia.  Texas, Arizona.  Chicago.  That is not easy and it means so much to us.

She understands deeply the importance of family, and roots, and history; that it is significant to who we are today.

She loves to take long walks outdoors.

She makes the best macaroni and cheese in the world.

She grew up on a farm.

There has never been a moment in my life when I didn't know she loves me.

When she's tired she loses it and starts giggling uncontrollably until she nearly chokes to death.

She is organized and always works hard.

She lets me lick my dessert plate.  Waste not want not, mom. :)

She loves Jesus.

She knows how to make special days really special.

She is a little old-fashioned.  In a good way.

She pays attention and knows that Courtney loves her rhubarb pie, Josh loves her strawberry-rhubarb coffeecake, Justin loves her coconut bars, and Leah loves...well...all of the above.   :)

Her initials spell B.E.S.T. They do!

Mom, I'm so blessed to have you for my mom.  I love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

Tuscan Chicken Sandwiches

I gave you my focaccia bread recipe yesterday.  

Now I'm going to show you one of our favorite ways to use it!

My mom is the one who found this tuscan chicken sandwich recipe and it's still one of my favorite things that she makes.  

It's SUPER easy but comes out tasting (and looking) really special.  Think Panera Bread...only way better. :)

Here's how it goes.

Throw:

One jar of roasted red peppers

Several cloves minced garlic

3-5 chicken breasts 

in your crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

When chicken is cooked through (and your whole house smells like heaven), shred the chicken with two forks and add SALT and PEPPER, to taste.

Mix some pesto with a little mayonnaise for your spread,

slice a fresh tomato...

...and start building your sandwiches.

We definitely recommend using this fresh focaccia, but you can use any bread you choose.

YEAH!

Thanks, Mom! :)