Storms of Life

This little message has stuck with my soul for a long time now.


Sometimes God calms the storm and sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms His child.

It's no secret to most that we have spent many days at the beach this past summer. I love having a visual image to illustrate this message. The storm picture is compliments of Hurricane Earl.

I hope this message whispers to your heart today.

Rain

Out of the mouths of babes...

It rained today.

My thirdling says " Mom, Is Jeremy washing his hands?"

It took me awhile to get on his page. He is afraid of storms. We tell him soft stories of angels, including his brother, Jeremy, bowling and playing in heaven.

I guess it is only natural that he should transfer that thought to think that the rain must be from the angels washing up.

:)

Hello Fall

I am a few days behind. Happy Fall Y'all! It's no secret that I love summer and so I am sad to see it come to an end but I am looking forward to some aspects of fall too! So without further delay here are my summer favorites of 2010!

Favorite Memory:

Too many to count for this category! I had many heartwarming moments and memories this summer. I am very blessed in may ways. Spending hours at the pool listening to the Zac Brown Band play Chicken Fried swim meets, days spent near the sea with family and friends, many inpromtu gatherings and playdates, a night at the fair, dinner parties, catching fireflies, Red Box Movie Nights, reading a good book or two, laying low, letting go of routines and letting the days unfold...AHHH bliss.

Favorite Song:

Zac Brown Chicken Fried pretty much sums up summer this year. I also fell in love with Chris Tomlin's I Will Follow.

Favorite T.V. Show:

Still loyal to Friday Night Lights.

Favorite Food Out:

Fish tacos and guacamole from a local restaurant

Favorite Food Homemade:

Tomato Pie

Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Favorite Purchase:
underwater camera

my purse

Favorite Drink:

chardonnay chilled
Favorite Memory:

Realizing I really have changed. Thanks Rachael Ray Show!

I couldn't live without :
flip flops in the summer

Can a girl have such a thing as too many pairs? My favorite pair was literally worn out this summer. While that saddens me, I had more joy wearing them to the worn out state they ended up in than to say they were my favorites while they say it my closet. Catch my drift?


I also must say that I also loved my sunshine toes again this summer. The whole flip flop look really lets them SHINE!


Hello Fall...I am looking forward to some upcoming fall events but also beginning to get a but apprehensive about some difficult days ahead.

Rainbow Colors

Someone very special to me and to our family sent this to me last week. It arrived on a day just when I needed it most...

Rainbow colors are there to remind us only HE can give calm through the storm and peace to the heart filled with rain.
-Maryanne Radmacher

Calling All Football Fans

It's that time of year again, football season. There are a few football fans in our house and Mexican food is often a requested meal on game days. My Dinner Diva group will meet tomorrow so I thought I'd share my contribution to the meal swap.

Mexican Manicotti

Ingredients:
1 lb of lean ground beef
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 package manicotti shells (80z)
2 1/2 cups water
1 jar (16 oz) picante sauce
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
1 cup (4oz) shredded Monterrey Jack or Mexican style shredded cheese

Assembly:
In a bowl combine UNCOOKED beef, refried beans, chili powder, and oregano. Spoon into UNCOOKED manicotti shells and arrange in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Combine water and picante sauce and pour over shells.

If freezing - cover and freeze

If making meal without freezing- cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator thirty minutes before baking.

***helpful hints from me***
I use disposable pastry bags to pipe the meat into the manicotti shells. The bag I used worked well without the tip. The preformed hole in the end of the bag worked well to fill the shells. This was really helpful since I filled 108 manicotti shells last night.

This recipe is ideal for me to split into two 8x8 pans for my family. At this point, my kids aren't big eaters for every meal. I serve this dish with some rice, corn, chips and salsa, etc. so one 8x8 pan is enough for my family. This way I get two dinners out of one recipe. If I have company for supper, I can easily bake two pans.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely in refrigerator before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for one hour. Uncover, spoon sour cream over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake ten minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Remember to split sour cream and cheese if you make 8x8 pans.

*** We ran out of chili powder while making this recipe. Hubby suggested using a package of taco seasoning that was thankfully in the pantry. Everyone in the swap will get the traditional recipe and I'll let you know how the taco seasoning works out when we eat ours.

This meal is a lot of work if making more than one dish. However, the dinner time hour on a weekday could be smooth if prepared ahead of time. It was a hit with the Dinner Diva group last time and was requested to make again! Hope you all enjoy it too!

TEN

There is physical pain. The nurse asks "What number are you?" The answer to this question helps the nurse to manage the pain. When your answer is a ten you have little expectations do accomplish much. You give into the pain and pray that the wound heals and the pain subsides.

Yesterday was a TEN. My emotional pain can transcend to physical pain at times. The pain makes it ever so difficult to function in the everyday world.

Today the physical markers of that pain showed up. The red, puffy eyes, exhaustion, stomach discomfort, fog, and lack of focus.

I am sad. It is okay to be sad. My life is different now. Jeremy is gone from this world and I am allowed to miss him. I am allowed to give into my grief and just cry myself to sleep.

It hurts. A part of me will always hurt. I loved him well. He loved me well. He loved his family well.

I will always have a special place in my heart for my son. He filled that special place with love beyond imagine yesterday...I am grateful.

Angel Mail #15

Dear Jeremy,

Today would be your first day of school if you were here with us on earth. Your brother would be at the same school. Life as we planned is not happening and today is yet another reminder of a life changed forever...

At school this morning there will be a sea of smiles and yes, tears too. There will be the mothers that cry because they must let their little ones go for a short time while they learn at school. There will be the kids who cry because they do not want to let go of Mom's gentle presence. They will reconnect in a few short hours and all will be right with their part of the world again. This may be in fact the exact thing that I experience with your older brother.

My mind is stuck on a particular group today. I am imagining a group of mothers that were expecting their little miracles at the same time that I was expecting you sweet son. I am imagining their place at school today. I want to imagine yours too but I can't. I'm afraid of seeing those precious three year olds today and how it will really feel to not see you standing there with your blue bag waiting to fill the school year with new growth, lots of learning, fun, and new friends.

Jeremy, you GRADUATED LIFE with honors. Simply stated yet profoundly true. I will do my best to stay focused on that very thought this morning when the pain threatens to sweep me under.

These kinds of days just keep coming and I have not figured out how to stop the pain thus far. I learned to just face the pain no matter the force, what else can I do?

You may not be with me at school, but you are and always will be forever in my heart!

Love,
Mommy

Back to School 2010

It's here...I knew it was coming. I knew it would be crazy. How easily I forget just how busy life gets during the first week of school. It seems as if every minute is accounted for before the day even begins. I need to find that balance of getting things acomplished and also finding time for some peace in the day.

I always seem to forget what a big adjustment it is for our whole family when everyone heads back to school.

Here's hoping that this week I find that balance.

Teachers

A quote with Back to School in mind.

A teacher effects eternity. You never know where his/her influence stops.
-A sign outside a local school in our community

I think this quote applies to far more than teachers. Many of us underestimate the influence we have over people in and around our daily lives. Kindness matters. We each possess the ability to make a difference in the lives of others on a daily basis. Where can you spread a little sunshine today?

Summer Smiles at the Pool

I love summer.

I love the memories created at the pool.

I am sad to see them come to an end but will look forward to next season!

On a funny note, my kisses don't hurt. Really, they don't!