Childlike Faith




Our sweet Grace
who will commandeer anything in the house {like her momma's pony tail holders}
that can at-all-resemble a bracelet, necklace, or other sparkly accessory



accidentally burnt her wrist on the skillet this morning.
I was right.there. and just couldn't stop her fast enough. 
serious momma guilt over this!

lots and lots of cold water, 
{more than a few} tears and some snuggling with her Oatmeal bear later and all was fine.

And then, awhile later,
while in the car,
this sweet boy...
 




...all-of-a-sudden burst out with 
we should pray for Gracie's boo-boo.

Absolutely, buddy, we should absolutely pray for it.
You wanna pray right now?

he did.
His prayer?

Dear God,
Thank-you for today.
Thank-you that you will heal Gracie's boo-boo.
In Jesus' name,
Amen


wow. 
some serious child-like faith in that prayer, huh?
No worrying, no stressing over the situation.
simple trust that He will heal Gracie's boo-boo.



and right then,
in those few quick moments in our car, 
with Gracie holding her bear, Grant in mis-matched sweats, 
and me wearing my good-'ole running shorts,
my faith was challenged.
 

Do I pray with such faith?
that God will work?
that He will accomplish His will?
that my prayers will be answered?


I hope so. 


-------------

...But let him ask in faith, with no doubting...
James 1:6

Good Old Fashioned Pancakes!





Saturday night!
pancake night.
M & M pancakes tonight.
 our chocolate-loving-2-year-old inhaled them fist-over-fist.
seriously. fist-over-fist. 
she knows what's good, huh?

It's taken me almost 10 years of marriage to be able to make pancakes.
seriously.
no matter what I did, they burnt, were dough-y, or just yucky.
My pancake tips today?

{generously} spray your griddle with non-stick spray.
start with a HOT griddle.
{I usually turn mine on right as I add the wet ingredients}.
use a measuring scoop slightly bigger than the size you need. 
I use 1/3 cup for 1/4 cup-sized-pancakes.
turn the burners down when you're on your 3rd batch.
turn them down even more when you hit your 4th or 5th one.
prevents the bottoms from getting too done before the middle.

if all else fails?
add chocolate.

-------------------

My favorite all-time pancake recipe:
my own version of this one

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, vanilla, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.  

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

-------------

for those interested, there are 2261 calories in the ENTIRE batch.  
so, just divide by how many you get.
I usually get about 24.

which is only 94 calories/pancake.
{not including any added M&M's.}

--------

what's your favorite way to eat pancakes?








Glimpses.




Glimpses from our week. 
Preschool, playdates, Bible Studies.
A very good, very normal week.

{and around here these days, we appreciate normal. 
No more worse-tonsillectomies-ever or crazy-JRA-flares for us, please!}

-----
snacktime.


tights on my {forever baby} girl. 



chocolate brown paint it is for the sunroom. 

{my exceedingly-patient-husband loves me enough to deal with
about a half a dozen paint swatches on our walls right now!}

What do you think?




my sink kinda looked like this for a few days...



because of the Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon rolls that took.over.my.kitchen.



Note to self = use a bigger pot next time!


And the local fire station...


where we took a special delivery on Sunday, 9-11.

Grant painted a thank-you picture that we took the firefighters.
along with a couple dozen donuts.



My father-in-law was a fireman, my husband has been a volunteer firefighter.
i will forever get teary-eyed at these men who are the first responders in crises.
they do it willingly. eagerly. 
for us.

and 10 years ago, they went running in
when every one else was running out.

The least I can do is drop some donuts of to our local guys, who serve our town daily.

that was our week. very normal. very good. 
very blessed.





1st Day.






Grant.
He's exuberant, out-going, laid-back.
funny. observant. enthusiastic.




And now, he's bouncing into his 4-year-old preschool class.

Re-wind about 8 years, 
and we were about to unkowingly face a long, heart-wrenching journey
with infertility and pregnancy loss.  
where we would be given a less than 4% chance of conceiving.


Grant is our miracle baby.
And now he's our miracle baby going to pre-school.

bittersweet, huh?


He loves it.  
loves, loves, loves it.

I love that he loves it.
I love that he's so excited to go to school he sleeps with his lunch box.
I love that he's so excited that he can barely take his jacket off before running into his classroom.

but, a small look-back and "see ya, mom!" might do my heart good right about now.

Because they'll always be babies in our hearts, won't they?


This bittersweet stuff?
I have a feeling it's not going to end any time soon.


So even though he'll always be itty-bitty in my heart,
I pray that he'll grow into a man who's passionate about serving his Savior.
who's walking in faith.
who's exuberance is a zeal for the Lord.


Happy pre-school, Grant Owen!


your momma may have cried a few tears.
and this girl?


she misses her bubby
lots.


But, we love watching you grow up.
just slow it down a bit, okay?


--------------


"For this child we prayed, and the Lord

Granted

  our request".

I Samuel 1:27






Paint




The majority of our Saturday.



The {lower right} yellow is our family room.
{totally promise that it doesn't look as weirdly yellow in person.  
just a very warm, golden-y tanish shade.  I love it.}

The {upper left} brown is a sample for our sunroom.  
not liking it.

fell in love with the curtains awhile ago, but now having problems picking a paint shade.
darker brown? or just a{gasp!} neutraly creamish shade?


love paint. love.love.love it.
the husband
{who actually paints}
doesn't love it so much
but he loves me.
so he paints.

So, watchya think for the sunroom? dark brown? cream-ish shade?
or something totally different like buy new curtains 
because you're not going to find paint to look good with them? 




{Insta} Friday




Our week, in cell phone photos.

it's fun getting a quick glimpse into others' lives, isn't it?
Especially other mommy friends.
Kinda makes me feel a bit more normal about my worn-the-same-running-shorts-for-3-days situation.

-------------------------

Happy 13.1 mile gift left on the front porch of my new neighbor and friend, 
who's tackling a half marathon tomorrow.
{Gatorade and new ponytail holders.}
Because, we can all run faster with cute hair ties, right?


 And, I'm loving my new Mizunos.  
Cranking out the miles on them the past few weeks!  


With Grant's crazy tonsillectomy recovery, Grace being super duper sick last week, we haven't gotten out of the house much...so, at least I can throw these shoes on and hit the road.  

And, as I find my stride, I pray for our family, our friends, our church.
 My friend, Love, has been brought before our Savior lots this week, as she's in Uganda right now trying to bring her boys home.  Praying that they'll come home sooner than later.


And Gracie's new sparklies.


Meant to be hair ties, but worn as bracelets.
because all girls want sparkly accessories, right?


Love. Radically.




I came home from 2 weeks in Uganda, East Africa, ready to set the world on fire. As I served beside men and women who have given up what they cannot keep to serve poverty-stricken people, I passed out not only rice and beans and chicken to outcast children who would probably have gone hungry otherwise, I passed out a tangible piece of hope and love from our Savior. 

We prayed over those rice and beans, that as those dear, dear children ate, they would learn about a Savior who loves them and will satisfy their every need.


It's hard to serve among side ministries like Amazima who literally feed starving children and then come home.

home to middle class suburban America. Where we have fancy four-dollar coffees on every corner and super Targets that compel us to throw one more cute {but unnecessary} item into our plentiful cart.

I came home wanting to set the world on fire. 
Here, in middle class America.


But how? 
how do I make such a difference here as I felt like I did in sub-sahara Africa? 
That is what I wrestled with.

Yes, there are food pantries that I can {and do} donate to. and volunteer with.
There are lots of charities and organizations that need help.
But none of them seemed to fit. 
None seemed personal enough.

I just wanted to pass out figurative rice and beans in my neighborhood -- to say to my friends, neighbors, community---I will love you because Christ first loved me.

how?

I prayed. And prayed. And prayed some more.

humbly seeking the Lord's direction
on how in the world I could make such a difference here in suburbia.

And then in my Bible reading I came to 1 Corinthians 13. It's such a well-read passage at weddings, but it spoke to me. and continues to.

"if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal...and If I have all faith, as if to move mountains,
But have not love, I am nothing."

And here's what answered my prayer about setting my small world that God has placed me in on fire.

"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love,
I gain nothing."

You see, I could go to Africa. 
I could sell everything and move there and feed starving children.

But if I have not love, I.gain.nothing.

And that's when the answer to my months of prayer came.
I.must.love.

We are told that the rest of this world will know we are different because of our love.
{John 13:35}

That the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor {and the biblical definition of neighbor is anyone who is in need} like our self.

For months I've been challenge by this, 
and I think i will be until the day my faith becomes sight.

For me, personally, making a radical difference starts right.here. With the husband I fell in love with over 10 years ago and the children we desperately wanted, tried for, prayed for. It starts with the neighbors I walk around the block with. The people in my church family.

Am I loving them?

am I being kind, patient, and selfless with them?

as my 2 year old wants me to play with her, but I really have 1,429 things on my to-do list, am loving her? By simply remembering these years won't last forever and playing baby dolls up my sweet girl?

As our 4 year old melts down before bed am I patient with him, knowing he's just tired and a good hug and goodnight kiss are what he needs instead of an impatient momma telling him to hurry it up with the pajama process?

I could move to Africa and feel like I'm changing the world.
But if I'm not showing love right here, right now,
I am nothing.

I fail, of course, and praise Hm for His forgiveness when I do. 

but for now, I remain in suburban America, 
passing out my own version of rice and beans to my family and friends.

By trying to love them.

Radically.




Crockpot Smashed Potatoes





Love using the crockpot, and LOVE having it for side dishes!
{How fabulous to not be boiling potatoes right as the main dish is ready!}

This sweet thing ate them up.



----------------
Recipe:

2-3 pounds red potatoes, either quartered or diced
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup onion & chive cream cheese {from a tub}
1/2 - 1 cup milk
1/2 a stick of butter
Directions:

Place potatoes, garlic, olive oil and water in crock pot. Stir well. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.

{I cooked on HIGH for 4 hours and they were perfectly tender}.

When they're tender, mash with the back of a large fork.  Stir in cream cheese, butter, and milk until they're the consistancy you want them to be.

Add kosher salt and pepper to taste!

SO easy. SO good!

-------------

2 year olds.




This girl?
She's kinda been keeping me hopping recently.

Just today I've vacuumed up glitter, swept up parmesan cheese, 
and wiped her down from a mascara incident.

I love it.
I love her spunk. Her determination. Her insistance.

love.it.

 I love her detailed-nature.
She sleeps with about a dozen different animals/action figures in her bed.
and she knows every.single.one.

I quietly set her in her bed tonight as she was halfway asleep in my arms.  
Snuggling into her blankie she whispered "guy guy downstairs".

Yes, my baby girl.  One of your 12-membered-possee that you sleep with is downstairs.
Momma will get it you dear thing.

As she corrals her cast of characters into their correct sleeping position in her crib, 
tonight I prayed over her that we can channel her spunk 
and fire-cracker-nature into a zeal for the Lord.  

That her determination will translate into determination to always, always, always do.the.right.thing.

That her detailed-nature will make her examine her faith and be built up,
strongly rooted in Him.
That her outgoing self will learn to love others as Christ has loved us first.

Grace Abigail,we love you.
So much, baby girl. So much.

And?
please stop arranging your possee in your crib and
go to sleep.


Rachel Ray's Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes




I've mentioned before how much these 2 love pancakes.
Seriously. They love them.


 so, Saturday evenings are usually pancake evenings in our house!

you see, our Saturday evenings are probably a bit different than most.
{I'm usually ironing clothes, finding pants, picking out hair bows, tracking down hair bows, figuring out which shirt to wear with what skirt, making sure the kids are as calm as possible to try to avoid a Saturday night ER visit -we came close to that a few weeks ago with a mouth and coffee table incident!- and making sure I know where my keys are.}

{seriously, I've almost been late to church because I couldn't find keys. It's nuts. I know.}

So, the last thing I want to do is worry about breakfast on Sunday morning!

Thus, Saturday night pancakes = Sunday morning leftovers.


My latest favorite recipe is Rachael Ray's Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes.
Sweet and moist! Super yummy. 

And the pink Gracie monster?
As grant {sometimes not so} affectionately calls her?
She's the picky eater in our household, and she ate these pancakes for 3 meals in a row.

Hey, it's oats, milk, and banana.
Decently healthy, right?

You try them and let me know what you think.

And hope your Saturday evening goes smoother than ours invariably is,
even with my attempts at calmness!

----------------------

Rachael Ray's Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes:

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sour cream
{I used light sour cream with no issues!}
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 really ripe bananas, mashed up
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup), melted

Mix dry ingredients, the first 7, in a bowl. In a another bowl, mix the wet ingredients, the next 4. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then fold in the mashed up bananas and the raisins. Stir in the melted butter. 

Heat a griddle over medium heat and brush with additional melted butter. Cook pancakes, each about 1/3 cup, until bubbles form on the top, then turn. Cakes will cook in about 2 minutes on each side. Keep pancakes tented with foil as they come off the griddle to keep them hot. Serve with drizzled honey or maple syrup over the top.

-------

Enjoy!!



It's the Small Things, right?





Small things
{that are totally the big things}
that are making me happy today.


fun snack. pretty piggies.
fresh zinnias.  organized towels.

Happy Tuesday!

Diet Coke Break.




This beautiful girl is napping.




So I take a break from the laundry and toys that await.
And sit down with a Diet Coke and my Bible.
For we need Him, don't we?
so much.

And I read about how 
He satisfies me with good so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's.

and I pray that the Lord will work justice and righteousness for a very special friend who's in Uganda right now trying to bring her 2 sweet boys home. and home soon.

I praise the Lord that He is mericful and gracious.
That he does not deal with me according to my sins.
and that His Love is steadfast.
{psalms 103}

And a few pages over, 
I am challenged by the Woman of Proverbs 31.
She dresses herself with strength. 
She reaches her hands to the poor.

and she laughs at the time to come.

So.much.confidence in the Lord that she can laugh at the days ahead.

In my head, I picture her envisioning the future.  
smiling, shaking her head.

saying, 
Okay, Lord.  It's all yours.  
We are in your hands.  
Whatever you have for us, we will walk humbly. 
Your will be done.

I pray I can say the same. 
that my confidence in this Lord of ours will.not.be.shaken.

Even if the days ahead include more health crises like, um, toxic shock.
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
words like leukemia. spinal tap. sepsis.


and thus I know that I can laugh at the days ahead.
For our Lord holds them.

and we are 
in
His
Hands.