Swagbucks

Go here

Seriously go!

It's called Swagbucks. I resisted at first but it just makes sense. I have two friends who have both received $100 or more in gift cards just for using this as their search engine.
I love google.
I am loyal to google.
The good news is... swagbucks is a part of google! sigh

So, go and register and tell them I sent you and then go to Heather Hendrick's blog (like in my blog roll) and comment on her blog that you signed up and that I told you to and we will both be entered to win a $20 Target gift card.

So... go!

Further incentive: their gift cards that you can win include Southwest Airlines, REI, Target, Lowes, Fandango.... GO!

Keeping my Promise.

Introducing.... Baby Lew!!
It's true, I know most of you have figured it out by now, but we are pregnant!
The reason for the delay is that we decided we really wanted to tell as many people in person as possible and also wanted to wait until we were safely through the first trimester before we released it to the press.
I am almost 12 weeks (I know, not totally through the first trimester yet...) and we found out on Valentine's Day. It was sort of funny b/c we found out that morning and by dinner that night Drew had a terrible fever, which he passed on to me and so we were very sick with the flu and completely quarantined for the first week of our good news.
Because of being so sick and the fact that I had just had surgery in January (which required a lot of unsafe-for-a-baby meds) we wanted to be cautious about getting to jolly at first. We know the Lord gives and takes away... and He still can. But honestly, we know that if something bad were to happen we would need the love and support of our community any way!
Enough downer stuff... the great news is these pictures were from about 5 weeks ago and Baby Lew is a lot more developed since then! In fact he's (gender neutral) almost fully formed just with little tiny everything! Now he just needs to grow grow grow!
Here's more what our baby should look like now....and in the next week or so....

We feel super excited and blessed to be able to bring a baby into the world and would appreciate all the prayers and support (and all advice) we can get!
Funny fact: I am the last girl in my original Louisville community group (and the first in my current community group) to get pregnant and three of us (who are having our first) are pregnant right now. It's a great and special time!
No tummy to show yet but we'll start posting those pics soon I'm sure.

Confession

First of all, have I told you about my all time favorite site on the internet? Foodgawker.com Please check it out, it's for your own good. I will confess (though this is not THE confession) that I hardly ever actually bake what they are displaying on this site but it does inspire me with ideas of things to do (that are often less complex) for dinner or helps me when nothing sounds good. Plus, if you do have a special occasion it is the perfect place to get new amazing recipes. Curious!? TRY IT!
Okay, here's the real confession:
I love refried beans.
I don't care what kind of bean it is... mash it up and I'll take it.
I don't care how you serve it to me... I like it on a tortilla, on a chip by itself or in a dip (like the rhyme?)
I seriously crave this food more than anything else!
Just thought you should no.

Pictures to come...

Just an update..

Today I am sleepy.
Today I am nauseous.
Today I slept until 1pm and could barely get up even then.

Nothing sounds good.
Everything sounds good.
I am hungry.... but nauseous.
ugh.

If I wasn't too tired to get off the couch I would make:
queso
enchiladas
salsa
mac and cheese
some sort of ginger dessert
bread
lemonade
guacamole mmmmmmmmmmm that sounds good....

The queso is the only thing that will probably get made b/c I can throw it together and nap while it cooks.. I'm not joking!
Poor Drew... he needs some one to come to his house and cook and clean for him... don't worry babe, I'll be back in a few weeks... well in at least 8 weeks. Good thing I am married to the sweetest, most gentle and comforting man on earth who takes such good care of me and is totally low maintenance. The good news is that I'm not keeping him up late at night b/c my eyes begin to close at 8pm... so he's getting plenty of rest for work these days!
Fun pictures coming soon..... like when we find our camera charger....

Plan of Action

Lately there has been a reoccuring theme floating in my ears... God's plan.
There are times when I get frustrated that I have no idea where I am going or what my life will be like. I know that many people have great dreams and aspirations for my life, but what if those are not God's aspirations for my life?. At our church (sojournchurch.com) we are going through the Old Testament. The pastor is preaching sermons that highlight the "main events" of the Old Testament, while the body as a whole is reading through the OT by reading a little in order, a psalm and a proverb. Wow, I am amazed at God's plan... but I am also comforted a bit by the "heroes" lack of faith even when God specifically tells them the game play. For example, Abraham (Ishmaal) and the Israelites. However, there is one man who I admire greatly in Genesis and that is Joseph. We could all use a little more of Joseph's faith.
When Joseph was only 17 his brothers plot to kill him and instead sell him into slavery. For most if not all of his young adult life he is a slave in a foreign, pagan land. Though he becomes the head slave of his household he is still completely seperated from his homeland and his family (which he probably knew was where the promise was). However, when tempted to gratify himself a little with Potipher's eager wife... NO WAY he says... he could not do this thing before who? GOD! He remains faithful to the God of his Father. THEN... he is thrown into jail. I'm not sure I can even imagine what this was like. There were no lights, no bathrooms, no carpet... and it was jail so it was probably even worse than the regular situation with out those things. ick. Yet, while in prison he continues to glorify the Lord and ends up interpretting a man's dream who is supposed to remember his case before Pharoah... does he? NO! Can you imagine Joseph thinking he's finally going to get bailed out of jail... the hope and anticipation... only to be left in the hole for another 3 years before he is summoned and then only to serve. Yet, when he appears before Pharoah he again gives God all the glory. Finally, Joseph seems to be in a good spot as basically a ruler over Egypt and yet even then he is a slave of sorts to Pharoah and he lives among a people who worship many false gods and he has no connection with his family. Then he is finally reconnected with his family and needless to say the brothers are a little nervous around him and what does Joseph say twice (Gen 48 and 50)??? That all of that evil that they intended to do him (and succeeded in doing to him) that God from the very first day meant all that for good (Joseph's good and the good of all the people in the land who didn't have to starve during the famine). What perspective! So many of us have problems forgiving our spouses for minor silly offenses or our parents or friends and yet Joseph is able to look at all his pain and say that it was God's good plan for him.
I want to be like that.

Latest Rage...

You take a little of this.....homemade of course

And add a little of this....

Don't forget this.....
Wrap it all in a tortilla, zap for 30 seconds and add salt/pepper and man oh man is this healthy and delicious!
If you are looking for something a little more filling, I added sauteed zucchini to it once and woah, it was unbelievable.
This is a shout out to the pita place my roomie and I went to in Spain to keep from starving. Our Senora was not too keen on fixing us food and when she did they consisted of less than a fist full of white rice and half a piece of white fish. I am not lying. Then we got patee (sp?) sandwiches... when we asked her for peanut butter and even scoured the whole city to find some she refused to make us peanut-butter sandwiches b/c she said it looked like ca-ca.... hmmmm. So we had tea/coffee for breakfast and then nothing else until dinner unless we found something on our own... the only problem was, food was supposed to be included in the price so neither of us had budgeted for meals every day! So, we found this amazing pita place that made their own pitas and slathered it with hummus and three falafal balls and then they had a grilled veggie bar you could load up on (as much as you wanted!) for like $1.25 or something! That plus a McDonald's ice cream cone and lots and lots of nectarines (the best in the world!) and we survived! So, when I made hummus Saturday I thought I'd give it a go with the ingredients I had on hand and I've had it every day since then... but today was the last day b/c I am now out of hummus.
So, never made your own hummus? It's super easy! You can basically add anything to it to make it spicy or zesty; mexican or italian etc etc.... try it!

Hummus (one version)
1 can Chick Peas
1 clove garlic or 1T minced garlic
Lemon Juice (a few squirts or one lemon)
Cummin (1tsp to 1T depending on how much you like it)
Salt/Pepper (I like a lot)
Tahini/Sesame Seed oil (I used it this time but I didn't last time and barely noticed a difference)
Olive Oil
Chili Powder (if you like) OR Pesto (like basil and stuff like that....)

Drain the Chick Peas but save the juice. In a food processor blend up the chick peas adding a little chick pea juice and a little oil at a time until you get the desired consistency (we like it smooth but have had it chunky too)
Add in all the other stuff and stirrrrrr... remember both of the oils and the lemon juice will make it wetter so don't get it too smooth before you add those in.
I didn't mix in the Chili Powder but dashed it on the top but you can also just put oil and lemon juice on the top or any other seasonings you like!
Enjoy with crackers or pita bread!

Back to it.

Well, the snow has melted off the streets and life is getting back to normal.
We went to church Sunday and it was running on a generator but now the church and all of our friends have their power restored.
Tomorrow classes begin/resume at the seminary and schools all around town.
Tomorrow I will go back to work.
Our friends laughed at me because during the entire storm I never got stir crazy. I loved being trapped in the house with too many books to read and movies to watch. I love that our close friends were trapped in there with us. The thing is, I am all too aware that stress and busy-ness are coming. I know the demands of school will show their ugly faces all too soon and thus I was completely content to have a week where my biggest worry was whether or not we had enough of one thing to feed four people. I love wearing sweats and slippers all day and drinking hot tea and not having to check my watch as I read my Bible or pray. I love it.
Now though, it's time to get back to the daily grind. I am more prepared now to march into Hebrew II tomorrow morning and I have already finished the book for my first book review. I am sure I will have plenty to do at work.
The good news is that with restored power, doctor's offices are open and grocery stores have milk and Chick Fil A is much much easier to get to.
You may wonder, though you shouldn't, why I would care for a doctor's office... but well... I already have another sinus infection. In record time I have managed to fill this nose with an unholy amount of gunk and goo in a wide variety of colors and textures. hahahaha.... plus I think the meds they had me on gave me a rash... well I actually know they gave me a rash. It's seems there is always something.
What I'm learning right now is that there is nothing I can do. This is the path the Lord has me on and he has me on it for my good and His glory. In my timing and in my world I would be healed of this already. I would not have another medical issue to deal with and would not need my 5th round of antibiotics in 3 months... but you know what, I don't get to choose. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers when he was 17 and though he was blessed time and again, he was also thrown into prison and living in a foreign land and didn't know if he would ever....ever see his family again. Yet, he declares to his brothers that what they intended for evil God was using from the get-go for good.
I hate medicine. I wish I could be one of those savvy people who never takes anything. So maybe this is all to humble me. Maybe this is to show his power in my weakness. Maybe this is just the result of a fallen world and a fallen body. Whatever the case, I want to rejoice that the Lord is good and gives good gifts to his children.
I have the most wonderful husband who loves me and cares for me in sickness and health. Drew never gets exasperated by my nose issues or the fact that he is the one paying for them. He cares for me and looks for ways to make my life easier and healthier all the time.
We have a house that the Lord has given us the finances to work on and to minister to our neighbors and friends through. He has given us power during two huge storms that knocked out others around us. He has given us good food to eat and friends to eat it with.
The Lord has given us a wonderful church that preaches the gospel and invests in people of all types.
The Lord has given us himself, beaten on a cross and then raise in glory... our mediator and counselor, the peacegiver and vindicator.
The Lord is good and will accomplish his purpose in our lives. Amen

But speaking of the house.... here's a few pics...

The new tile

trim... trying to mimic the old-Louisville style

more trim

Drew and B. Hamric finishin' up the window... they were like kids in a candy shop with this project