Interlopers at the Block Party

Not only did Ryan have to work ON the fourth, but he also had to work on Saturday. So I stayed home again and he went to work - and then we met up in the afternoon at the Greentown house to work on it more. I washed windows and Ryan worked on the landscaping - trimming it all up.

We'd planned to just go home and rest for the evening, but my parents' neighborhood party was that night {my parents live in the country, so "neighborhood" is a far-reaching term} - and their neighbors hosting the event sent me a message inviting us to stop by if we wanted.

Well of course!!

We didn't know everyone there, but we had a BLAST.

They grilled hamburgers and hot dogs - and had all kinds of yummy stuff to go with them. 

 My Mama - a very good picture of her, I think.

 To clarify this photo...as a joke, the guy hosting the party told me I'd need to bring my own tequila. Ryan and I don't drink - ever - so it was just a joke. But I had stopped by McDonald's for an iced tea that day, so I took my trusty Sharpie and wrote "Bekah's Teaquila" on the side and brought it with me to the party. I cracked my own self up.

After dinner, we gathered out by the fire pit to enjoy the pyro show Randy {the neighbor} had purchased. Ryan was SO excited about this part.

Don't EVER try this at home. Shaking head. 

 Ryan and Isaac - who is the neighbor's son. Oh my word. Two of a kind. Be very afraid.

 They made me do it. I didn't want to. Clearly.

 Moving on to rockets...

 This is more my speed. Sparklers with Alexa - the neighbors' daughter.

 Ahhhhh yes. Much safer.

 This rocket landed firmly in my parents' yard. I made Isaac pose with it. It was the only one that actually landed in the ground like that.

 Alexa's after-dark sparkler fun.

 Watching fireworks through 3D glasses. Ever done it? It's fun!

So that was our night! We got home really late, but it was worth it! :)

July 4th in Shafferland

So...Ryan had to work on the 4th...for most of the day. I always feel sad for him when he has to work a holiday, and a bit guilty for enjoying my own leisurely days while he is working so hard! Last year I made us this great little picnic lunch and we ate in the pirogi, but he had to work longer this year than last, so I ate leftovers for lunch and when he got home from work in the late afternoon...our festivities began!

We drove back over to Kokomo to get dinner at a place neither of us had tried before. It's this tiny hole-in-the-wall BBQ place called Hawg Heaven.

We ordered 2 sammiches - and intended to split them, so we could try more things.

We decided to get our food to go, since it was such a nice night, and we went around the corner to the park to have dinner!

The panini looking one was my favorite, and both of us fell in love with their homemade potato salad. {And we aren't even really potato salad people.}

After dinner, we went to Starbucks and they were closed. :( So we did the consolation prize of McDonald's coffee. {Not even close to the same when your tummy has its sights set on Starbucks.}

Then...we drove back to Cicero, where we went last year for fireworks, to watch them again over Morse Lake. GORGEOUS night for fireworks.

We staked out a spot on a little hill overlooking the lake and just sat for 2 hours, talking, dreaming, and taking pictures.

There were hot air balloons floating above...

 People lighting those floating lanterns and setting them loose into the heavens...

 A SPECTACULAR sunset.

 And these cannons, which they fired eight times {Ryan said} and scared us out of our blasted MINDS seven of them. We kept trying to pay attention to see when they were going to fire them, but {ahem} we may have gotten lost in conversation and kept missing it!!

The crowd on the hillside:

I know you've all SEEN fireworks, so I won't post all 238029384023842093 pictures I took. But here are a few of my faves. 

 It took a while to get out of town after the show ended...because the whole county was there {ha!} but we got out - and had a quick stop for ice cream on the way home! :)

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, Ryan and I went to his family's church for the dedication of his nephew. {They're blognonymous, so no pictures of that cutie.} It was a sweet service, and we stayed after it was over to have lunch with everyone. Ryan and I got to play with his other nephew, Korbin, and we enjoyed a very yummy meal! I took a trifle - the first one I've ever made. It was good!

* My best friend's grandfather passed away, and Ryan and I drove to the viewing Monday evening. I hated seeing her under those circumstances, but it was good to see her. When we got home, we went out for a run, to cancel out the fries we had on our way to the funeral home! We did chores all night and went to bed EXHAUSTED.

* Apparently, our part of Indiana got some crazy tornado-esque storms during the night into Tuesday morning, but guess who slept through them AND the first hour of the alarm? WE DID!! By the time we headed to work, it was gorgeous outside! That night, Ryan worked at the Greentown house, and I led another round of Beth Moore Bible study. We have one participant allergic to Braeya and guess who Braeya loves most??? So I have to occupy the little diva to keep her out of the way! Tuesday we played with the green toy. And I made spaghetti ahead for our lunches. Busy night!

* Wednesday was our 19 month anniversary! Apparently Ryan's work celebrated in our honor, because they had a cookout! :) After work, we grilled out and ate in the pirogi...and we went for a walk because it was a GORGEOUS night. I also stopped at a cupcake shop to get us a little anniversary treat. The stop was kind of a disaster, but we did manage to end up with cupcakes!

* I only had to work a half day on Thursday, but Ryan had to work the whole day...so after I got off work, I took the scenic route home and enjoyed my afternoon doing chores and having fun. AND...looking at our 2 newest scrapbooks that the nice UPS man delivered. Our anniversary and birthday trips are now in hard copy! I went to visit my old office buddies, went for a walk, and enjoyed a quick nap in the hammock with Ryan after he got home!

* Ryan had to work Friday {I'm always sad for him when he has to work holidays} and I did not, so I stayed home and worked on the scrapbook of our family vacation. {Making a copy for everyone in the family.} When he did come home from work, we went out for dinner at Hawg Heaven - a BBQ hole-in-the-wall place in Kokomo we'd never been to before. Then we drove to Cicero, just like we did last year, to watch their fireworks over the lake. It was a lovely evening together!

* Yesterday Ryan had to work again and when he got off work, I met him at our Greentown house for chore day. He cleaned out the overgrown landscaping and I washed windows. {Hope you were sitting down for that news.} But our work was rewarded because we were invited to my parents' neighborhood picnic! We enjoyed a cookout and fireworks at their neighbors' house. Ryan and I took our turn at lighting fireworks - you can see how our styles varied a wee bit. And we watched some of them with 3D glasses on. Pretty cool!

The Saturday Six

One.

Found this cool website called My Fridge Food. You go through a list and check off what you have on hand and then it gives you a list of recipes you can make with what you have! Isn't that cool? It also offers recipes for things you have ALMOST everything for - which either reminds you that you actually do have something you forgot about - or gives you a good head start on the grocery list!

Two.

Source

I fear it wouldn't be a Saturday Six without a house tour of some sort. KariAnne Wood from Thistlewood Farms did it again with a tour of this beauty. She claims, in her blog post, that SHE wants to move in, but I think I'll fight her for those rights. :)

Three.

My friend Amber found this gem from circa my third grade year. So far it seems Facebook is rooting for me to recreate this one too. :)

Four.

I've decided I'm quite a fan of Meredith Andrews' music. My current favorite.  

Five.

I learned this little trick from one of my Facebook friends. Alternate the eggs when you take them out of the carton. Not only does it make for a happy OCD girl, but it also keeps the carton from getting heavy on one end and falling {and breaking the eggs}.

Six.

I LOVE these nail polishes. I got the blue one a few years ago and the white one was a gift for my birthday. I love them because the brushes are long and thin and you can do nail art!  

An Offering

It's been a few days since I shared from my story...from years gone by...but I wanted to revisit it today. {To recap...it was eight years ago, and I felt a challenge from God to spend time fasting and praying in the prayer chapel where I worked, specifically about my someday husband. After disobeying the follow-through on that plan for a year, I had finally gone to the chapel to pray.

This prayer to God was one of the last things I told you last time...Okay.  I will slow.  I will stop.  And I will look for Your direction.  Teach me to recognize the pillars You plan to use in my life so that I do not miss them and I am not pulled aside by imitation guidance thrown at me by Satan.

***

All of thirty seconds had passed after I promised to follow God’s pillars of guidance before He pulled out the first assignment.  Unsure of where to go after receiving so many object lessons in the first ten minutes of my time in the chapel, I simply asked God this question:

What is holding me back from love?

Oh how God probably rubbed His hands together and rolled up the sleeves of His robe.  How long had He waited to hear that question exit my lips?  And at the same time, I’m sure He shook His head and said, Baby Girl, you do not know what you’re asking.  Here comes your answer…and I’m here to help you fix it.

A couple of years earlier, I’d had a roommate who was pursuing a Masters in Counseling.  Fortunately for her, she lived with a constant science project in her very field.  She could have had so much fun figuring me out – had she not had so many actual clients to focus on for her classes.  But I remember that in one of our many conversations, she suggested to me that perhaps one of my roadblocks to love was that I ran from the very men who could actually love me.  Instead I preferred to harbor “safe” crushes from a distance – often choosing men who would never be realistic options in my world.

And on this day in early May, that thought came back to me, along with the names of some men who frequently saturated my thoughts.  Whether they were unavailable because they had already chosen someone else, because they were unaware of my existence on the planet, because they would never think of me as anything more than a friend, or because they were celebrities {hey, I'm not the only one to fall for those!}, God tenderly reminded me they could not be mine.  Thinking about them, talking about them, wondering about them…none of it would get me any closer to them.  And in fact, it closed my heart to being able to accept a real relationship, should one come my way.

I felt the pain show visibly on my face as specific names and faces crossed my mind.  I’d never thought of it that way before.  Even at Angela’s suggestion that this very problem was an obstacle to me, I’d never thought of it that way before.  I clung to these fantasy ideas of a love that would never be.  I did it to keep from getting hurt, but in turn, it hurt me.  In some way, these thoughts filled my heart and left no room for real love.  Left no room for God to work even if He was ready to do so.  I was asking Him to fill my heart with love, and before He could do anything, I filled it myself – with something so false.  And because it was false, I had to keep adding and adding, until my heart overflowed with false fulfillment.  And God stood to the side unable to find a single spot left for the true love He had for me.

This is the part I love about that moment in the prayer chapel.  God didn’t zap me and say, “You idiot.  These aren’t the right guys.  What are you thinking by liking him?  Hello!  He lives half a world away and doesn’t even know you exist.  And what about that one?  He chose someone else!  Not you!”

No. God didn't do that. He knew those thoughts - wrong, misleading and draining though they had been - were a very real part of my life. Ever so softly, He spoke: Give them to Me.  Let me have these dreams.  Just open your hands and release them to Me.  I will take care of these men.  I will see that they have all they need in the way I choose to fill them.  You can trust Me.  Leave them in My care.

With tears in my eyes, I straightened up in the pew and opened my hands toward Heaven.  I spread my fingers wide until I knew nothing remained within them.  I envisioned God tenderly taking my mind’s images of men I secretly hoped would pursue me, and putting them safely near His heart to care for them with love. 

As I looked forward, arms still outstretched, I noticed the statue.  The front of the chapel has an alcove, and tucked inside it is a life-size statue of Jesus praying in the garden.  He is bent over a large rock, His body utterly spent.  Even from the back of the chapel, the agony on His face is evident.  I studied the torture-ridden frame and realized that moment, when it happened for real, happened so that a moment like I’d just had could also happen. 

Jesus’ pain made possible my offering.  That sin I’d harbored without seeing it for what it was…that block to freedom and love – all of it could be offered into God’s care because of Jesus.  Because He prayed in the Garden.  Because He took the cup.

I’d heard of people feeling a weight picked up from their shoulders when they sought forgiveness, and that day, I knew that sweet release.  I stood from the pew, feeling free to go forward…freed….cleansed.

 

Just a Little Date

If you've been hanging out here very long, you probably know Ryan and I really like our weekly dates. We try to be really good about making sure we have a date at SOME point in the weekend. And I also know it's probably easy to look at us and say "Oh sure! Dates are no problem for you. You don't have kids!" Well, it's true that we don't have to work around finding and paying for a babysitter {though I have considered it at times for the furry four-legged one} - but our schedule is crazy busy and sometimes it is a matter of saying "We're DOING this thing. Period."

And it doesn't have to be a big deal. Little deals are just as wonderful. I thought I'd let you peek in on our date this past weekend!

{PS - Ryan had a busy week and was trying to figure out where to squeeze in all his commitments, and I offered for him to take part of our Friday night to finish the last thing, and he said to me, "No, I don't want to do that. You my first priority." I cannot tell you how much I loved hearing that. Guys - if you want to love your lady, let her know she matters!}

Okay - back to the date. We hadn't been to Ivanhoe's to get strawberry shortcake yet this year, and it's one of my most favorite things in life, so we decided to head to Upland for strawberry shortcake!

Ummmmmm except the rest of central Indiana had the same idea. The place was p.a.c.k.e.d. We had to wait in line outside even to order. Fortunately it was a really nice evening!

Since there were NO tables to be found, we decided to get our dinner to go and we took it over to the campus of Taylor University. We found a picnic table under a tree and enjoyed our dinner in peace and quiet. Ryan got a chicken club sammich. I've never had that there, but he said it was good!

I had my heart set on pasta salad because they have THE best pasta salad ever, but they've apparently done away with their half-size option, and I didn't want to get the full size. {Literally would have been 4 meals...at least.} So I went with BBQ pork and it was quite yummy!

Several years ago {2006, I believe}, a van carrying Taylor students and staff was involved in a terrible accident on I-69, and 5 of them died. You might have heard of the accident, because one of the girls who died and one of the survivors were mixed up for several weeks.

After the accident, Taylor built a memorial chapel on campus, and I'd never been to it. I really wanted to see it, so since we had time...we walked over to check it out.

I didn't realize it wasn't one big room. That sidewalk goes straight through to the other side...and on the left half is the actual chapel. The right half is restrooms and the mechanical room. There are gorgeous gardens all around it.

Ryan and I read the memorial wall about those who lost their lives in the accident. It really is a beautiful tribute to them.

Also inside...this really cool piece of art made to represent the Last Supper. {I'm not really bright about art, so I was also thankful for the explanation piece, so I could say "ohhhhhhhhh I get it now."}

Once we were done walking around, we went back to {a still-packed} Ivanhoe's to get the much-coveted strawberry shortcake. We decided to take it home and have coffee with it.

But it turns out they don't put the whipped cream ON IT when you get it to go. They put it in a little cup.

I'm not really all about LITTLE amounts of whipped cream.

So on the way home, we stopped by the grocery store real fast...

Annnnnnnnnd that's more like it.

The only bad part of the night? The movie we watched. It gave me nightmares. But otherwise? A very fun, local date that I appreciated so much!

Wednesdays in the Word: Verse U

If ever I could absolutely WRITHE over a verse that has popped up at this time...it's this verse.

God's been trying to make His way through a very thick-skulled girl with these verses...you may have taken note week after week that I seem to get hit square between the eyes...and you may have also noticed that the resounding theme is always {don't hit me}...selling a house.

There are blogs for moms and blogs for singles and blogs for homeschoolers and blogs for those battling infertility. I'm starting to feel like we're the blog for those trying to sell a stinkin' house.

So it only seems appropriate that today's verse is this one:

To set the stage for you...last night, I spent the evening at home, leading my little Bible study - learning from Beth Moore. Ryan spent the evening at the Greentown house, mowing and weeding and losing another night of his life to this house that we have labored in and over for so long. He called the realtor while he was gone and discussed the next phase of strategy, and then he came home and we suffered through heightened blood pressure together as we again expressed our frustrations THAT THIS HOUSE HAS NOT SOLD.

In a desperate effort, I snapped open my list of verses to see what I'd be writing about and read that verse.

I snapped the list shut and said, "I don't want to write the blog." Ryan asked why, and I read him the verse.

What could he do but laugh?

I confess my mind was so muddled, I had to go to the commentary on this one. I'm sure this verse can be literal, but it's more than that. Bottom line? Unless you step back and allow God to be in full control of {fill in situation here} - it does not matter for even half a second how much time and effort you put toward {said effort}. You're wasting your time, because it will fail.

For us, this really does apply to a house. Unless we say {and mean} "God, I'm letting YOU do this YOUR way" - then every calorie we set forth to burn in selling any home is a waste. And I'm not even going to lie to you...I won't speak for Ryan, but I'm really struggling in my heart to not help direct the Lord in this venture. I have so many good ideas and I'm so eager for Him to consider them.

So I come to you today not with words of wisdom, but rather as a fellow traveler who hasn't done a bang-up job of learning this lesson. I come freshly convicted. I come a bit humbled. And certainly weary.

I come as one trying to transfer head knowledge into heart faith.

Maybe you relate? 

Wrappin' It Up

You guys made my day yesterday with your comments about the doctor's office story. Thanks for enjoying that one and making the whole mess worth it! :)

I had a couple random end-of-the-Freelan-family-vacation things to share with you, so hope that is okay for today!!

The last night we were together, we all hung out in one of the common areas at the hotel, gathered up some chairs and couches, and looked at each other's pictures. Ryan lost his seat on the couch with me so other people could peek over my shoulder at the family pics...and this is what I caught him doing across the way. Content as he could be on my tablet. :)

Saturday morning, we ate together at the hotel and then went our separate ways. Ryan and I went shopping at a bulk food store on the edge of town, and when we came back to our car, we walked past a car with a WBCL window sticker in the back window. That was fun to see, and I wanted to leave a note! So Ryan dug some paper out of the car and I scratched out a quick message: 

I tucked it under the windshield wiper and we went on to the next store. The next day, I found a message on the station Facebook page from the recipient - who found the note and thought someone had hit her car! LOL!! No no - just me! She was excited to get a note and said she went to Rise n Roll {more on that in a minute} and looked for me because she knew I loved that place. I do and I went there - but not right away.

We went shopping at another store...some of our adventures included:

The swing we will NOT be getting because someone is not smart enough to sit in it without an adult helper:

 The log cabin we threatened to buy as a mortgage free existence, until we realized what is behind Ryan IS the kitchen. {Notice anything missing? Fridge? Stove? PLUMBING???}

 And this.

CAN YOU EVEN HANDLE THE CUTENESS????????

I CANNOT HANDLE THE CUTENESS!!!!!!!

I wanted him. But my logical husband said it's not the time. Lynne said if I had gotten him, I should have named him Winston.

So Winston probably lives at someone else's house now.

Sigh.

I consoled myself with a trip to the aforementioned Rise n Roll:

If you listen to Mid-Morning, you've heard our callers talk about Amish crack? This is what they're talking about. The donuts to end all donuts. The sweet bits of goodness that melt in your mouth.

My mouth is watering even typing the words.

Whoever invented the Rise n Roll....GOD BLESS YOU.

And please come to our house every morning with a half dozen.

For me.

You can't top this, so after we were done with this, we came home...sad to say goodbye to vacation, but so happy about our weekend away!!!

Now can I have a donut, please?