A Pinteresting January

Rather than putting my "pin of the week" in the Shafferland Shuffle, I thought I'd combine them all and list here the successes and failures of my Pinterest world...as seen in the month of January:

The Christmas Tree Trunk Ornament

Source: familyfun.go.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I saw this one before we even got Chuck...our first live tree...so I planned to do this one all along. Lesson learned: next year we will cut off the section of trunk when we first bring the tree home. By the time we {and by we, of course, I mean Ryan}cut off the part of the trunk that rotted in the water all season, our little ornament is awfully tiny! But we cut it off, let it dry out...and this is all the farther we've gotten with it. {Every time I see it in the kitchen on the shelf, I think it's a cookie. WOOPSIE! Anyway, here is our {working} version of the ornament! {Really excited, though, to finish it and add to this collection year by year!}

The Skewered Grapes

Source: noblepig.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

Well...I didn't serve mine at midnight OR in glasses of sparkling grape juice...but I did thread 12 grapes on a skewer and served them to Ryan with breakfast casserole as part of our breakfast in bed extravaganza for New Year's Day morning! Here was my version...and they were very fun to eat this way, by the way:

The Confetti Filled Balloon: 

Source: shoptwixt.blogspot.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I saw these right before New Year's Eve and decided I wanted to do them...but it had not occurred to me how to get the confetti IN the balloon. I had regular confetti in the shape of party hats with sharp corners and I could not stuff it in the neck of the balloon. I finally had to get a funnel out of my kitchen, pull the neck of the balloon up around it until the bigger part of the balloon was exposed, and push the confetti through. Nevertheless, these were fun to pop at midnight and the confetti really did go everywhere. {And I mean ev.ry.where. We are still finding it!}

New Year's Eve Printable: 

Source: the36thavenue.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I am just now getting on the printable bandwagon, thanks to Ryan's color printer...and I loved this one. I thought it captured New Year's Eve perfectly...it's not year specific, so I can use it each year...and it's just fun! My version:

January Printable: 

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I didn't want to leave the New Year's Eve printable up all month long, so I found this one for the month of January. I love it because it's classy, neutral, and offers inspiration for what the month is about...newness and celebration!

Sparkling Grape Juice Tag: 

Source: meandmyinsanity.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I realize I didn't need a tag for the sparkling grape juice JUST for Ryan and me...but I wanted to dress it up a little! I found the pin last year, but the creator updated the tag to say 2013, so I was able to print it out and use it for the correct year! Mine:

Baked Butternut Squash: 

 

Source: thegraciouspantry.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

Ryan and I were looking for a vegetable to eat with our steak on New Year's Day and he asked if I'd ever had butternut squash. I hadn't, so we tried it. Not gonna lie - it was pretty tasty prepared this way, but we were EXHAUSTED from trying to get into the thing. Those are so hard to cut. Based on the prep time and energy, I'm unlikely to make this one again. :(

 

  

Christmas Ornament Story Book:

Source: iloveitallwithmonikawright.blogspot.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I fell in love with this idea the moment I saw it. Ryan and I received several ornaments as gifts for Christmas and our wedding - and we bought one for ourselves to start a tradition of purchasing ornaments from the places we visit throughout our marriage. I wanted to make sure we didn't forget the stories of who gave us what, so I took a picture of each one before I packed them away...and I wrote the story of who...what...why...on the back of each one. I plan to add to it each year!

M and M Cookies

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Ross, the director at WBCL, had a birthday this month, and I wanted to make M and M cookies for him, because I know he loves M and M's. I went to Pinterest for an idea and found these...and while they were tasty, they didn't turn out as chewy and keep-worthy as I'd hoped...so my perfect M and M cookie recipe has yet to be found.

Conversation Ball 

 

Source: thepartyanimal-blog.org via Rebekah on Pinterest

I saw this on Pinterest as an idea for a kids' party, but I altered it to be date-appropriate! I went to Meijer and bought a rubber ball for a dollar and then I wrote on it with a Sharpie some good conversation questions for a date...things like "I can't wait to..." and "Best marriage memory this week was..." and "If I could do anything tomorrow, I would..." and "Today's highlight was..." and "Let's do _________ this summer." Then I filled in the gaps with other things like KISS! BACK RUB! FOOT RUB! etc. We used this on our sleepover date at his house during our painting project!

Donut Kabobs!
 

Source: catchmyparty.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

I made a version of these for my sleepover date with Ryan, when we went to work at his old house to prep it for sale. He doesn't have a lot of things left in the kitchen anymore, and we didn't want to haul a bunch of dishes over to cook breakfast, so we picked out a box of blueberry donuts at the store and I threaded them on bamboo skewers and it made a perfect quick and easy breakfast the next morning!

And that's what I squeezed into life from Pinterest this month!

When a Friend Grieves

I carefully avoided writing about this in my recap because I didn't feel it was time to talk about it publicly yet, but Ross mentioned it on air this week, so I wanted to spend a post talking about it and sharing with you.

My dear Lynne lost her Mama this past week.

Those of you who hang out here and are also Mid-Morning listeners might say "so that's why all the shows last week were suddenly canceled and replaced with encores." Yes, that's why. Lynne's sweet Mama has lived with Alzheimer's for the past few years {longer than I've known Lynne} but Lynne didn't know even two weeks ago that the end was imminent.

Broke my heart for her. Lynne is strong and courageous in ways I will never be...because it's just not in my makeup. She has a brave face and an optimistic heart for every circumstance and in many ways she handled this loss with the grace and poise that we all knew she would. {In fact, when Ryan and I drove up to Fort Wayne Saturday for the visitation, her first question to me was Why are you not home resting before SHARE next week? and her second was Are the two of you going to be able to do anything fun while you're up here?}

I wanted to get something for Lynne - something to remind her that I knew how much she'd loved her mom and how much she missed her.

But what? Flowers die...and so many of the traditional memorial gifts are either blessed expensive or just plain cheesy.

Ryan and I wandered around Hobby Lobby for a while and then I saw it.

It caught my eye because it's the color of her kitchen and living room. It caught my eye because she loves little pretties like this and it wouldn't take up a ton of space and become just another trinket. But most of all, it caught my eye because of what I knew it could represent.

Lynne had a fantastic relationship with her mom - and I know from knowing the kind of person Lynne is - that her Mom poured a lot of life into her when she was little. No one that fantastic becomes that way accidentally. And I know from my front row seat that Lynne poured much into her mother in the last couple of years. She visited every week, took food over, took her Mom on outings, helped make decisions for her and gave tirelessly. Much more than most daughters would do.

And so I gave her this little pitcher so that every time she sees it, she can be reminded that the life she shared with her Mom for over fifty years was one of mutual pouring into one another. And the result was a regret-free memory of deep love, commitment, and friendship.

One of our listeners also told me that she made the commitment to pray for Lynne {and she does the same for all her friends who lose a loved one} every day for the next year. She said to me, "Those of us on the outside never know what dates are significant...what moments are privately grieved. But all the firsts are hard. So I pray through every day for that first year and make sure I don't miss any."

What a gift!

A Sleepover Date!

Can you handle the tale of another date from Shafferland?

Ryan and I are still working on painting his house to get it ready for the market, so last Friday night, we had a "working date." We had a little bit of fun and a little bit of work. When he told me he wanted to work at the house, I decided to make it a fun evening - a sleepover of sorts - so a few days before the weekend, he came home to this invitation written on a pillowcase and placed strategically on the bed. He LOVED it.

So....Friday night we met at his house after work and went for dinner at this little place in Greentown called K's-a-dillas. It was the first time I'd been there, and I have to say - pretty hooked!

We got a chicken bacon ranch baked potato...

...and a buffalo-chicken-dilla and we split them. That was one huge baked potato! Food was so, so good and of course I requested dessert. The guy working recommended the marshmallow-Reese-dilla, so we had one of those. Tasted kind of like a s'more....Oh it was so so good.

After we ate, we went back to his house and made coffee to inspire ourselves to work hard. Oh please. Like you didn't know that one was coming!!!

Like our little coordinating coffee cups? Christmas presents. :)

We spent the evening un-taping the living room and doing touch up work on the trim and walls. Isn't he so handsome?? :)

And I exercised my rockin' multi-tasking skills by both painting...and watching the rest of season one of Downton Abbey on my computer.{P.S. If you watched Sunday night's episode with the big shocking death - DO NOT TELL ME. I have - so far - successfully avoided a spoiler on social media. If you tell me...I will be a very honkled Bekah.} It took us the total of one hour over two days to successfully find season one in a movie store. Exhausting.

I felt like we made good progress! Still a lot to do - but we'll get there eventually!

We had a little sleepover at his house partly because he had to work on Saturday morning and this house is closer to his work than our house. So we carted in pillows and sleeping bags and blankets and camped out on the living room floor. It was such fun!

The next morning, we had a little Pinterest inspired breakfast...donut hole kabobs!!

While Ryan went to work, I hunkered down on the couch and set up my little working next. Laptop with scrapbooking program for me...Ryan's laptop with Downton Abbey to keep me entertained...coffee {which was too hot and I didn't know it and I ended up burning my mouth worse than I've ever ever burned it...it's still raw}...and heat sources of a space heater and multiple blankets.

It was the perfect little date. Even though we had to work. Love time spent with my man!!

I Dare You Not to Cry

I had a lovely post all dreamed up for today...and then Ryan checked his email and found a preview of our wedding video.

We cried all the way through it...more tears than we shed on our wedding day, I think!

I can't really say much to top this, so this may go down in history as my shortest post ever...but watch the video below.

{An enormous THANK YOU to Seth Cohen, our videographer, who did an amazing job capturing our day and went far above and beyond what his contract said to stay and capture pieces of our reception. I can't wait to see the full version.}

Bless the Lord oh my soul...oh my soul...worship His Holy Name. Sing like never before...oh my soul..worship His Holy Name.

Rebekah + Ryan from Visual Effects by Seth on Vimeo.

The Shafferland Shuffle

First you should know that I titled this post "The Safferland Shuffle." Who are the Saffers???

Anyway.

* Last Sunday, I had to work the Winter Jam concert in Fort Wayne, so Ryan and I went up together and he helped me work! It was a very long day (got home at 12:30 in the morning), but it was a great evening of music and worship with some fantastic artists. Thankful for opportunities like this one!

* Monday started this huge cold streak here in our neck of the woods. My car protested heavily when I headed out for work. This might be partly because Ryan and I overslept TWO HOURS Monday morning....and we had about 25 minutes to get ready...and that cut into car warmup time!!

* Tuesday evening, Ryan and I hunkered down at the kitchen table for about two hours and addressed invitations to our wedding reception. I was so thankful for his help...would have taken me forever on my own!

* Wednesday I discovered it was National Pie Day, so I texted Ryan and asked if we could celebrate. He said YES...and that night we went out for an impromptu pie and coffee date. It was one of the most fun things...why had we not done this before? The day had been a tough one for my heart, so relaxing over dessert out while soft snow fell...was a beautiful treat.

* Thursday I found a comment here on the blog from a reader I didn't know - and when I wandered over to her blog to meet her, I found that she'd listed me in her "Inspirational Blogs" list. I've been called a lot of things in life, but inspirational is an extra good thing to hear! Made my whole day!!

* Friday night, Ryan and I had a working date. :) We started out with dinner at K's-a-dillas (if you live in Greentown and haven't been - you should go. Like right now. Stop reading and GO!) and then we hunkered down at his house for a painting party! We spent the night there - camped out on the floor. {It's still considered camping if you have electricity, indoor plumbing and heat right?}

 * Yesterday I had the most amazing morning...Ryan had to work, so I hunkered down on the couch with my laptop (to scrapbook) and his laptop (to watch the rest of season 1 of Downton Abbey...and it was so wonderful. You know, minus the part where I burned the entire inside of my mouth on too-hot coffee. The inside of my mouth is still raw. :(

Pie and Coffee

Did you know National Pie Day was Wednesday?

Back up. Did you even know there WAS a National Pie Day?

Well. There is. And it was Wednesday. You’re so welcome for the advance notice. {I actually didn’t know it myself until I saw it on Twitter. And you know if you see it on Twitter, it must be true.}

So I texted Ryan that morning to let him know we had a national holiday underway and asked if he’d maybe…you know…wanna celebrate with a pie date that night?

He. Said. YES.

Yes, I know we’re married, but there’s still something exhilarating about your love saying yes to your date invitation.

So we scurried through our dinner and got in the car to head to Bob Evans {ha!} for our National Pie Day date.

Y’all…it was such a lovely evening. There was a light snow falling – the kind that is beautiful because A) it looked like it came from a snow globe and 2) I wasn’t the one driving. We sat across from each other {because as has been previously established, Ryan HATES same side seating in a booth} and ordered our pie.

Dutch apple for me {sans the ala mode, which I really wanted but didn’t really want to pay for or consume calories for}.

Coconut cream for him {which had whipped cream on top and made me think I REALLY should have gotten that}.

And a cup of coffee for each of us.

We sat and talked. We giggled about the old men who were apparently checking me out, despite the presence of both a ring on my finger and said ring giver AT OUR TABLE. We talked about our days. We told stories. We laughed at the silliness we seem to encounter everywhere we go.

And then halfway through our slowly savored pie and coffee, he looked across the table at me and said, “I see you. You’re not invisible to me.”

Smiling sigh.

Ever have one of those moments when someone standing right beside you talks about you to someone else as if you’re not even there? And you wonder…did I suddenly just evaporate and become invisible?

It happened to me that day and I’d told him about it during our phone call as I drove home. I knew it wouldn’t have bothered him if he’d been the target…but it had bothered me. It hurt.

We hadn’t talked about it for a few hours. But he hadn’t forgotten.

And there in the middle of the nearly-empty Bob Evans, amid some elderly admirers and warm coffee to wash down my crumb topped apple pie…he made a point to let me know he saw me.

I see you.

It was a perfect date. It wasn’t planned ahead and labored over as we both tend to do in our date planning. We didn’t get all dressed up and hit the town for hours. Just ball caps and boots for us…just dessert and coffee.

But I loved it. I love how he GETS me.

I love this love story. Thanks, God.

Belonging

Okay people. I know that what you’re about to read is in no way Kingdom-altering. I know that it’s also probably worthy of an eyeroll. 

But.

This is my blog so we’re gonna talk about it anyway and if you want to roll your eyes, you go right ahead. Just turn your head a little, please, so I don’t see.

Our station is located on a former college campus, so we have multiple parking lots and a small grouping of other buildings around us that house a variety of other businesses and ministries. 

Last week, the building right next to ours got some new tenants, and with that change…came changes to the parking lot. New spaces for everyone!

And by that, I mean…

…my previously self-assigned parking spot will very soon have an official sign up declaring it to belong to someone else I work with. My little Bekah-mobile has now been relegated to an entirely different lot…one farther away that requires I actually leave home earlier to have time for my walking commute at the end of my driving commute. {It’s not THAT much farther…but enough.}

My co-workers have issued some {deserved} good-natured ribbing to me about the way in which my universe is altered when I have to change my parking place.

It’s just a parking place…they say. 

I understand that. But I also understand that I’m a girl of routine. I like things to follow an order. And that includes the parking lot. 

It’s not just for work. It’s something I do everywhere I shop…at church…when I visit my parents’ house {yes, I’ve designated a space in the driveway as mine}…and frankly I like it that way.

And yes. I also like to sit in the same pew at church, the same chair in the conference room, and perhaps even the same table at restaurants.

Call it a matter of OCD if you will, and it probably is…but in my heart it really feels more like a matter of belonging. I love going to work and finding my little spot empty and ready to welcome my car. I spend a lot of hours at that place. It’s a second home. And I like to belong there – not just at my desk, but in the parking lot too. And when someone parks in my space, it doesn’t make me upset because I think I own the spot. It just feels like…someone didn’t stop to notice that this is my little car’s home. This is where it belongs.

That’s the reason I won’t park in everyone else’s regular spots when they’re on vacation. Seeing the empty spot and reserving it as theirs makes me aware that they’re missing…and that the day isn’t quite the same without them.

Anyone else have a “belonging spot?” {OCD person’s code for self-assigned parking place.}

Ryan's Vows

Ryan and I wrote vows to each other...and the day after the wedding, I shared mine with you. Ryan sent me his and I saved and saved them so I could pair them with some photos....and then I put up all the photos and failed to post the vows!!! Good night, Irene.

But I love these words SO MUCH. I had to share...hope you love. {And hope you love the now-repeated pictures.}

Thank you, Bekah for saying YES to life with me. I am amazed to see God’s hand at work through us in such a short amount of time and I love it. During our courtship and engagement I learned with every situation that you were exactly what God intended for me after such a difficult change in my life. I saw in you the qualities that I desired in a wife and fell in love with the woman behind them.

 Not only do I see a Godly woman in you, but also a woman who wants to be a wife in every meaning of the word. I see in you a desire to love, to cherish, to adore, to respect, and to treasure the husband you have prayed and waited for ever so patiently.

Thank you for accepting me for the man that I am, not trying to change me but work with me to become a great team. You see my faults and love me anyway. You have seen my struggles and helped me work through them. You see the differences between us and embrace the excitement of trying new and great things that may be just a little bit out of your comfort zone. Through these things you have shown me love without limits and that is very hard to find.

I continue to be amazed that this is my life. After all I have faced I never dreamed I would be rewarded with you and so quickly. As you know I have tried ever so fervently to live out John 14:15. I love the Lord with all my heart and in all I do I want to be obedient to Him. I want us to work thru that together however life leads. As your husband I plan to lead you and be as Christ has called me. I also want to love you like His word says and for us to live as God planned. I am nowhere near perfect, but I do know that I will always love you and will work thru any struggle that we face.

Marriage can’t be done alone, it takes both of us. God calls marriage to be a lifelong commitment and together with Christ there is nothing that can’t be accomplished. Today I fully commit myself to you and intend to live life with you that way. Thank you for taking me as the man you want for life too. I love how you light up the room every time you walk in, I love how you take nothing for granted and I love you how you embrace life with me. Let’s always live life this way and to its fullest never forgetting what it took for us to get here.

Winter Jam!

One of the fun parts of my job is the chance to work some concerts, and last Sunday, I was assigned the Winter Jam concert! If you don't know about Winter Jam...it's a huge night of music with multiple {big name} artists - and the entry donation is just $10. The great thing about Winter Jam is that it allows families and teens who might not have much money to afford a concert the chance to go hear the artists they love. The bad thing is that this year especially...they've had HUGE crowds and not everyone gets in! Sadness!!

Ryan and I went to Fort Wayne for lunch (where the guy at the table next to us recognized us!) and then went to the Coliseum to help set up for the concert. Here I am with my work buds Ron, Sheryl, and Amy!

And here I am with my handsome husband, who worked the concert with me! Look at him in his little lanyard and everything!

There was a pre-jam party that featured 3 artists. The first was Capital Kings...

...and then OBB. (At first I thought it stood for "Old Bekah Boo" but it turns out it's the Oswald Brothers Band.)

And then...ummm...JASON CASTRO!! I remember watching his season of American Idol, and I really liked him because he never got sucked into all the drama and politics of the show. He just did his thing. And he still does...dreads and all. :)

Between the pre-jam and the main jam, we went onstage to make announcements and throw fling rings. Ron did the talking for us. I just threw {like a girl}.

First up in the main jam - Royal Tailor.

Then Jason made an introduction, so I felt compelled to again take his photo. Ryan asked if I liked his hair. Like is a strong term, but it doesn't bother me. Nevertheless, I'll take Ryan just like he is, thankyouverymuch! :)

Newsong was up first...the hosts of Winter Jam. Their song Arise, My Love gives me goose bumps EVERY TIME.

And then darling Jamie Grace took the stage. She is a sweetheart!! So cute and so engaging when she sings. Just wanted to give her a big ole hug!

Sidewalk Prophets were next...and I found out I like more of their songs than I even knew! {You notice it more when they sing them all in a row.}

Disco ball photo!!! :) Turned out pretty cool, I thought.

Then Red came out. Never heard of them before and they scared me to death. Seriously. There was much fire and screaming and the whole thing just scared me.

Matthew West was next...and he sang his Forgiveness song after he told us the story behind it. MAN is it ever powerful. The song is based on the story of a woman whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. He was sentenced to 22 years behind bars and a few years into his sentence, the woman realized she needed to forgive him...and she ended up going before a judge to appeal for his sentence to be cut in half so he could get a second chance at life. {wow.}

It was a PACKED house. I think the Coliseum seats about 11,000 and it was full. The expo center had several hundred people as an overflow room, and the artists went in there to do a few songs for them, too. Hundreds more didn't get in at all - so sad!!! Hate for people to be disappointed. :(

Oh...um...yeah...during the offering, Jason Castro sang Hallelujah.

The last artist of the night was Toby Mac...

...and he brought sparklers. I love sparklers.

And at the end of the night - CONFETTI!!!

It was a great evening...though a long one! Ryan and I got home at 12:30 in the morning Monday morning...and tried to squeeze in some sleep!!