Shafferland on the Move

I hadn't necessarily planned to talk about this in blogland yet, but since it's been on Facebook, I know some of you are wondering what in the world is going on with the crazy Shaffers.

Good. Question.

You guys, this is such a big story - and we are excited to tell you the FULL story as it continues to unfold, but today I shall just give you the background and the prayer request.

When I hired in at WBCL, I immediately put my house on the market, because I had no intentions of being a commuter. I hate driving, and I hate winter. Never once did I imagine - even for half a second - that the house would not sell. But it didn't. Not for a year and a half. And by that time, I was engaged to Ryan, and we decided selling a house AND getting married all at once wasn't the best idea for us. So we let the listing expire and got married.

What most of you probably do not know is that in the three years that we've been married, our house has been listed a total of three more times, once just by us, and twice by agents. And again: nothing. I didn't talk about it as much on here the other times because I figured there was no need to wear you ALL out with our real estate drama.

So to recap: in five years, the house has been listed a total of four times and it's never sold.

When our most recent listing expired in December, Ryan and I gave up. We figured God just must not want us to move, and we said we would be okay with being here and enjoying the blessing this house is {and has been!} to us. Ironically, though Ryan was the one most inconvenienced by our location {which still makes him a significant commuter}, I was the one who really had to surrender hard to be truly content staying. And I reached the place where I could say it and mean it. Truly.

***

About a year before I resigned from the station, I reached my personal commuter saturation point. After two particularly hard winters of driving, I just couldn't do it anymore. I would get in my car at 6:45 every morning, buckle in and know that I had to drive for the next hour. And at 4:15 every afternoon, I did it all over again. No matter the weather, no matter how I felt, no matter how hard the day had been, no matter how much I still had to do that evening, the drive loomed. I adored my job, but I reached the point when I could not get in that car for an hour one. more. time.

At first I thought the restlessness was just because I hated driving. But then I realized that even if I loved to drive, I had reached the point where commuting just didn't fit for me anymore. It didn't fit for us anymore. And God continued to use other situations to confirm what began with that inkling. And as He orchestrated the opening and closing of doors one at a time, the day came when I turned in my resignation letter.

The same weariness of a long commute that I experienced back then has {at last} settled over Ryan, too. His drive is equally long and tiresome, and the time has come. I recognized it in him maybe even before he recognized it in himself. Even though he enjoys driving and this winter hasn't been all that bad, the hours lost on the road have taken their toll.

And so it is, that right about the time we decided we were meant to stay, God unmistakably opened the door for us to go. We are walking into a new chapter in bold faith, but there is a huge piece of this story that we would love you to join us in praying about: the sale of our current home. We believe God has a plan, and we are eager to see just how He chooses to reveal it. Will you pray specifically with us that this house will sell without ANY of the drama that selling Ryan's house entailed?

We know this house doesn't have a history of selling, but we serve a God Who is not the least bit bothered by that detail. So we choose to trust, believing He can make a way where one has not existed before. 

A Little Give and Take

Yesterday I trekked to Fort Wayne to visit the dentist. Again. :) I have roughly six more months left in my two year dental rehab program, and I'm hoping hoping hoping they'll be able to declare me well by then!

{If you're new here, back in August of 2014, I had a five hour periodontal surgery, and I've had to go to the dentist every three months since then for checkups. I had an advancing periodontal disease, and through the surgery, they were able to get me on the road to recovery!}

I was so grateful for a good day to travel for my checkup yesterday, especially after some snow and ice on the roads in the last couple of weeks. I packed up the car with coffee and snacks and extra coats and hats, and then I called my mom to chat while I drove.

Just like the commuting days of old.

Before I went to the dentist, I stopped by the station to say hi. I didn't get to see everyone, but it was fun to get some hugs and swap stories and see my friends. They asked how I'm doing, what I'm up to, and they were kind to tell me they missed me.

And I miss them too. It's strange to transition from being in a place full of people and their stories to being home with a cat whose constant story is "CAN YOU WATCH ME EAT?" It's strange to give up up hearing the joys and struggles of a work crew that felt more like family. It's strange to miss out on the celebrations of their lives and only read about them from afar.

But as I told Mom during our talk yesterday, I am confident that I'm in the right place for this season. For as much as I miss what I left behind, I adore what I see before me. I love being able to do meaningful work throughout the day that relieves the stress of Ryan's evenings and weekends. I love being able to write and read books. I love so many other opportunities that we've been able to enjoy because of this change in seasons.

God is opening up even more doors, and even though many of them are not open wide enough yet for me to see through them to the other side, I'm excited for the prospect of what I might find when I step through.

I'm thankful for the courage to be able to offer what I had in exchange for what He has for me. It's worth it, you know...the give and take. The offering of a sacrifice and the blessing He offers in return.

From What Chases Us...

I don't know what the weather is like where you live...but let's just say around here...I haven't watered flowers for a while. No need. The faucet in the sky seems to be stuck in the on position.

And while I would a MILLION times rather drive in rain than snow, rain brings a few perils of its own. And last night on the commute home...gulp...

I was driving home, minding my own business, keeping a happy distance between the Bekahmobile and the other cars. I noticed that quite a ways ahead of me, a pickup truck pulling a fifth-wheel eased onto the road from the shoulder on the righthand side.

I never saw the little blue car to know where it was in proximity to the pickup truck. I don't know if it came up behind him or was beside him. I don't know what started it...I only know that in one second, I saw that little blue car veer sharply to the left and into the median an spin out into a donut, throwing dirt, dust, and grass everywhere. My eyes were fixed on him, unsure if he was about to flip or spin back into the road or what. I slowed carefully on the wet road, and the pickup truck pulling a trailer just a ways behind me in the other lane slowed easily behind me. We both watched...waiting to see if the car would wreck...if we would need to stop and call 911.

The semi right behind me eased to the left to pass me, and that was fine. And then I saw the semi behind him, barreling down on me. So fast. I looked up at the semi in front of me, and my eyes darted behind me...and back and forth. My breath caught hard as I wondered if I was about to become a Bekah sandwich between these two trucks on the wet roads.

I thought of the accident Ryan and I saw on our way home from Gatlinburg...how we read later that the little car crumpled between the semis, and I wondered if I was about to be that car.

The semi behind me didn't slam on his brakes or blare his horn. He just pulled to the shoulder, over the deep rumble strips and kept going until he could slow enough to pull back in behind me. Up ahead, the blue car eased itself back onto the road, and the snarl of traffic that could have been a horrible accident all kept moving, with faster heartbeats, to be sure, but physically unharmed.

I'm always grateful for a safe commute. It's not lost on me that I've done this 100 mile per day {round trip} drive for four years now and have been kept safe every mile of the way. It's also not lost on me that weird things happen at the end of journeys and it's not all over yet. But last night, I was grateful for the safety of a Hand guiding my car and all the cars around me. Drivers who stayed alert, who reacted well...these things kept us all safe.

And it was also a great reminder that we don't always know the perils that chase us. Until the semi behind me changed lanes, I had no idea anyone was bearing down on him from behind. I had no idea I was in any danger. That truck was just a few hundred feet back and I didn't know he was there and what kind of trouble could have loomed for both of us.

In those moments - on the road and in life - I'm so grateful for a God Who sees more than I can.

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, Ryan and I came home after church to spend some time in prayer about things we're wrestling through right now. I think even Braeya was feeling it...because she parked herself on the Bible to watch us! We rested all afternoon and ventured forth that night for a few things we needed, among them {for me, anyway} a stop at Starbucks! :) And then I started the aforementioned hippie practice of making my own face wash!

* Monday, on the fourth day of spring, Indiana got snow. Not the most we've ever gotten in a day, but apparently people had already forgotten how to drive, because I passed half a dozen wrecks on the way home, and I had to drive about 30 for a good chunk of that trip. BOO. By the time we got home, we were just worn out, so we skipped the gym and stayed home. And while Ryan took a nap, I did some journaling in my new journal. Ahhhhh how I love a new journal.

* Tuesday's commute home was SO much nicer than Monday's. Thank you, Lord, for blue skies again! Ryan and I hit the gym and then came home to enjoy some skinny Mexican pizza, which was absolutely DELICIOUS. And I was so excited because my oils kit arrived! Yeah yeah - I entered the oils world!! {More proof for Mom that I'm a hippie, I fear.}

* Wednesday night, Ryan and I kicked our original dinner plans out the window and made the pizza kit we bought from the youth group at church. It was actually really fun to construct our own pizza! We curled up and watched TV and even did some reading - yes, even RYAN did some reading! It was a fun night!

* You already read about our Thursday - when I forgot my breakfast and had to go in search of it in the rain...and when Ryan forgot the coffee grounds in our coffee pot. It was a gloomy day, but we made our way to the gym that night anyway. It was not a great workout for either of us. But I suppose going is better than sitting at home, right? {Things I tell myself...}

* Friday, Lynne and I had a Mid-Morning planning day! It apparently required four iced teas, two coffees and a water. :) We had a fun day and got a lot of work done - and took advantage of the fact that the place where we met had white board markers provided for writing on the windows. OKAY!!!! After work, Ryan and I grilled out for dinner and then headed to Starbucks for a leisurely little date.

 

*Ryan worked yesterday, so I enjoyed a long day of writing at home. One of those kinds of days where I get so engrossed that I forget important things like hydrating and bathroom breaks. The not so fun part of the day was the GIANT splinter I got in my foot and had to yank out. It HURT! {This is why I'm a carpet girl. Hardwoods are hazardous!} Ryan and I tried to FaceTime on our lunch hour, but our phones rebelled against us, leaving us to stare at ourselves. :( 

The Shafferland Shuffle

* We won't even talk about how I felt about the return to DST last Sunday. But let's just say that DST plus a late night out the night before plus being greeters at church was an interesting combo! We were ready to crash on Mo come lunch time! And we pretty much stayed there the rest of the day, dreaming and talking and watching TV and napping. And then we rallied in the evening to have a Dashing Dish cooking palooza to get ahead for the week. Texas sheet cake, raspberry chocolate chip muffins, and pepperoni pizza puffs. Ryan made all the oat and almond flour for me; good husband award!

* Monday was re-entry to the work world. I was well-showered with love and even accomplished quite a bit with decent energy! That night, we finally got around to changing our clocks at home. {I'm not kidding about rebelling the DST thing.} AND - exciting news - we went back to the gym for the first time since the entire gallbladder mess began. I only felt safe walking, but I was desperate to do SOMETHING! I did 2 miles on the track and felt really good about that. And then we got to have a delicious dinner delivered to our door by the lovely Lisa of our Sunday School class! YAY!

* Tuesday, I got a fun delivery at work: a big box from Jelly Belly! I interviewed them this week and they sent treats! Do you know how popular you become at work when you have a massive box of treats on your desk? {Hint: very.} I sorted books for our big book giveaway coming up and wrote interview questions, which in my mind, is a fun day. Did 2 more miles on the track that night, and shaved a minute and a half off my time, which was exciting. And then I hunkered down for online work at home - with my number one assistant fast asleep on my feet. HA!!

* Wednesday morning, we had some CRAZY heavy fog, but I made it safely to work! I wore a very cheery {read: WAY BRIGHT} shirt to try to counteract the weather. It must have worked, because by the end of the day, it was sunny and sunglasses weather! I was so happy to drive in that! Ryan and I took the night to stay at home and do tons of chores. Even though we weren't all hunkered down watching TV, I really enjoyed being home together just living life.

*  Thursday morning was SO SPRINGY, so it was extra funny to open the blinds at work and stare at the Santa on the house next door. He stays up a long time!! I guess it's really true that he sees you all the time. Lynne and I hosted BLT together, and she sprung a quiz on me. A vocab quiz. I failed miserably. That night, I walked 2 1/2 miles outside - and I got to pass my beloved prayer chapel! It was really a lovely day.

* Ryan and I had such a long week that we were desperate for Friday and date night. We stayed in town and had fun - including dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings {yay, gift cards!!!}, some shopping, and of course...Starbucks! I didn't care for one minute what we did as long as we got to be together. It had just been a long week for both of us. And best of all? We had a slumber party on Mo!

 * Yesterday we shared a GLORIOUS day at home together. We slept in and had a fun breakfast and spent the whole day cleaning up the house. It had sort of gotten out of hand while I was down for the count. We both love to organize, so it was a good day! We also went on our first for-fun walk of the year. It was so pretty out!!! Let's bring on spring!

The Shafferland Shuffle

* I managed to get up and out for church last Sunday; I was tired, but it was good to sit in church to hear the music and the sermon. We waited all day to see what would come of the projected foot or more of snow. In Marion, it ended up being more like an inch, but we did get some really pretty snow to watch for a while. Ryan and I were lazy all day. I've been instructed to rest, so I did my best.

* Monday was our 26 monthiversary, and we both had the day off work, because I had to meet with the doctor about my upcoming gallbladder eviction. We didn't know, going into the day, if it might even happen that day, but it did not, so we just made the best of the doctor's office date and had a great lunch out at McAlisters after we finished there. I'm sorry we got to be together because of sickness, but I'm in no way sorry we got to spend the day together!!

* Tuesday it was back to work for both of us, and the first day I felt human in several days. I even cooked dinner! I've been asked to be on a small committee at church, and we had our first meeting that night, which was much fun for me, and both Ryan and I helped out one of our friends transport a potter's wheel to and from a demonstration she was giving. I love Ryan's servant heart to help people in need like that. And we got a HUGE faith-boost from helping! Unfortunately, Ryan, who NEVER gets sick, started coming down with a sore throat...I think he was jealous that I was cornering the sick market on my own. :)

* Y'all don't know how much fear I've been living in as Ryan's cold went from cold-ish to WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH THIS MAN...I cannot get this cold. I can't have surgery if I'm sick! So I've been taking so many immunity boosters trying to stay well!! The forecast for Wednesday afternoon was dismal at best, so I ended up leaving work at noon to work from home for the rest of the day. Fireplace? Laptop? Books? Yes please! And Braeya was excited because I had a snack with milk, so she got the leftovers. Was so glad, later in the day, when the weather got ever so nasty, that I'd come home.

* Thursday was a BUSY BUSY day for me. I am working SO hard to get everything all set for Miss Lynne, so when I'm gone, she won't have to work any harder than necessary. Of course, I didn't think I was going to GET to work that day, because when I got into Fort Wayne, I drove on the slickest road to date this year. Passed five accidents/slide-offs and almost became the sixth. I was SCARED TO DEATH when I got to work. I was really excited to be there safely, though, because I taped an interview with Katie Farrell from Dashing Dish. I was beside myself with joy! After work, I came home to tend to my poor, sick husband who was, by this point, flat out miserable.

* Friday was supposed to be a really big day for us. Weeks ago, we registered to attend our church's overnight prayer retreat, and we had been SO looking forward to it. We desperately needed that time away focused on prayer. I took the afternoon off work to run errands and pack...and then Ryan texted me at work. He felt even worse, and there was no way we could go. We were devastated. {I possibly cried.} I still took the afternoon off and made my way back to the hospital where I got my ultrasound to pick up a CD of it to take to my surgeon. Ryan went to a clinic, where he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. He came home with his armload of meds and collapsed on the couch. I unpacked our bags and we settled in to try to pray from home.

* Woke up Saturday morning after nine GLORIOUS hours of sleep. Ryan {who had to sleep sitting up on Mo} had been up since 5:30 and was clearly feeling better in mind, if not better in body. He had been googling his infection and reading blogs and watching TV. I made him snickerdoodle waffles for breakfast. I ran some errands during the day, including picking up a cheery balloon and a coke for my handsome Mister Sickie. In addition to buying tickets to the prayer retreat that we had to forfeit, we'd also purchased tickets to a comedy night for last night. We hated to lose that purchase too, so I left Ryan at home and invited my friend Amber to join me for comedy night. It was HILARIOUS, and it was so fun to hang out with her - but it was so weird to be out without Ryan! Here's hoping we can find a new adventure for Valentine's Day.

Wrapping Up Share

* I feel kind of like I've turned into a prayer request machine lately, so I'm sorry...and not sorry. If you're up for praying for me again, well...I'm not sure how to ask you to pray! My gallbladder needs to come out on the double, and it might happen today...or it might not. Either way, we're working with doctors toward that and while I feel peaceful, I would love your prayers for direction and clarity as we try to make this thing happen quickly.

* Today is also another monthiversary in the land of Shaffer, and I am SO GRATEFUL for a husband who is taking the "in sickness" vows like a champ and has made this whole journey as painless for me as possible. My part of the pain is to manage the ACTUAL pain and he's managing the paperwork pain. To be honest, I'm not sure which is the worst. Thanks, Baby, for being the husband of my dreams every day, and most especially in this kind of thing that I never really bothered to dream about. {Who would???}

AND NOW - back to the original purpose of this post, which is to report on the end of Share 2015 at work. Friday is always the longest day of Share, because it's the only day when the whole staff has to work the entire shift: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. or whenever they shut down the phones. I was so tired from a long week...made longer because it was a Lynne-less week AND because of my sketchy health. Ryan wanted me to rest as much as possible, so that darling man got up at 3:45 in the morning on Friday, and he DROVE ME all the way to Fort Wayne, so I could rest and not have to worry with an hour of driving at 4:30 in the morning. He then drove all the way back to Kokomo {almost a 2 hour drive} and worked a full day...and then drove back to Fort Wayne to get me. I LOVE THIS MAN!!!!!!!

Friday morning, I was in a video for work {my third that week, actually...apparently I'm a part time TV reporter and didn't even know!} and it was fun. I got to interview Silas the Super Dog!

Apparently in the making of this video, THIS particular choice of poses messed with my stomach, because immediately after doing this, I was in some significant pain again. I ended up in my office for an hour, just breathing through the pain, and after some serious prayers, I was able to be well in the nick of time to be back on the air.

We had a great day - so blessed by all the people who joined us to help make another year of radio possible!

And look who volunteered in the phone room!!! My friend Elisa!

Ryan came back to get me, but he got a little sidetracked {forever} talking to my co-worker Cindy's husband!

{Not sure what they were plotting, but I have a feeling Cindy and I are in trouble.}




After this, he told me about the great next health debacle of 2015...my stone-filled gallbladder. BOO. Apparently I handled the news much better than he anticipated. Maybe that's the advantage of being worn out from a week of Share!


We stayed for the final on-air wrap-up. We are just a couple hundred thousand away from our goal, which is really good!

 A tradition at the station is having any new employees share on-air about their first week of Share. This time it was our new IT guys, Dan. He did a great job keeping us up and running!

I closed up my desk - for who knows how many days - and said goodbye!

Thanks for taking this journey with me the last few days!

Our First ER Visit

Sorry my post is late today. I'm writing you from the comfort of Mo, where I've been for quite some time - and plan to be for most of today!

I went to work yesterday morning feeling absolutely fine. Had a whole list of things to do, including our BLT show that Lynne and I do every Thursday. When I arrived at work, I started eating breakfast, just like I do every day, and about 8:15, this {familiar} excruciating pain settled into my stomach.

I struggled with this pain quite a bit back in 2000 right after I graduated from college. A couple of ER visits and some doctor appointments later, they determined I had acid reflux and I needed to watch my citric acid intake. Over the years, I've learned that if I manage my stress well and don't overdo acidic foods, I am okay. I haven't had pain like this in YEARS!!!

A couple of weeks ago, I had a couple minor run-ins with it, but nothing long lasting, so I ignored it. There was no ignoring yesterday. Lynne sent me home immediately, and it was the longest commute EVER. I was in so much pain, my lips and hands went numb. It was awful. I called Ryan to tell him I was sick, and he had a really low patient day, so he was able to come home. I hated it that he had to miss work, but I was so glad he was there with me. I'll admit it: I was scared!

We rested at home for a bit and when Lynne called to check on me, she told me she didn't want to see me again until I had been checked out. Well...I kinda can't NOT go to work, so we packed up and headed out of town to an ER. {I refuse to go to the one here after my last visit turned into a debacle you would not believe.}

I was actually feeling better by the time I got there, but we went on in anyway. SUPER nice people in that ER. They gave me a little bracelet and had me wait on the nurse.

I was so thankful to have Ryan there. He can make the worst place a measure of fun:

The nurse came for me and put me in an exam room, asked some questions, and gave me THE most slimming gown.

{I posted this picture on Facebook and someone asked if I was in the maternity ward. NO!!!! NO NO NO!!!! Although I confess it crossed my mind....am I gonna be one of those people who comes in for random abdominal pain and is told she's in labor? Am I gonna be on that TLC show???} Whew. It didn't happen.

All the people in the ER were super nice. When the guy came in to diagnose me, he said my symptoms were consistent with either an ulcer or my galbladder acting up. {Both were things I had been quasi-tested for back in 2000, but nothing definitive.} He said there was no way to know for sure without either a scope or an ultrasound, but I would need to work my way through a family doctor for those.

Meanwhile, he said he would test me for general stuff just to rule out anything major. You know. Like pregnancy. He didn't say that out loud, but that's what I heard.

First up? Had to drink lots of water for the dreaded pee sample.

Ryan tied up my gown and I went to the bathroom down the hall as instructed. Problem. COULDN'T FIND THE CUPS. This is when a health care husband is handy. I motioned him in and said, "I can't find the cups!" HE handed me this mixing bowl looking thing and said "This is it." SERIOUSLY? At the little clinic I go to now and then, it's literally a Dixie cup size thing. Not a mixing bowl!! Oh good grief.

So with that out of the way, it was time for blood tests. I do not fare well with needles, so I just closed my eyes and willed it done. The lady was AMAZING. She got the vein on the first try and was in and out in no time.

After this part, we waited for what seemed forever. I started to get REALLY nervous that they'd found something and were out there doing rock, paper, scissors to see who had to tell me. {I watched ER and Grey's for a while. I know how that goes. People come in for something tiny and find out they're dying.}

Ryan scooted up next to me and held my hand while we waited. He was so reassuring!

After a bit, they came in and said I passed all the blood tests. Liver and kidneys and pancreas were all good, and they mentioned nothing about a baby. They sent me home with instructions to have a doctor work with me on more conclusive testing options.

Unfortunately, when I got home, the pain got much worse, and from 6 to midnight, I was so sick to my stomach and in ridiculous amounts of pain. I was finally able to sit down and fall asleep, and when I woke up at 2 this morning, the pain was gone.

I'm pretty wiped out from all the pain of yesterday, hence the late blog. And you've already been texting to check on me, so I know you're worried!! Thanks for sending such love my way and for the prayers I know many of you prayed. You all are THE BEST.

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, we started a new series at church, and we're really looking forward to that. After church, we met up with Ryan's family at Hacienda for a lunch to celebrate his sister Bre's birthday. I think the entire county was there eating lunch...so full!! Fun lunch, though. Lots of laughter. While we were in there, the first of the next wave of weather began...sleet! Before heading home, we went to a viewing in town and then made it home safely before the weather turned even worse. I napped and Ryan watched the Colts! GO COLTS!!!!

* Guess what? MORE WINTER WEATHER kept me home from work on Monday. It wasn't snow this time. It was ice. Ryan picked his way to work and said even when he came home that the main highway from there to here was awful with patches that were still solid ice. Boo. It's always interesting to live in a part of the state that is getting different weather than the part of the state where you work! After working at home, I shoveled our sidewalk and put down ice melter stuff, made dinner, baked some cookies, and hunkered down for a long winter's talk with Ryan. And prayed for spring. :)

* Tuesday was considerably better weather-wise, so I went back to work and was very busy catching up. I also started filming for a video we need for our Share fundraiser coming up in a couple of weeks. I got to play with bright colors for that, so it made me pretty happy! :) That night, Ryan and I went to meet the sweet new little baby girl born to some friends of ours. I've wanted to go for a while, but I didn't want to give her my cold. She is SO PRECIOUS!! We took them some sticky rolls and a present and had a great time meeting this sweet thing!

* Wednesday we woke up to the most gorgeous frozen fog. I was so sad that I couldn't be home to get great pictures of it. This little drive-by picture from my commute was the best I could do. It was so stunning to drive in, though. More filming at work...it was fun to work with everyone and capture the shots! And in the world of things Ryan does throughout the day to make me giggle...he texted me a photo of himself with his halo. GET IT?? LOL!!!

* Thursday was a gorgeous day that felt like a heat wave after the frigid temps of the week. It actually made it above zero! HA!!! Lynne and I had fun on BLT and I got so much work knocked out at my desk that day. Ryan was busy at work too {he's got a student working with him right now which is really exciting for him} - and when we came home, we had another great night of rest. We are taking our simplified life seriously right at the moment! We napped and I journaled for a while. Lovely night!!

 * Friday was a BIG day in Shafferland!! Ryan and I got off work an hour early, scurried home, and met up with Ryan's mom, who came over with Allen's big pickup truck, and we all crammed in the cab and headed to Cincinnati, Ohio! TIME TO PICK UP MO, OUR NEW COUCH!!!! It took us about 3 hours to get there...and we packed him in the old truckaroonie and then drove back home! Much more to be told about this adventure next week - but here's the photo summary:

* We didn't get home from IKEA until after midnight Friday, so our first order of business on Saturday was to sleep in! We enjoyed cinnamon rolls Ryan's mom bought at IKEA and shared with us, and then we got busy with assembly! We had to put the couch together from the four huge boxes...and we had to rearrange a couple of rooms! We still have some finishing touches to put on it, but it's great to have things mostly settled. YAY for a day off for two Shaffers!!

The Saturday Six

One.

For those of you who are not the photo addicts that I am, this week's simplify and organize challenge will hopefully hit you with something you DO have. A bathroom cabinet! Last week when the plumbers came to work on our backed up pipes, they had to unload everything from the cabinet under the sink into a laundry basket so they could work. So.........

Source

I'm inspired to challenge you to gather the fam and clean out the bathroom cabinets this week. Under the sink and in the medicine cabinet. Do you have expired meds? Dispose of them {safely and properly is best! Here's a link with info on that.} Expired beauty products? Out. And make a list of what you might need to buy to replace. Stuff you haven't used in over six months? Out. A billion duplicates? Out. Weed out and sanitize and replace what you need to replace! If your kids have their own bathrooms, have them do this too. Clean bathroom cabinets all around!

Two.

Lynne gifted me with this nifty little thing {cat not included}! It's called a Frost Guard, and you hook it over the mirrors on your car so it keeps snow and ice from sticking to the windshield if you park outside. Even if you have a garage at home, you probably run into some snow and ice while at work - or church - or grocery shopping - so in the dead of winter, this can save you some scraping woes! Only caution is to be careful if it gets covered with ice...don't let the elastic snap and break!

Three.

Source

Anyone else out there a vow renewal ceremony junkie? I know. I know. I've only been married 2 years and now I'm all thinking about vow renewals? I just think they're a lovely way to bring you back to the promises you made! I adore these pics from KariAnne Wood's vow renewal ceremony that she posted. ADORE.  

Four.

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An inventor I am not...but I'm excited to know someone who DOES have that gift! {And he was in my class in high school. AND he sat behind me in study hall and autographed all the newspaper clippings of his basketball games just in case he ever got famous. So looks like I could be cashing in on that soon!!} Anyway, his name is Zac, and he's doing a KickStarter for this cool toy he designed. He's already raised the majority of what he needs but is trying to get over the last hurdle for it! And as a big-kid-at-heart, I think it's probably as much fun for adults to play with as kids! {Watch the second video...see what I mean!}

Five.

Earlier this week, a friend of mine emailed to ask for any tips I had to offer for cruising. She and her husband are about to take an anniversary trip, and it'll be her first time. I sent her a much longer email than I'm sure she was anticipating receiving...but I also remembered I'd written this post after our cruise a couple of summers ago, with my best tips for newbies! In case any of you are planning summer vacations, here are the Shafferland suggestions. This is also just a funny read because Ryan co-wrote it. He always makes me giggle.

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You guys know how much I love the Dashing Dish website and how Katie Farrell's recipes are so amazing to me, because they actually taste like real food that I enjoy eating - except they're healthy! First time I've ever encountered that! So this week she put together this post that links you to her top 25 pinned recipes. If you're overwhelmed by the number of recipes on the site, this might be a great place to start!