Bits for Sunday, December 20, 2009

Five days until Christmas! Hope you’re ready…or close to it, at the very least.

My celebrations have already begun, and I have loved each one. (And not just because they’re an excuse for a new scrapbook page, although that’s fun too.) I’m looking forward to the parties ahead and to the time off work (which basically equals more sleep).

This year my Christmas theme was “My Favorite Things.” So as my official Christmas Bits, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite things about Christmas.

• A tree in every room. People make fun of me for “over-Christmasing” my house, but I love seeing the lights of a tree no matter where I happen to be. It’s completely worth the time it takes to wrap each branch.

• Griswold houses. My friend Faith and I have a tradition of going to see “well lit houses” each year after we go through the walkway of lights. We love the tastefully lit houses, but nothing beats a good Griswold house. When we went yesterday, her four year old daughter declared one of them needed to take some lights down. She had that right!

• Sappy movies. Admittedly, I’ve not watched as much Fa La La La Lifetime this year as I usually do, but I love good cheesy Christmas movies.

• Treats. I think it goes without saying that the sugar high of the season is one of the best parts. I just finished a fabulous cookie – to back up Mom’s chocolates I had at lunch – as a follow up to the buffet of desserts at the office carry-in earlier this week. You get the idea.

• Christmas programs. I was in the program at our church this morning, so I spent most of my time trying to suck in and sit up straight since there was a recording happening in our midst. Since I was behind most of the action, I don’t know if anything funny happened, but my mind goes back to the year that Mary and Joseph (of the kid variety) got into a hay throwing fight during the Sunday morning program.

• Matching presents. As I mentioned, I have a theme every Christmas, and the wrapping paper gets in on that theme. I love looking under my tree and seeing all the matching gifts.

• Sleeping under the tree. For the last few years, I’ve had the tradition of sleeping in the living room on Christmas Eve. (Stole the idea from someone else, but still love it.) However…this year I have that fabulous new feathertop mattress…and since I have a tree in the bedroom too….I’m not sure if I can bring myself to leave the comfort for the living room floor. We’ll find out.

• Catnipped Christmas mornings. Of course the cats get their own stockings, and they’re filled with treats and toys each year. I always make sure to get them some catnip, because that’s the only way I can get them to remain in one location long enough to get pictures. Oh don’t judge me. It doesn’t kill them.

• Cards. I think these must have been this year’s budget-cut item, because I’ve heard many people mention the lack of cards, but even if there aren’t as many, I love getting them. Obviously fun mail beats bill mail any day of the week, but in addition to that, I just love seeing what people have been up to since last year!

• Christmas card contest. My Dad and I have an annual Christmas card contest. Dad, right now I have 34. I counted the one you and Mom sent me, which I realize is not entirely ethical, but I am afraid I’m losing, so my desire to win trumps my desire to play fair. Sorry.

• Christmas pictures. See, it kind of is all about the scrapbook. In our family, there are always a couple of pictures that we try to get each year. I won’t go into detail, at the risk of Mom sending back the gifts she got for me. But oh what a fun challenge!

• Finding new homes for everything. One of my favorite things about Christmas is the after Christmas festivities. I don’t love packing away all the decorations, but I love moving things into new homes and starting the new year with fresh organization. It’s so wonderful.

I’m sure there are more things…but that’s a sampling. I hope each of you has a merry Christmas!

Chocolate Pretzel Rings

Well, I might not have the candy-making talent my mother has, but I do love candy and always include it in my Christmas baking every year. This recipe is one I'd sampled at a bake sale once and loved. The sweet and salty combo is a winner, I think. I found the recipe in a magazine and decided to make it.

This is the second year now that I've made this for Christmas, but it's easily switched out for any holiday or occasion (or non-occasion!) just by switching the colors of the M&Ms. In fact, when I made this last year, I just bought a king size bag of M&Ms at the grocery store, rather than buying a big bag. I didn't pay attention and ended up buying the breast cancer bag - so all my Christmas treats had various shades of pink M&Ms. Woops!

The Recipe

50 pretzel rings
1 package (8 ounces) Hershey kisses
50 M&Ms

Place the pretzels on a greased baking sheet, and place a Hershey kiss in the center of each ring. Bake at 275 for 3 minutes or until chocolate is softened. Remove from the oven and place an M&M on each, pressing down slightly so chocolate spreads to fill the ring. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until chocolate is firm.

I am either blind or impatient...I am never able to find the pretzel rings. So I just use the mini pretzel shaped pretzels. (Know what I mean?) Since this was for Christmas, I did manage to get red and green M&Ms this time.

I use my big Texas sheet cake sized pan, and I just count the pretzels as I cram them on the sheet - trying not to leave much space. Then I count the kisses and M&Ms to match.

The most time-consuming part of the whole thing is unwrapping the kisses! This would be a great project for a kid - but I don't have one. And I find it best to not allow the cats to participate.

Last year I used both hugs and kisses, but the hugs melt much faster, and they weren't as neat in the end. So this year I stuck to kisses. I also saw at a bake sale that someone had used the red and white striped peppermint flavored kisses. I'm not a big peppermint fan, but they did look pretty.

You can see by looking below that when they come out of the oven, the kisses retain their shape, but they're much shinier because they've begun to melt. If you have very many on the pan, you'll want to make sure they're good and soft because by the time you get around to the last one, they'll have started to harden again.

Just place the M&M on the point of the kiss and press down. The kiss will smash out and "grab" onto the pretzel.

And there you have it! Finished project! Pretty quick to make and a great little snack food.

A Little Piece of Joy

Because I'm a little OCD, all my Christmases have a theme. Cards coordinate with wrapping paper and tags...I know. Ridiculous. But I love it.

This year, my theme was "My Favorite Things." And in the spirit of the theme, I wanted to show you one of my very favorite things about Christmas:


My mom's homemade Christmas candy. She's done this for year. They take so much time and energy, but they are truly the best candies I've ever eaten. Most other candies are spoiled for me because of how good she is.

Her creations don't last long. My box lasted two days. And please do remember I'm a party of one. My office's box lasted until noon. And I'm surprised it lasted that long.

Unfortunately I did not inherit her talent for candy.I've tried. I truly have. I'm not good. And since I can't make my own whenever I want...I'm forced to wait for Christmas time. And thank GOODNESS it's here.

A Big, Big Fire!

I took today off work to get some chores done. I had a very busy evening planned, so I needed the day to be able to do things like laundry and working out.

Oh and grocery shopping.

That's where I was when Dad called. He and Mom were eating in town and the old Thompson plant across the street from where they were was on fire. He told me to come over and see. (Yes, this is the sort of entertainment we have here.)

I walked out the front door of Wal Mart and saw that he wasn't kidding! (This is probably a mile or so away from the fire.)

I took this one while I was waiting to exit the Wal Mart complex.

MOM, however, got these pictures with her camera - which she NEVER has with her, but she did today, and I was so proud of her!!!

She called 911, although some others had already called. Her first 911 call of her life!

As you can see - quite the big fire. This building burned a few years ago, although that fire happened at night. My friend and semi-neighbor, Amber, came and got me and we went driving around looking at the fire. I told you this is what we do in this town!

This fire was brought under control much more quickly than the last one, although it sure didn't look like it would be at this time!

I had a hard time getting to the area because everyone ELSE had the same idea I did.

But here was the most exciting part for Mom. I sent the pictures to a news station, and they ran them on the evening news. She was so excited to hear her name on the news - it was so cute! I wanted to get a picture of her name on the screen but I didn't have my camera out. But my friend Amy came to the rescue, found it on her DVR and took a picture for me. Thanks, Amy!!!

Oh and I never did have time to exercise. I was too busy chasing fires. Sadly I don't think that's on the wellness chart.

Praying on the Run - Card 5

I did not run tonight...it was an at-home-DVD-workout night. I had good intentions of going to the gym, but the night (as so many of my nights do) took an unexpected turn and I had to go for plan B. Kind of appropriate, perhaps, that the quote on card five is...

Can you set your husband free from your control? Can you learn to be content in these circumstances? Do you believe that My grace is sufficient for your life? Can you take delight in doing My will instead of your own? - Cynthia Heald

And my subsequent prayer is that I'll learn to relinquish control of his leadership to God.

My plan, as I've said before, was to be married no later than 22. In many ways, I'm so grateful that didn't happen. I am not the same person I was almost 10 years ago and while I realize there's the great possibility that my husband and I could have grown and progressed together...there's also the great possibility that we would have grown apart and perhaps things would not have gone as well as I would have dreamed.

It's been so good to be alone these years, too, because I've learned that I'm much stronger than I knew - and I'm capable of more than I realized. The worrisome part of being alone is that I have had been forced to be in control of so many things - and that control has to go at some point. I'll have to learn to trust God to lead my husband's heart. I'll have to trust him to be a good leader.

Even before I prayed on the run, I prayed often that whoever he is out there...would have a soft heart and allow God to teach him to be a good leader. That I wouldn't need to feel to control because I'd be so comfortable with the way he leads.

More than once, I've sat on the edge of a conversation with my jaw literally dropped open, listening to wives boss and control every little action and decision their husbands made. I don't want to cause someone else to do the same someday. And so...I am praying to have a spirit that trusts God to lead him in a much better way than I ever could.

Bits for Sunday, December 13, 2009

Last night I went to hear the IWU Chorale sing The Messiah. They did a fantastic job, but the whole time I was there, I couldn’t help remembering my last trip to hear this musical presentation. It was back in my college years, and I will not associate a number with that because I can’t handle thinking about how old I’ve become.

I wrote about that adventure, and I know my mother has long wished that this story would reach the masses, so I’m just going to take this opportunity to share it with you…virtually unedited from when I wrote it in days of yore. Enjoy!

I’ve always considered my relationship with my parents educational – both for them and for me. Don’t get me wrong…I love my parents very much, but our wide generation gap sometimes provides much entertainment. This was the case last December when I invited them to a cultural experience…

The University Chorale was going to sing The Messiah about a week before Christmas break. Two of my roommates were singing in it, and I planned to watch them. I thought it would be a nice gesture to invite my parents to this cultural event, so I got three tickets.

Well, the week before the concert, I came down with one of the nastiest colds I’d had in a long time. I informed Mom and Dad that if I was still in the severe coughing stage on the night of the performance, I wasn’t going. I told them it would be rude of me to go and ruin it for everyone else while I hacked in their ears. But by the night of the concert I was doing fairly well, so I went.
We arrived a few minutes early in order to get a good seat. The doors weren’t open yet, so we waited around outside. After a few minutes of waiting, Dad said he was going to the men’s room. He left….with the tickets. No sooner had he disappeared than the doors opened, and the people all around us filed inside to take our seats. Dad finally returned, and we went inside. Now for me, finding a seat is no big deal. You find something in the back – on the aisle. This is not the philosophy of my parents.

“Now,” my mother said, “do you want the back of the front section, the front of the back/middle section, or the front of the back/side section?”

“I just want an aisle,” was my reply.

After much debate, we chose the middle of the back/middle on the aisle. We had hardly settled in when Mom and I decided we needed to check our hair. We left Dad with our coats and went to do our hair check. We came back and sat down – I was on the aisle with Dad beside me and Mom on the other side of him. Every two seconds or so, I leaned across Dad to point someone out to Mom. Apparently this was unamusing to Dad, because he stood up to trade places with Mom.

We had just gotten comfortable when Dad decided to take one more field trip. Mom and I stood to let him out, which of course meant we had to stand up to let him back in. Fantastic. I felt like I was sitting with a bunch of two year olds!

At last we were all settled…just in time for the concert to begin. We were okay for a little while, and then Mom dropped her program on the floor. Dad leaned over to pick it up. She dropped it again. Did I mention I felt like a babysitter? At this point, I had a flashback from my early years. I seemed to remember someone snatching similar papers out of my hands when I couldn’t hold onto them. Wisely, I refrained from doing the same.

Again, we were fine for a while. Then I realized there was a family behind us who had apparently never been taught to stay home from cultural events when they were sick. First the father coughed. Then the mother. Then the kid. It was like an assembly line – right down the row they went. It felt a bit like a doctor’s office and was very distracting. I was fighting the same problem, but I waited until the soloists were done and the choir joined in before I coughed.

By this time, we were to the Hallelujah Chorus, which is not the end of the program, if you were not aware. Dad was ready. Reading ahead, even. I think the first note might have started before he was on his feet, but maybe he even beat the music. While everyone else was still untangling their feet from the cramped quarters, Dad was standing straight and tall. Great. Culture does exist in our family.

I thought surely we were about to the end of this experience. To be honest, I was rapidly
approaching utter exhaustion. To quote Mark Lowry, “But I was not so fortunate.” One of the soloists was sick and decided at the last minute to forego his last solo. My ever-attentive-to-the-program parents picked up on this and began trying to figure it out during the sixty-fold “Amen” at the end. I thought I should, at this point, snap my fingers like they used to do to me when I talked when I wasn’t supposed to. Again, I wisely refrained.

Well, my evening of fun was almost over, but not quite. The music finished, and the wave of a standing ovation began. I appropriately waited until the people in front of me stood, and then I stood and clapped. I had been standing for probably ten seconds when I realized not everyone was standing. All the people in the auditorium were on their feet, except two. They were still sitting beside me, discussing the missed solo. In total exasperation, my parenting skills kicked in and I gave them that stern look (pursed lips and all). I reached down with one hand and gave Mom a firm tap. I wanted to say “What part of STANDING ovation confuses you? You weren’t having any problem during the Hallelujah Chorus!”

I was exhausted after it was over, but I remained proud that my parents had attended a cultural event and had done fairly well. I made mental notes to help them with the standing/sitting/dropping programs/talking thing, but overall they did well. I haven’t had the energy to take them to another cultural event yet, but maybe in a couple of years I’ll be up to it again.

** update note: “a couple of years” has not arrived yet.

Sunrise on a Saturday

Who even knew there was such a thing!?!?

I have company this morning. My roommate from days of yore came down from Michigan to go see a play with me last night, and then she spent the night. So right now, in the butler's kitchen (I just love that), there is a breakfast casserole baking in the oven...and coffee brewing...and my poor kitchen probably has no idea what hit it. It never sees me at this hour on a Saturday.

This week has been absolutely exhausting and it's not done yet.

Wednesday was "develop the Christmas card picture" day. It turned into a bit of a fiasco when the photo lab did not make a note that I wanted my pictures on matte paper and they printed on glossy. But we got through that, and the pictures were stuffed into cards, which were subsequently mailed. Yesterday I received 10 of them back...forgot to put stamps on them. WOOPS. So if you're one of the people who gets some ugly red stamping UNDER the postage stamp - sorry!

Yesterday was baking day. I set out to make 10 recipes but had to cut one out in favor of assembling the soup for Angela's arrival last night - and cleaning the house. And I still didn't make it to bed until 2 in the morning that night!

Here was baking, round one. And yes, a couple of the recipes are forthcoming. This round included chocolate chip cookie cups stuffed with peanut butter cups. And of course, a couple of rounds of the peanut butter fudge.


Round two included pretzels with Hershey kisses and M&Ms stuffed in them, sourdough pretzel nuggets coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture, ranch oyster crackers (that recipe came from Kelly's Korner blog. She said we'd thank her if we tried it. THANK YOU, KELLY!!!), and a cocoa peanut butter fudge.

And the final round included two kinds of chocolate bark - one was white chocolate and one was milk chocolate. Both have M&Ms and pretzel bits in them. I also made peanut butter cookies with kisses inside, and better than caramel corn.

Baking is my gift to my office buddies - as well as to a few others - so here were the little bags all packed and ready to go. Everyone at work LOVED the bags. I got them (I know, tacky to tell, but love a deal, so here you go!) last year after Christmas on sale at WalGreens.

Here were the 4 designs. The snowman bag says "Season's Greetings," the reindeer bag says "Holly Jolly," the tree bag says, "Tis the Season," and the Santa bag says "Happy Holiday." CUTE!

Okay I really really have to go do my hair now if I want to eat breakfast on time!!

Not Gonna Lie...I Need a Nap

This whole trying to stay afloat in the Christmas season is NOT EASY, PEOPLE!!!!!

I had my week so carefully planned on Sunday, and of course, this precious Indiana weather has already thrown a wrench in the whole thing. The threat of freezing rain and wind and...well...not tropical bliss...meant I had to scootchy some of the chores up a day.

I love holiday baking. Each year I take a day, hunker down in the butler's kitchen (OH! You don't know that story! I'll get to it in a minute...) and make lots of treats. I use them for gifts for the people in my office, primarily, but I share with others, too. This year I decided to try something new and made it my goal every week throughout the year to save at least a dollar - maybe two - on my weekly grocery budget. I put back every dollar...quarter...penny...and by the time shopping day rolled around today, I'd saved almost $60 to use toward holiday baking. That was a huge help!

So a few days ago, I picked out all the recipes I wanted to make, and then I made a list of how many batches I needed of each one, and then I made a list of the ingredients I needed. Y'all, I bought SEVEN JARS OF PEANUT BUTTER today. That is a lot of protein in one cart. So about one hour and three stores after leaving home, I had everything I needed for baking day.

Oh, and did I mention that all this took place during the height of the freezing rain? I'd been to the gym, so my already-not-good hair was a matted mess in a ponytail, stuck under a cap, giving me an interestingly shaped head, I'm sure. My workout pants are too big now, and they were dragging through slushy puddles, and water seeped in through the air holes in my shoes. I was a bedraggled mess. But I have seven jars of peanut butter, so who cares!?!?

Upon arriving home, I settled in for the Biggest Loser finale (thrilled with both results, but I'll leave it at that for you DVR people) and went to work ordering all the Christmas pictures.

My Christmas card photos were taken last night. My friend Rachel came over and did those for me. My precious cats, who normally keep to themselves and do their own thing, both showed up and lurked in the background the entire time we worked. Bless them. After an office-wide vote today, I ditched the popular winner in favor of the one I liked better. :D The order has been placed, and that means the mailing of the cards can happen THIS WEEK.

After that I placed the order for the studio shots I had taken to appease my mother. Remember? Digital dieting? Now I just have to hope they show up in time for Christmas! (This is what happens when I'm too cheap to pay for express delivery.)

The shopping...the weather...the pictures...the cards...the baking...yes, I need a nap.

But not before I tell you the butler's kitchen story. I promise that will be the end of today's rambling.

This past Saturday night, I went on a Christmas tour of homes. I'm kind of a house junkie, so anytime I can take tours, I'm all about it. I was excited for this tour because it included a bed and breakfast I'd always wanted to see - AND it included the IWU President's home. When I went through that home, the lady giving the skinny on the dining room said, "If you'll step this way, you'll pass through the butler's kitchen, and that will take you into the family's kitchen and through to the rest of the private residence." So I "stepped this way" into a kitchen that is the very same size and layout as the one in my house. I have a butler's kitchen!!! I have no butler, but I have a butler's kitchen!

So from now on...this is what I call it. I respectfully request you to do the same.

Praying on the Run - Card 4

AAACK! With Thanksgiving and Christmas...and decorating and shopping...and posting recipes and embarrassing moments...I forgot to post the next praying on the run card! Proof that my brain can truly only juggle so much information at one time!

Card 4 actually became a topic of conversation with another of my single girl friends just a few days ago!

The quote I chose comes from Patrick Morley, who says:

What first attracted him to his wife was her looks, and they are still important to him...husbands want to stay married. They also want you to continue 'attracting' them...

And my prayer has become:

Discipline to continue the upkeep of my appearance out of respect for myself and him.

Pretty good running motivator, huh? :)

The conversation I had with my friend revolved around the question of why women stop trying with their appearance after they get married. They find the husband and suddenly forget about hair product, straighteners, makeup, jewelry, clothes that fit, nail polish, you name it.

Oh it doesn't happen to everyone. I have several friends who have continued to out-cute themselves through pregnancy, chasing toddlers, and running carpools. I remember actually calling up a friend of mine after I saw his wife in the dollar store just about a month after their twins were born. She walked in the front door of the store with her hair curled, her face on, and an outfit that had been well coordinated. I told him how cute she looked and how impressed I was that she'd pulled it off in her sleep-deprived-new-mom-of-twins status.

Even over the phone, I could hear the pride in his voice; his wife was a keeper - and not just because she was beautiful, but because she cared about her appearance - for herself and for him. It meant a lot to him, and I was so glad to see an example in action that it could be done.

Back in the days of dating, I was blessed to have a boyfriend who didn't care if I came to the door of the college apartment in rather garish plaid pajamas or my Sunday best. My hair could have been dripping wet and sporting tangles or meticulously curled. On the days when I hated everything about the way I looked, he assured me I was beautiful. I appreciated his acceptance, especially considering I had very low self-esteem. But I still tried. I wanted to look as good as I could for him - because I knew how much I loved it when he did what he could to look good for me.

I've been told it's not easy. Not easy to have time to work out...or shop for clothes that fit...or put on makeup...or even take a shower. But let me live in the belief that it is possible!!

Bits for Sunday, December 6, 2009

Before I launch into my intended topic for today, I thought I’d give you an “only Bekah” story for your reading pleasure.

You might have seen in a post below that this week I had a bit of a nail tragedy, which resulted in an emergency run for a set of fake nails. I used to have my nails done all the time at the salon, but I had to give that up a few years ago so I could address more pressing responsibilities – such as electricity and a car payment. Though I probably could swing such a luxury now, I continue to avoid it so I can support my Hobby Lobby habit. When the emergency hit this week, I did the unthinkable and purchased a box of nails in the Wal Mart.

Sounds tacky. Looks good.

Saturday I headed out to the Gaither store to do some Christmas shopping, and I also took my new day planner to transfer birthdays and anniversaries from my current book. It was such a lovely moment. I ordered a chai…I sat down at the little bistro table, I spread out my day planners, took a little peek at the David Phelps serenade playing in the background, and looked down at my hand…and my thumb nail was gone.

Not my thumb nail, you understand. The pretty fake one glued on top. Gone. I immediately flashed back to a story I heard as a kid...about Sandi Patty meeting some important person, giving her a hug, and realizing her Lee Press On nail was stuck in the lady’s dress. I could only imagine where my thumb nail might be. Had I run my fingers through my hair after I walked in the store? Was there a random thumb nail stuck in my hair?

It’s not entirely (or even remotely) ladylike to try to do a self-imposed thumbnail body scan in the middle of a busy store, but I gave it my best shot. After my chai was gone, I also did a scan of the store to see if the nail was resting comfortably on any merchandise I’d passed. Only after making my purchases and leaving the store did I discover it firmly planted on the front seat of my car. Remind me to start carrying nail glue.

Okay – now to my regularly scheduled programming.

As you know, the Christmas season is upon us in full force. Tonight’s goal is to finish signing and addressing all Christmas cards so they can go in the mail this week. Then I need to get busy on the wrapping.

Tis the season for cards and wrapping – and also for giving to the needy. All the causes can become overwhelming – even though they’re good. I hate to admit that in years past, I’ve been somewhat of a Scrooge with the charitable giving. It wasn’t because I wanted to be mean. I truly think I was too overwhelmed by requests from all sides, so I just didn’t participate in anything.

This year I resolved to learn the joy of giving. My first invitation came at the gas pump a couple of weeks ago. My gas station (well, I don’t own it, but it’s where I always buy my gas) offered a promotion for 3 cents off per gallon for a limited time. Of course I still ran the tank to an even $20, and when I went inside to pay, the cashier said to me, “Would you like to donate your 18 cents in change to Riley?” I started to say, “No thank you” out of sheer habit, and then I thought about her words.

Eighteen cents, Bekah. You won’t miss eighteen cents. It won’t kill you to give. So I scooped my change out of the chute and dumped it in the jar beside the cash register and walked out – with my heart one size bigger than it was when I went in. Great. I’m a reforming Grinch.

From there, I visited the grocery store for the meat sale (I’m a meatatarian, you know), and when the cashier handed me my change, I kept it in my fist so I could visit the Salvation Army kettle on the way out to my car.

This past week at work, we were invited to bring a non-perishable food item every day from now until our Christmas break. Whatever we collect as an office will be taken to a local food pantry. The first day of the food drive, I peeked inside my cabinet and spied the perfect contribution: a can of chickpeas I bought for some chili – and then decided not to use because I hate beans of all kinds.

The chickpeas will rot into an ugly death on that shelf, so I figured it’s better to give them to the needy. Right?

Wrong.

From the depths of my brain, I remembered a canned food drive we had in junior high. The seventh and eighth grades were pitted against each other in a contest to see who could bring the most food. A number of us seized the opportunity to clear our parents’ pantries of vile foods such as peas and green beans – and we happily dumped them in the boxes provided. However, one of the teachers reminded us that the idea of a food drive is not to get rid of what you hate…but to share with others the very kinds of things you love.

How did I remember that FROM JUNIOR HIGH?? Let it never be said that my fine education was a waste.

Reluctantly I put the chickpeas back on the shelf to continue their life of rot, and I reached deeper into the cabinet for one of my beloved cake mixes.

You’re probably much better at giving…but if it’s a struggle for you too, just think about reforming alongside me this December. Push past the chickpeas and reach for a cake mix.

I Have to Go Shopping Now

SHOPPING DAY!!!!!

Every year, Mom and I take a day and head outta town for some Christmas shopping. I normally do about 90% of my shopping on our day. This year I had some done already before we left, and I do still have just a few things left to get. But allow me to share with you the highlights (and a few lowlights) of the day.

* This year we shopped in Castleton, so I suggested we eat a big breakfast down at Perkins in Noblesville and hopefully that would fill us up enough to shop, shop, shop! Of all the tables in the entire restaurant, we were seated next to the two ladies who never learned about inside voices. I answered every question they asked - right out loud - and they never heard me. It was rather comical, I have to say.

* After leaving Perkins, we made our first stop at the enormous Jo-Ann, etc. shop by the Castleton mall. I stopped in their bathroom and had just closed the door behind me when I heard a loud voice say "What are you doing?" As I spun around and freaked out, I realized the voice was the store loudspeaker beginning a commercial. I didn't know the speakers fed into the bathroom. WOOPS.

* Shopping YAY - found a dressy red shirt to wear for the Christmas program at church. I am a scripture reader (remember the Aramaic at Easter? mmm hmmmm). #1. I am generally about 10 degrees warmer than the average person. #2. Our church is very warm on any given Sunday. #3. I will be nervous. #4. We have a large array of candles burning for the Christmas season. This combination indicates I should wear a bathing suit. Since that is not really front-of-the-church appropriate, I set out in search of something festive yet COLD. No sleeves. No high necks. No thick material. BINGO!! And on sale to boot.

* Today was chocolate distribution day at the mall, apparently. I received an entire handful from a very nice man with a Hershey bag. Praise the Lord for that.

* I think I mentioned a while back that my life's-most-perfect-day-planner has been discontinued. This has, for several months, caused me MUCH consternation, since you have no idea the joy I receive from an above average day planner. It was a Franklin planner, so I visited the Franklin store in search of something comparable. I told the nice men in the store just how distraught I have been. I described the planner in great memorial detail and they found a new model that is slightly less perfect, but generally acceptable. Bless you, nice men at the Franklin store.

* DEAL O THE DAY. (again - please don't tell my mother. It's her gift.) I found a purse for her and through a series of deals ended up paying $1.04 for the purse. SWEET!

* Later in the day, in another store, I met the kindred spirit of the Perkins ladies. Through a non-inside-voice phone call, I learned all about this lady's father's illness, his need for hospice care, and both the similarities and differences between his illness and her mother's illness a few years ago.

* Upon arriving home, I found the most beautiful sight on my front porch...my feather pillow-top mattress has arrived. It is blissfully thick and soft and wonderful and once I put it on the bed, I may never leave the bed again. Food deliveries will be accepted.

Successful shopping, 2009. Check.

My New BFF

** DISCLAIMER!! If you know my parents, you have to keep this a secret. Christmas gift involved! **

My mother has respectfully requested that all her children give her new 8x10 pictures for Christmas this year. I decided that my idea of a good time did NOT include wandering into the front of the Wal Mart to sit on their little fur-covered bench for a photo session. People would stare while in checkout. I know this because I do that when I'm in checkout. It's one thing when the photo subjects are kids pitching a fit. It's quite another when the subject is a 31 year old girl all by herself getting her mom's Christmas present.

So...I scheduled a private appointment with my friend Lindsey. Lindsey's mom and I have been friends for years now, because we used to work together. And now Lindsey is a photographer, and a good one at that. She graciously made time for me in her very busy schedule, and I showed up on her doorstep just last night, backpack filled with "Please help me, Jesus" tools.

I'll admit to stressing a bit during the shoot. She took a bazillion pictures (okay 72) - and I had no idea what any of them looked like. You're talking to the girl who zooms to the picture immediately after taking one and redoes it if it's not satisfactory. I stressed about flyaway hairs, split bangs, chubby looking fingers, and chocolate in my teeth.

And for the first half of the shoot, I also stressed about the fat factor. And then, Miss Lindsey spoke the most beautiful words I've heard since "there are cookies in the break room...help yourself."

I do digital dieting.

What??

Digital dieting. Airbrush. Photoshop. Call it what you may. Those words lightened my heart and placed a winning smile on my face.

Digital dieting. My new BFF.

And by the way - loved the outcome of the shoot. I think there's definitely a winner or ten in there somewhere.

Petite

I've been reading an excellent book by Angela Thomas: Do You Think I'm Beautiful? The study that accompanies it asks probing questions that have made me think far more intently than any other study I've done.

Self-esteem has always been a struggle area for me. Within the last few years I've slowly morphed from hating everything about myself...to hating only a few things about myself...to generally accepting most things about myself...to kinda liking a few things...you get the idea. This study came at the perfect time, because I'm convinced God is ready for me to kick this struggle and see myself the way He does.

This journey from hate to love has required me to accept certain things about myself. One of the hardest things to accept is I'm not small. I have tiny friends. Skinny friends. Slender friends. On-the-small-side-of-average friends. I am not tiny, skinny, slender or on the small side of anything. And unless I get sick and lose all kinds of weight, I probably never will be. It's not the way I'm made. Granted, I'm working to get smallER, but I'll never be small.

And that's becoming okay for me.

Tonight as I headed out to the grocery store, I yanked the car door open without remembering to unlock it first. The handle stayed put, but my fingernail did not. It ripped all the way down, leaving me with a very crooked, unsightly manicure.

And tomorrow is picture day.

Of course.

Obviously I cannot grow a perfected nail in 24 hours, so I did what any girl would do - on short notice. I visited the fake nail aisle at the Wal Mart. I used to have my nails done every two weeks. I loved scooting into the salon and being pampered for an hour or so, leaving with beautiful, maintenance-free nails for two weeks. But in the Bekah-recession about five years ago, the nail habit was cut to make room for things like electricity and food.

I miss those nails. I thought with time, I'd forget them. I haven't.

The Wal-Mart fake nail aisle is hardly the salon. But I don't have time or an extra wad of cash, so for today, it has to suffice.

And boy am I glad I made that stop! It turns out there are a variety of options in the fake nail aisle. It's kind of like selecting a Starbucks beverage. But what thrilled my soul most of all was this: I have petite nails.

This girl who grew up having her chubby cheeks pinched...who watches daily as her neck threatens to develop the genetic gobbler...who begs her arms to NOT develop the Bricker swing...who was once complimented on her "blossoming" belly...has petite nails!!!

It wouldn't have been the area of focus I would have chosen, but praise the Lord something's petite!

Bits for Sunday, November 29, 2009

I’m working on my scrapbook today…making the Thanksgiving Day page and the Deck the Halls page…and when those two are done, it will be time to make the December calendar page for my book. I vividly remember standing at my kitchen table almost a year ago, creating the January page! My skinny little scrapbook was filled with clean white pages, and now it’s a fat, fat book, with many pages added in. From the look of things, I’ll probably have to squeeze in just a few more pages to complete the year.

I shared in our office devotions last week that I’m thankful for a “fat scrapbook” year. My scrapping is more than an addiction (though I recognize it is that)…it’s a record of what took place. A reminder of the great times I’ve had. A chronicle of varying hair lengths and colors, too. :)

Scrap days, game nights, meals out with friends, coffee and movie nights, new babies to cuddle, retreats, vacations, seasons of TV shows, days at the lake, Bible studies, cookouts, upgrades to the house, concerts, and conferences were among the things that made this such a great year. Such a scrappable year. Such a memorable year.

I’m thankful for these blessings, because I know a lot of people who had a memorable year, but in their case, memorable didn’t mean great. And yet I’ve been so challenged by their decision to hope. Their resolve to move forward. Their choice to proclaim that God is good even when life is not.

You know how I love to read blogs, and two that come to mind right now are great examples of people who have had terrible years filled with incredible faith. I don’t know either of them in real life, but I love to read their words, because I know I’m going to leave their web page encouraged and thankful.

One of the blogs is about the Sullivan family. They were in their late 20’s…a military couple living overseas. Early last year, Sara, the wife, was diagnosed with cancer. Shortly after receiving her diagnosis, she also found out she was pregnant with their first child. They moved back to the States and she began treatment for her cancer.

On September 4th, Brady and Sara celebrated their fifth anniversary, in the hospital. On September 8th, about 6 weeks early, Sara had a c-section and delivered baby Chloe. On September 15th, they all went home together as a family. And on September 18th, when Chloe was just 10 days old, Sara began having seizures in her home and had to be taken back to the hospital. She died four days later just over a week away from her 29th birthday.

I remember reading through their story and trying to comprehend what Brady must be facing as a widower and brand new father. Even now, as I sit here, I think of him and how a year ago, he was overseas with his wife, not knowing she was sick, not knowing they would have a baby, not knowing anything of what was to come in the next year.

And yet if you read his blog posts, you can read about courageous faith and blossoming hope. He doesn’t hide his grief. But even in the middle of the deepest grief, you can see his peace and his hope.

My memorable, scrappable year was very different from Brady’s. But I hope both of us have the same message to share – a message of thankfulness and hope in a faithful God.

Decking the Halls

Yesterday I skipped the Black Friday madness and stayed home to decorate. Actually I did make two purchases...but I made them both online, so I didn't have to deal with crowds. SWEET.

I don't think you understand the madness that is the Bekah-decoration-adventure. Literally half my attic empties into my bedroom. It's quite a mess. Since I was unable to get all the decorating done in one day, I was forced to sleep in the living room last night. I wasn't about to compete with the boxes...

Ahhh my little helper. Brayea designated herself the official light tester.

Kaegan made a rare appearance and helped test the tree branches. They must not have tasted super great. He didn't stay long.

Putting the topper on the first tree. This tree turned out very well...I was impressed!!

The office tree is just a little one where I keep ornaments from my childhood and other random ornaments I've gotten throughout the years. I noticed this particular one was from 1989 - exactly 20 years ago. It was from my piano teacher. Oh memories....

The last tree I did (for the day) was the bedroom tree. It needs some tweaking...you can tell I'd lost my creativity for the day. But it looks so cute!!

So today will be finish-the-decorating day...just as soon as I can get off the couch.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy, happy Thanksgiving! I'm thrilled to report that about ten minutes ago, I finished 50% of my Black Friday shopping. :) Given that I can hear wind howling just outside the door, I'd say this online shopping business is the way to go.

Today's Thanksgiving meal was held at my parents' house. I arrived about 20 minutes before lunch was served. Was I too late with the turkey??

Mom makes the best apple pie...

Julie and me. Aren't we cute?

Here we are...minus the Kansas crew.

The day was a good one! Tons of food (I took the dressing and Julie made YUMMY broccoli salad) and the chance to share the day with some friends of Mom and Dad's. That was good!

Once we were done eating (and eating and eating) I came home and started working on my Christmas card signing adventure. Haven't gotten very far, but that's okay. My friends Mark and Lynnette stopped by to see me too, with their precious Chihuahua, Belle. Braeya ran in fright. :) She's such a chicken.

So now I'm going to sign a few more cards, head to bed, and wake up for another quick online shopping adventure before conking out for sleep, part two!

Pumpkin Cake

I didn't forget you, Laurie! Here you go!! :)

Last year I needed a good (and of course, easy) Thanksgiving dessert to take to the church carry-in. My friend Judy gave me this recipe. I was a little scared at first because anything that involves LAYERS of cake intimidates me a bit. But I promise it is easy to make! I whipped one up last year and only brought home crumbs. :( This year I made it again and managed to bring a few pieces home, so I've been happily enjoying it for the past couple of days!

If you're looking for a good Thanksgiving/pumpkin dessert that offers an alternative to the standard pie route...allow me to suggest this one. Happy Thanksgiving, and happy cooking!

The Recipe

1 yellow cake mix
1 15-ounce can pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8-ounce tub whipped topping
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Spray 2 9-inch round baking pans with non-stick spray and flour them. In a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice. When well blended, pour into pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks until completely cool. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese until creamy. Add powdered sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice. Gently stir in whipped topping. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half. Place frosting between layers and on top. Just before serving, drizzle with caramel topping and sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate when not serving.

I did use low fat milk, cream cheese, and whipped topping, and everything tasted okay.

I'm not really an expert at flouring pans, but I just sprinkled some in there and shook it around until it looked semi-evenly floured.

The cake mix, pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and spice - awaiting its stirring.

And here it is once it's all combined. I did actually use the beaters - just didn't think to take a picture of it at that time.

I tried to get the batter to spread evenly in the pan so I wouldn't have rounded cakes, but my efforts were in vain.

When the cakes came out of the oven, I ran a knife around the edge right away to loosen them a bit, hoping they wouldn't crack or crumble when I tried to transfer them to the wire racks.

...and it was successful! I had to kind of beat on the bottom of the pans to get them out, but they came out all in one piece. WHEW. This isn't a cake that allows you to cover up those sorts of mistakes very easily.

While the cake was cooling, I worked on the frosting. I'd had the cream cheese out softening for a while and ran the beaters through it for just a few seconds.

I quit when it looked about like this.

Then I stirred in the pumpkin, spice, and powdered sugar. I kept using the beaters - but I had to be careful not to blow the powdered sugar all over my kitchen!!

I stirred in the whipped topping with a spatula - and the frosting became very light - but pretty with the pumpkin in there.

Cutting the cake...very tricky. I noticed there seemed to be a line about halfway down the cake, so I used that as my guide...

And it cut pretty evenly! I'm sure my Home Ec teacher would have something to say about the holes in there, but whatever. All tastes the same!

I wasn't very good with fractions, so I had to do my best guessing frost between the layers.

The original recipe said not to frost the top layer but that made no sense to me, so I frosted it anyway. Sorry the nuts aren't on here...we added those at the last minute at church and I didn't take a picture.

Very, very yummy!!!!

Praying on the Run - Card 3

Tonight my run turned into a walk after just a few laps. I hadn't felt well for a couple of days and thought I was all better, but I definitely tuckered out after a few laps! Oh well. Praying on a walk works just as well.

This card is a bit of a soapbox issue for me, so consider yourself warned. The quote from the book says:


I learned that after my relationship with Jesus, my relationship with my husband is to be my first priority. - Cindy Gensler

My prayer became:

Wisdom to balance relationships and to remember which comes first and which comes second...always.

When I was in high school, I babysat for a living. One of the families I sat for regularly purposed to go out on a date every other week. I know at times it was a sacrifice for them....financially and time-wise, but they went. And while sometimes they did go see a movie, they also went on dates to spend time talking to one another. They talked about their marriage and what was happening with their kids and goals they had as a couple and as a family. Even though I was still in high school, I recognized they were doing something right. I absorbed what I learned there and am so grateful they were willing to share their ideas with a teenager. They put God first and their relationship second...and taught me by example why it was important to do that.

I've been blessed to observe other couples who do a great job of this, too. But I also know many couples who haven't practiced it...who don't practice it...and it shows. It shows when they have kids and suddenly have to be reminded that they're married...because they only talk about and focus on their kids. It shows when they're caught up in work or school or hobbies. I find that most of them work to still keep God first, but marriage isn't second anymore...or third...or seventh. Or maybe even on the list at all.

I'm sure it's not as easy as I imagine it to be. I'm sure those other responsibilities do crowd in and it's easy to let the marriage slip down the rank of importance. But I am praying hard that when my day does come, I remember these days. The days when I pray for that relationship to come into my life.

Bits for Sunday, November 22, 2009

Today’s Bits are not intended to make my mother sorry for the question she asked me yesterday…but they might end up accomplishing that purpose. Rather randomly, she asked if I ever journal anymore. Do I ever journal!?!? HA! Only in two books every day!

Why do I journal? (This was not a question she asked. It’s a freebie.) I journal to get stuff out of my head to make room for more. After all, exploding heads are rather unattractive, and I try to avoid that happening to me. I journal to remember things I would otherwise forget (case in point, very shortly). And I journal in case someday I become a famous dead author and some college professor needs to send students to the library to spend hours reading the journals of a dead author. (Oh sorry…was that bitterness from days of yore out loud??)

I did this once before, on a different day, but I thought I’d do it again just for fun. I went through my journals from the last ten years and pulled out the happenings of this fine day over the course of that decade. Some (okay, several) details have been omitted because I’m not dead and therefore don’t want you to know just all of it. I’ve added a few details in italics for clarification. Please do note that not every year could be exciting. For that, I apologize.

2008 – I hit the jackpot at the Hobby Lobby today. 90% off fall stuff! I got a $200 arrangement for $20! How awesome is THAT!?!? I also found a new Christmas tree – a slim one. I’m VERY excited about that. No more sorting branches and moving half my furniture into the garage. This leaves me wondering where exactly I stashed that gorgeous $200 arrangement I purchased for $20. See? This is why I journal! I find lost treasures! Or I hope to, anyway. And by the way – that slim tree was fantastic. Although one of my kiddos did remark later that it was very skinny. Clearly she has not mastered the finer points of HGTV recommendations for decorating a small space. She’ll learn.
2007 – A good Thanksgiving! Mom took 34 pictures tonight – I think we might have some Christmas picture contenders among them. I still have not lived down my photo session with my mother from that year. I’m picky, okay??
2006 – Crashed on the couch because all the Christmas decorations were on the bed. I didn’t journal. My gift to you today is not relaying the rest of that day’s happenings to you…as recalled the next day. Let’s just say it wasn’t one of the more glowing days of my life.

2005 – The day started out rough. Rosters wouldn’t run right…blah blah blah. (The blah blah blah is my edit for other work drama. Again, you’re welcome.) But the day got better. I got a free lunch from Mom and Dad. I almost got the next phase of my Christmas cards done. My goal is to finish tomorrow night. It could be a long night. I need to finish this year’s cards this week…good reminder. 


2004 – Day one of vacation down. I had a slumber party on the couch last night. Woke up at 10 after 8 this morning feeling most pleased that I did not have to report to duty! My highlight (eyeroll) of the day was when I was leaving the Student Center after cashing a check and some student was hurling in the bushes. Gross. I cleaned the whole downstairs today – vacuum attachments, rubber gloves and all. I want to know why I can clearly recall that hurling-in-the-bushes scene – but I still cannot remember where I stashed that Hobby Lobby find!

2003 – I just got back from my date – and once again, I remain confused… I’m plagued with guilt about how much money he has spent on me in a week. Everyone ordered steak for dinner. I ordered a club sandwich. Then we went out for ice cream and I feel guilty about that too. I watched Savannah today and learned how to decorate a porch for Christmas, fry bacon, chop broccoli and teach someone how to stamp while managing her. Yes, that is the DATE word appearing in my journal…actually the first in kind of a mini-series here of Lifetime movie-esque November days in Bekahland. I’m wondering if the one reader who was ON this double date with me will recognize it and remember it. I cracked up just now about that club sandwich part. Totally Bekah. I don’t remember watching Savannah that day, but I am impressed at my multi-tasking.
2002 –Today was fun. I got my book back, and I am ultra excited about that. It looks so nice. I’m glad I went the extra mile and had Susan design the cover. This was the year I wrote a book for my family for Christmas. I worked on it the entire year and have pictures from this day when I picked it up in the print shop. Loved that gift!

2001 – Well, I’ve always wanted a perfect holiday and today came very close. You are, once again, welcome for the details you are not reading here…not because they are bad. They’re just gooshy gross. This was the first year I brought a boy to a family holiday and I was absolutely thrilled. I just knew I’d arrived. At least I appreciated it in the moment. I hate it when people want something for a long time and then fail to appreciate it in the moment. 


2000 – The B-boy never ceases to amaze me with the things he says and does. I just love
talking to him and laughing with him. He’s fun. I can’t wait until Saturday when I can see him. I’ve been so busy tonight. I made that apple cake tonight. It looks good. I set the table and cleaned and cleaned in the kitchen. I’m very tired. I just want to go to bed and sleep until about 11. Can’t do that. Want to do that, but can’t. I hope I don’t oversleep tomorrow. That would be a bad thing. This day was the eve of hosting my first ever major family holiday. And as you can see…also the middle of another luuuuv moment. I should write more about that sometime. It was a fun – and funny – chapter of my life.

1999 – Wow. Today was tough…But God was awesome and provided a chapel that let me regroup a little. And this takes us back to my final year of college – just a few weeks after the great relationship end of 1999. Definitely a rough time, but definitely a time when God showed (again) that HE IS GOOD. And He still is!!

He Sits in Stairwells

I haven't had too much to say on here this week. Had it not been for my trusty prayer card, I'm not sure what I would have done...posted a recipe, maybe?

My mind has just been so full, and not always in a good way. This week, for all of its good moments, has also had a number of tears and hurts.

This is one such moment. A moment in which I'm sitting in the dark in my stairwell, with my box of kleenex and two very confused (or maybe they're just annoyed) cats. I'm glad these moments don't come too often anymore...the ones where I cry so hard I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw up, so I stop crying, because we all know I don't throw up.

I want to pray, but I have no coherent words...not even coherent thoughts. So all I can do is hope He can figure out the jumbled mess that is my brain in this moment. And I know He can. He somehow makes sense of hot tears and snot and mascara rivers.

I love people. I love to be with them. I love to listen (okay only sometimes on that one, but I do try...). I love to care and encourage. I love to laugh and make others laugh. I love to swap stories and hugs.

But sometimes all that leads to a lot of hurt. Caring so much and knowing I'm probably going to have my heart broken. Shouldering a burden until I almost can't stand up underneath it. Speaking a word and finding it to be the wrong one - which is the most common of all this Motor Mouth's problems.

And then it really hurts.

But even when it really hurts and I resort to crying on the stairs, I know...

...He sits in stairwells too.

Praying on the Run - Card 2

I fully intended to post this last night, but I ran out of time. I had the chance to help a friend by proofreading a research paper. I was happy to do it and enjoyed it, but let the record show I am so thankful I'm done with research papers. I couldn't remember how bibliographies were supposed to look, and quite frankly, the mere sight of one made me shiver. I love my post-college life!

Anyway, last week I told you about my praying on the run method of counting laps in the gym. I have the quote and prayer from the second card for you today:

"I learned how to wait patiently for my husband to become the man God had designed him to be. It didn't happen the way I would have planned, without any difficulties, but the result was far more than I could have imagined." - Suzi McDuffee

My prayer goal: Patience and surrender to allow God to mold each of us in His way.

As you might imagine, the words "wait patiently" sealed my fate. I'm not particularly gifted with either. Though I am not fond of publicly airing my shortcomings, I will admit that in college, this was an issue in my relationship. I had mentally crafted the person I wanted my boyfriend to be, and I left no room for him to have an opinion or for God to do any work. I tried to boss them both around, and in the end, the relationship failed. It might have failed anyway, but I've often wondered...if I'd been wiser about this, could it at least have been more productive...or left both of us with growth to show for the time we'd spent together?

When I saw Suzi's words, I knew I had to make them part of my prayer for the someday relationship, because I do not want to make that mistake again. Mr. Missing, wherever he is, is not mine to mold. God has a plan for his life just like He has a plan for mine, and the work needs to be left up to God's hand and God's timing. (ouch.)

Very little in my life has happened the way I would have planned, but I do have to say it's turning out better than I imagined it could. Why would the same not be true for my husband?

And on the flip side, this is the same sort of courtesy I hope my husband extends to me...being patient with God to work in me. Surrendering me to God's choices.

Patience can't be taught, but I'm open to any suggestions on surviving it!

Bits for Sunday, November 15

I come to you completely exhausted and completely happy. I pondered taking tomorrow off work so I could catch up on rest and I’m sorely regretting the decision to not pursue that avenue. Hopefully something fun and exciting will happen when I get there that will make it all worth the sacrifice of sleep!

This weekend concluded what I lovingly dubbed my “fall-o-fun,” and what fun it was, too! Fun that centered around friendship, and it made me so thankful for the people God has placed in my life to brighten every day.

Friends who call…and talk for an hour or so…about everything and nothing. Friends who joke with you and yet take enough time to listen and genuinely care about what’s happening in your world and trust you enough to share what’s happening in theirs.

Friends who want to spend an evening with you…spur of the moment…just for fun. Friends who invite you to join them in their plans and keep staying out just a few more minutes because nothing at home is as much fun as being out together.

Friends who know the things you love and plan something fun so a group can come together and spend an entire day sharing your passion. Friends who celebrate your work and allow you to share in their excitement over their own accomplishments.

Friends who will spend an afternoon giggling with you over a fun project. Friends who will do something crazy just to watch you laugh in shock. Friends who may be separated from you by several years and yet still choose to spend time with you.

Friends who come over and sit for a three hour heart-to-heart chat. Friends who know the core of your soul and still love you. Friends who hurt with you when you hurt and yet know just how to push you forward to be your very best. Friends who don’t get annoyed when the very best is slow (as in years) in arriving.

These are the people that make an action-packed weekend totally worth the lack of rest. I can’t speak for everyone on this, but these are the people that energize me to take on a new week of uncertainty and difficulties. These are the people that remind me of my blessings.

I know we have a week and a half (a.k.a. eight business days) before Thanksgiving, but I’m going to jump ahead and say I’m thankful for my friends. I’m thankful for their love, their open arms, their laughter, and the joy they bring to my days.