Springtime at Home

"Home is the nicest word there is."

Laura Ingalls Wilder

It is the first day of spring, which means that Houston has already trampled on the concept of spring and marched directly into midsummer. It is days like these that I especially miss so many things about dear old Maryland…

::green::
So much green everywhere. The greenness of my front yard, sloping downward to meet the sweeping greenery of our gigantic weeping willow. Driving along winding highways framed by carpets of green. Green reaching upwards and outwards, as far as the eye can see.

::Mom’s lattes::
Better than Starbucks. Mild, creamy and faintly sweet. Our long, long talks in the early morning hours before anyone else is awake. 

::kitchen::
Airy, spacious, spring-green walls. Coffee pot and tea kettle. My favorite staples always in the pantry: peanut butter, crackers and dried fruit. Countless parties, people everywhere, late into the humid summer nights.

::neighborhood::
Flowering trees lining both sides of a broad, sleepy street. My neighbor’s award-winning landscaping, a breathtaking array of color as soon as the last frost dies away. Spreading lawns and winding driveways that give off an aura of countryside.

::butterfly bush::
Explosions of purple bloom that overwhelm our back porch, attracting butterflies, bumblebees and hummingbirds.

::swimming pool::
Where it isn’t too hot to lay in the sun and tan away those lazy spring afternoons.

::siblings::
Always a brother or sister nearby to go on spontaneous dates to Starbucks, play lively games of Nertz or Settlers of Catan, cook up delectable concoctions, play catch in the front yard or ride our bikes to 7-Eleven.

::smells:: 

Getting drunk on the scent of spring, so sweet and rich it brings tears to your eyes.

::new life::
Nests of blue, speckled eggs. The tiniest bunnies amid stalks of warm grass. Birds. Singing. Everywhere.

::church:: 

Beautiful songs reminiscent of heaven in the joy, the never wanting to stop. Preaching so powerful it catches your breath. Resounding “amens!” Freedom. Power. God in our midst.

::friends::
Dearest, lifelong besties. The friends you can catch up with and months feel like yesterday. Memories and hugs and so much laughter.

::old stomping grounds::
Parks and highways and stores you grew up in. Everything changes, and yet it is the same. The feeling that you could go blind and be completely at home, for always.

::tennis::
Playing with dad, the brother, the boyfriend-now-husband. Sweating and swinging next to the playgrounds you once toddled in. Places where everything takes you back.

::softball::

Freshly combed dirt and snow-white lines. The satisfying smack of ball into glove. Whistles and cheers, knee pads and catcher's mask. Spring afternoons hitting, running, drilling. The thrill of gameday victories. Medals.

::volleyball::

The recreation of choice at every gathering. Hours in the park with the same group of friends; nets dragged out at birthday parties and family reunions alike. Spike. Set. Dive. The perfect game, the perfect weather.

::Grandma’s house::
The smell of fresh herbs drying. Pumping away on a prehistoric player piano. Grabbing a cold Yoohoo from a first-generation refrigerator. Knitting. Sewing the Civil War costume that won first prize in high school. Baking breads and desserts of all kinds. Feasting on hot beef sandwiches and jumbo shrimp. Exploring the attic and the hayloft. Riding horses, gathering eggs, feeding sheep. Both Grandma’s houses are what storybooks are made of.

With every fiber of my being, I miss Maryland. I crave the beauty, the aliveness everywhere. I long to be home as much as possible. And yet, I bloom where I am planted. I am multi-faceted and educated in a way that only comes from being transplanted into an entirely new culture. God knows what He is doing. And with every visit, home becomes even more the dearest place on earth to me. 

Surviving Lent with a Rebellious Sweet Tooth

Confessions of a sugarholic, featuring handy steps to lessen the cravings:

Step 1: Pray. Pray without ceasing. Ask God to curb this withdrawal that is making life miserable for another 16 days.

Step 2: Eat frozen fruit with abandon. Grapes are a personal favorite.

Step 3: Drink gallons of tea with lots of milk and a spot of honey, just this once. I highly recommend Chai. A pretty teacup is an absolute necessity - it makes everything taste better.

Step 4: Find friends who will join you in cultivating a savory tooth. Enjoy cooking and movie nights featuring dishes like Cape Cod chowder, Red Lobster cheddar biscuits and buttery homemade popcorn.

Step 5: Pick specific things to pray about instead of eating sweets. Intercede for those things while at birthday parties, surrounded by ice cream and cupcakes.

Step 6: Adapt favorite dishes for a sugarless alternative. Top decadent, impossibly fluffy Belgian waffles with a strawberry sauce made from reduced berries, vanilla and the tiniest smidgen of sugar to draw all the juice from the berries. Result? Better than syrup.

Step 7: Do strenuous physical activity to take your mind off your cravings. Train for a half marathon, and relish the weightless feeling of a sugar-free body.

Step 8: Repeat sugar fasts as needed throughout the year. They're no fun, but invaluable in practicing self-control and cultivating a healthy lifestyle.

Now, go eat a cookie. For my sake.

A Weekend in NOLA

For the 85th time I begged to know where we were going. Nathan refused to budge and even made me close my eyes whenever we passed a telltale road sign. Finally, my internal compass kicked in and I realized we were driving east. To New Orleans. Unbeknownst to me, my love had planned an entire weekend seeped in Cajun culture, complete with sightseeing, live music and more seafood and French pastry than I could dream of.

We pulled up to a breathtakingly beautiful hotel, a white jewel set in the midst of high rises and bustling streets. A gloved, tailed and top-hatted doorman took my hand and helped me from the car. We dumped our luggage in the room and immediately took off exploring, like two five-year-olds racing each other down silent, brocaded hallways. The elegance was magnificent. Heavy draperies, fresh flowers and hand-painted details adorned every inch of the place. We stumbled down forbidden stairwells, danced to the thrums of wedding reception music vibrating through every floor, and feasted on complimentary PB&J and hot chocolate in our jammies.

Every night at 10 pm a bedtime snack of sandwiches, milk and cocoa is laid out in the lobby, and guests have a PJ party.

There was even art on the ceiling!

Such an exquisite elevator

 Our weekend was packed, mostly with food. We breakfasted at a delicious French bakery, where Nathan died and went to heaven over the raspberry tarts.

We spent an afternoon at a fabulous WWII museum, spellbound in a Tom Hanks 4D film that literally transported us into the streets of Berlin. Then it was off to a dinner of crawfish and goat cheese crepes, a stroll through the French Quarter accentuated by spurts of live jazz and the lively bantering of locals at a moonlit market, and unbelievable cafe au lait and beignets at the famed Cafe du Monde. We walked home through Bourbon Street and barely made it out alive, and that's all I'll say about that.

Muriel's for dinner

6 pm, and the party begins.

Perfectly cast musicians.

Nate's beignets and chocolate milk

On Sunday I convinced Nathan that seafood is just as good at breakfast time. Cheddar grits and seafood omelet? There are no words.

He played it safe with steak. 

NOLA's most popular form of transportation

The party never ends.

I love New Orleans. I love the architecture; whole neighborhoods in rainbows of color where no two houses are alike. I love the festivity and the beauty and tradition. I especially love the food. And I love my husband who, after nearly three years, has never let the honeymoon die. 

A Lesson in Laughter

"To laugh at yourself is maturity."

- William Arthur Ward

Last weekend Nate and I threw towels, linens, Bibles and thrift store gems into one medium-size suitcase and boarded buses headed to the middle of nowhere. We spent three days in cabins with these rockstars:

Let me tell you a little about these kids. Our church is split into three campuses, of which the Clear Lake campus is the newest, smallest and least-known...kind of like an overlooked stepchild. Surrounded by hordes of shouting teenagers from the other campuses, we felt minuscule and a bit like a proverbial David facing Goliath. Except, in real life David defeated Goliath. Enter Recreation Time. Our motley crew found ourselves face to face with a dozen fully grown boy-men, full of muscle and zest to win. We played them in every. single. game. We were defeated terribly, insultingly. At one point in dodgeball they gave us every ball, and we still got creamed. I, ever a champion of justice, fumed at the outrage of it all. 

And here's where the Clear Lake kids taught me a bit about maturity. They never once complained. They never stopped having fun. When we were trounced and destroyed at every turn, for every single competition all weekend, they somehow found it funny. And they laughed and joked and made memories without a second thought about actually "winning." Clearly, in my book they're all winners - at a game much more important than sports. They lost with grace and good humor, focusing on building relationships rather than being the best. I realized just how competitive I really am, and learned to take things down a notch. After all, who cares about eating a can of Vienna sausages faster than anyone else, or winning the moonwalk competition or human Foosball, when we can look stupid and laugh about it and pray together and have amazing conversations about stuff that really matters?

I love y'all. You taught me a lot last weekend. Thanks for not being afraid to laugh at yourselves, and having a blast even though we were in last place. And Nate, thanks for being the best youth leader on the planet. You modeled a good attitude to these kids even when I couldn't. You inspire me (and you're a ridiculously good-looking 80's throwback).

Seven Years and Fourteen Days of Love

The wind that fills your sails

The hand that lifts your veil 

The moon that moves your tides 

The sun coming up in your eyes 

The wheel that never rusts 

The spark that lights you up 

All that you been dreaming of and more, 

So much more 

I want to be your everything 

- Keith Urban

I will never forget the evening of February 14, 2006. Youth group was meeting at my house, and I scurried around like any 17-year-old giddy at the thought of spending the evening with 20 of my best friends. I mingled and hugged and answered the door dozens of times, stopping short when I opened the door to a quartet of unfamiliar faces. A Southern man, his shy daughter, and two handsome sons stood beaming in the doorway. They were new, from Charlottesville, and had been assigned to our small group. They introduced themselves amid a flurry of impeccable manners, practically bowing as we all shook hands. I was instantly smitten with them. Daniel laughed and teased and played ping pong with reckless abandon. Catherine's beautiful eyes sparkled as she talked about her love of writing - a woman after my own heart. And Nathan...well, he adored country music, my latest passion. I talked to him about Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban, and his face lit up like the 4th of July.

Soon we gathered for group, and I tried not to think about the plaid-and-jeans country boy sitting right behind me. In keeping with the holiday, our leader talked about Christ-centered relationships. "When Jesus is the center of your universe, everything else will fall into its proper place around Him." That little talk re-grounded me countless times through seven years of romance with that country boy. What began as an innocent teenage friendship - having everything in common, long walks talking on the phone, emails and texts and MySpace comments, debates and homework and bus ride drama and love triangles - turned the corner when he talked to my dad the night I graduated high school. Three years of long-distance dating became a year of engagement and planning for the future, culminating in the wedding of my dreams and a road trip down south to a new life where we had no one but each other. We danced at our wedding to Keith Urban's "I Want to Be Your Everything" - a song on the country mix CD he made me just weeks after we met (he's never been one to beat around the bush).

Now it is 2013, and we celebrated our 7th Valentine's Day together. This day is extra-special to me, not only because it's the day we met, but because gifts are my love language. Christmas and my birthday are the best days of the year. I obsess over holidays - especially the romantic ones. But this year, my poor boy has been up to his ears in work and projects for the past few months. Instead of letting the holiday slip by in danger of being forgotten, I decided to go all out for him. Who says gifts and romance have to be a guy's world, anyway?

Introducing: The 14 Days of Love

Strawberry Nutella French Toast

Starting February 1, I gave Nate little gifts and notes leading up to Valentine's Day. Most were painfully cheesy...but it's the thought (and the food) that counts. 

14 Days of Love gifts & notes

Some days he needed a little help finding his gifts...

I mailed a love letter to his office (surprise, babe!). Mail apparently gets lost in the labyrinth of Corporate Exxon. When it arrives, I hope his boss makes him open it in public.

I bought a fancy picnic basket with all the works, a waterproof blanket, and the fixings for a picnic fit for royalty. I designed a treasure hunt leading him from work to a secluded, romantic location where I and our picnic awaited him. Then, the weather turned wretched. And the picnic had to be moved indoors. The clues led him on a wild treasure hunt to...our house. He was mightily confused, but it was oh-so-romantic (100 tea lights helped a little). 

Living Room Valentine's Picnic

My new favorite thing on earth.

I framed his favorite picture of our Hawaii trip and made a date jar full of wild and funky ideas for 2013. And he presented me with a darling heart-shaped birthstone pendant. This love, folks...it just keeps on getting stronger. 

I love you, Nate...

May 2006 - our first picture together.

Kenny Chesney concert - 2007

2008 Photoshoot

June 26, 2009. Engaged!!

Wedding Day, June 20, 2010

One-year Anniversary, 2011

Hawaii, 2012

7th Valentine's Day, 2013

...and I will love you for the rest of my life. You are God's best gift to me!

Giving Thanks

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, 

as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!

- Henry Beecher Ward

It's sad to me that the one day set aside specifically for giving thanks often means a drastic shift in perspective. I so easily drift into complaining and discouragement the other 364 days of the year, focusing on what I don't have and what circumstances I wish were different. The truth is, there are countless blessings in my life that I simply take for granted: from the very air I breathe to being married to an astounding man sovereignly hand-picked for me. This season, instead of feverishly chasing Black Friday deals and making lists of the things I want, my goal is to step back and ponder with deep gratefulness all that God has done for me. Here are 30 reasons that I am giving thanks this holiday:

1. I am thankful for a job that makes my dreams come true every day; for the chance to interact and share the love of Jesus with hurting people who otherwise might never have a chance to meet Him.

2. I am thankful for godly coworkers who believe in the power of prayer and set a true example of love and compassion.

3. I am thankful for a beautiful car that makes my daily commute so enjoyable.

4. I am thankful for a lovely apartment that is filled with laughter, games and deep conversation several times a week.

5. I am thankful for food, new recipes, a big kitchen to cook in and a long-suffering husband who eats everything I put in front of him. Most of the time.

6. I am thankful for good health, exercise and energy.

7. I am thankful for my wonderful, cuddly kitty who's loved me unconditionally for 11 years.

8. I am thankful that my husband has put up with said kitty and even makes occasional efforts to befriend her.

9. I am thankful for books and words, and the unlimited opportunity to learn from the greatest minds in history.

10. I am thankful for friendships that continue to grow regardless of time and distance; for the dear ones at home who intentionally involve me in their lives.

11. I am thankful for a vibrant, growing youth group full of kids who open their hearts and lives to us, and for all the memories we've made over this past year.

12. I am thankful for our small group, the way we spur each other on in godliness, the deep friendships that are forming and that we can spend Thanksgiving together.

13. I am thankful for a church that preaches the gospel unashamedly and that has welcomed us with such open arms.

14. I am thankful for my dear Texas friends who make this home-away-from-home business so much easier; for the long talks, movie nights, sleepovers, baking escapades, travel and countless memories.

15. I am thankful for the most loving parents-in-law on earth and for their faithful prayers and support.

16. I am thankful for three incredible siblings-in-law. They are such a joy and some of my dearest friends.

17. I am thankful for my littlest sister, Sue, and that we got to spend a whole week together in September. I am thankful for her humor, creativity, passion for God and the highly entertaining letters she sends.

18. I am thankful for my mini-me, MaryLynn. I am so inspired by her maturity, intellect, faith and prayer life.

19. I am thankful for my brother Sam, and for what a fighter he is. He has remained steadfast and faithful in the midst of many trials, and embodies the truth that God is good, all the time.

20. I am thankful for Jared, my prayer-warrior brother. He has a real anointing on his life and I am so refreshed and filled with faith every time we talk and pray together.

21. I am thankful for Christene, my hero and best friend. She is one of the most Christlike people I know, and makes me love Him more. She embodies Psalm 37, and over the years I have watched her delight fully and completely in the Lord. I am thankful that God gave her the desire of her heart this week!

22. I am thankful for the perfect parents for me: a strong, hardworking and committed dad, and a mom who gives everything she has to care for and encourage her kids, and follow her husband. I am beyond-blessed by them.

23. I am thankful for the heritage of faith passed down from my grandparents, and how their continual prayers work powerful change in my life.

24. I am thankful that Jesus is King, and that nothing happens outside of His reign.

25. I am thankful for a country where we are free to worship, believe and preach the truth of the gospel.

26. I am thankful for Jhaneth and Fernando, our Compassion children, and for how they daily teach me gratefulness.

27. I am thankful for the time and the means to travel; for the myriad of photos and priceless experiences collected with my better half.

28. I am thankful for every single hardship and heartbreak that God has brought me through. I am thankful that He has been with me all the time; that He sustains me and without fail gives me the opportunity to use what I've learned to help someone else in similar circumstances.

29. I am thankful that almost 7 years ago a country boy wearing plaid and blue jeans walked in my front door and changed my life forever. Our selves are so intertwined that I honestly cannot imagine myself without him. These 2+ years of marriage to Nathan have truly been a taste of heaven, and I love and respect him more every day.

30. I am thankful that I have everything I need in Christ. When all else is stripped away, He is always there, and He is enough. The spiritual blessings I have been given in Him far outweigh the temporal things on this list. I am filled to overflowing with His goodness to me. May I never stop giving thanks!

I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

~ Psalm 34:1-10

An Update, in Pictures

I can't believe it's been over two months since I last wrote. So much has changed that it feels like a lifetime ago. Some snippets of our life lately:

In August we led the first youth retreat at our church's new campus. Our kids are the best in the world. We had a blast!

I got to go home over Labor Day - I hadn't been since Christmas and it was SO good to see everyone. 

I reunited with some of my dearest friends on earth...

Got a new hairstyle...

And stayed in a cabin deep in the woods with my family. 

I was in charge of dinner every night. We went all out. 

Sue, my littlest, took her first plane ride to come back with me and visit. She turned 13 while she was here! I feel old.

Birthday Girl!

Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream cake per her special request :)

Tigger had the worst withdrawal when she left...

What a little beauty :)

 The Endeavor made its last flight over Nasa Space Center - and my balcony!

Our youth group keeps growing...

And getting closer.

(Also, WE MOVED!! Check out the before and afters above)

I discovered my new favorite cake recipe...

And a fall soup that is out of this world. More on that later.

I met my hero last week, and she was everything I dreamed of: warm, sweet, funny and so complimentary. Pioneer Woman, I love thee. 

I've been on a serious bread baking kick lately. I discovered a no-knead, three-ingredient basic recipe that has endless add-in possibilities. I learned the hard way how NOT to remove the lid from a 450-degree Dutch oven, and bear the scars today. But this crusty deliciousness is so worth it. 

Lemon, rosemary and cheddar

Cranberry, orange and almond. Slay me.

Changes on a broader note: 

I quit work at the library in September when I was offered a job at  a local pregnancy center, where I've volunteered weekly since January. I now work part-time as the Office Manager and a spiritual counselor. Not a day goes by when I'm not praying for clients, reading Scripture with them, telling them about God and helping them find God's purpose in whatever crisis they're facing. I could not ask for a better job and I am SO grateful. 

Nathan now commutes almost an hour each way to an extremely demanding job, and he's studying non-stop for the GMAT. His dream is to get an MBA from a top business school. I have found such joy in picking up all the extra responsibilities around the house so he can be free to work and study. Every day I learn anew that God's grace is sufficient, and He is more than enough! 

What our life will look like a year from now still remains very much up in the air. I miss my family more every day. I want to be closer to home, but more than that I want God's will for Nathan and me. Any place that God has not called us to would be miserable indeed. I am learning to embrace with joy every season that I'm in, and live every day to the fullest - not missing out on a single bit that God has for me here, and now. With the election I am reminded of the uncertainty of the future. It is enough to simply pray every day, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done." No matter how our circumstances change, I want to be nowhere else but in the center of God's will.