Great Video

I just watched this five minute video recorded by a pastor in Dallas a few days before he had brain surgery for a tumor. I wanted to share it for a couple of reasons.

First, I think for a long time I operated in the fear he talks about at the end of his message. Just this summer, though, God started showing me my fear and reminding me that even if my worst fears come true, He will still be good. His grace is sufficient. It seems like God really spoke that deeply into my heart just in time for a semester with several unexpected trials that could have confirmed the real fear - that God doesn't truly care for me.

That brings me to the other reason I wanted to share this video. It really captures the heart of what I've experienced these past few months (though maybe on a smaller level than a brain tumor). God has over and over again showered us with love, comfort, and protection through difficult times in our life. He has shown us that His goodness truly does not shift with our circumstances.

Please watch the video...it's pretty short.

Back to Running

I decided today was a nice day for a long run (especially since Thanksgiving is tomorrow!) I headed out on one route, but I felt pretty good and decided to extend it a little bit. I mapped it when I got home and it was 7.7 miles.



So, i went out and jogged a few more minutes to make it an even 8. :) It took me 67 minutes to do what's mapped, so that's about an 8:42 minute mile pace. Funny how that's my same pace when I go my usual 3 or 4 miles...guess I should speed that up. I'm contemplating signing up for the Dallas half-marathon in March. It's only an extra 5 miles...and I have 4 months to train...The only drawback is it's $85 (or $100 if I don't decide by Monday). Seems like a lot to pay to go for a run!

First Thanksgiving of the Year

We had our first Thanksgiving of the year on Saturday night with the international Bible study Jason and I are part of. (I say "first" because I think we'll probably have three this year...two short of last year's five Thanksgiving meals.) We had about 25 people there, and everyone stayed to play games after we ate. My group played Operation, SkipBo, and Blockus, a game that I didn't do so well in my first time playing, but I really enjoyed.

I took my camera with me but of course didn't take a single picture. Good thing I got a few shots of my sweet potato casserole before we left the house!

The recipe is found here on allrecipes.com. I cut the sugar in half but keep in all the butter, which is why it tastes so good. I made 25 servings and calculated that if I made it according to the original recipe, that would have been 12,225 calories total. I actually skipped it for the main meal and then ate it as my dessert. We definitely went home full and sleepy. :)

Baby Shower Cupcakes

Last weekend some friends and I had a baby shower for a friend who is due at the end of the month. Inspired by my sister, who is always making fun cupcakes, I decided to try out these baby cupcakes from a book she has (I think it's this one). Mine didn't turn out quite like the pictures in the book--I needed some better icing writing tools I think...and a little more artistic talent--but they were still fun. Plus, we've been able to enjoy the leftover Mini Nilla Wafers this week, which go wonderfully with cool whip and chocolate chips or just dunked in milk.

Fall Garden

I meant to post these pictures a while back, but I never got around to transferring them from the camera to the computer. Here's the fall garden (our first one ever!):

Broccoli

Romaine and Butter Crunch Lettuce

Snap Peas

Once upon a time there were cucumbers and onions also, but when it rained a whole lot a few weeks ago, Sydney got in the garden (the driest place in the yard, since it is raised) and smashed them. We've never really had a problem with her doing that before. Maybe it's time to put an electric fence around it again! There are also green beans coming in that you can't see. All green food this year. :)

When It Rains...

It's been a bit rainy around here recently. While for the most part I've been able to avoid riding to class/work when it's really coming down, a good ole' Texas pour hit right before I was supposed to leave for class on Tuesday. You may remember my post a while back about how super cool I look on the way to class in the winter time. That may tempt you to believe that I couldn't get any trendier, but just to prove you wrong, here I am in all my awesomeness in wet weather:

It's a little blurry, but you get the idea. I'm not sure exactly where that rain coat came from, but it's big enough to fit over my back pack (keeping my change of clothes dry) and, provided I have not eaten too big a lunch, still button in the front. I delayed a little leaving that day (I had to get all geared up) so by the time I left, the water was no longer coming from the top down. But since so much came at once, I got hit with PLENTY'o'water from the ground up the whole way to class. I think the water was several inches deep in a few places. Despite the discomfort, though, there's something about getting soaked that just makes you smile. :)

Update

Well, blogging is going to be a bit slow this semester, if you couldn't tell already. My schedule is filled to overflowing. I pretty much have meetings, class, work, and my internship all day Monday through Friday, starting between 8 and 8:30 am and ending between 7 and 9 pm (later on Fridays, but I have a 2 hour break from 5-7 that day). It's been pretty hectic...in fact when the director of my office asked me if I needed anything from the supply office last week, my reply was "only if they have speed...I'm TIRED!" Thankfully my internship hours will be finished at the end of the month, so I think that means time will free up a little. Anyway, since my group project meeting got cancelled tonight, I figured I'd give a little update post.

A few weeks ago, Jason and I pulled up the sweet potatoes. They had kind of taken over.

They would have been even better if we'd waited a few weeks, but we were ready to plant fall veggies. Here's what we harvested (minus a few I'd made into sweet potato baked "fries" earlier that night).

I really wanted to post a picture of our fall garden, but it's dark outside, so that will have to wait for another day. :)

Last weekend, Jason and Bryan started a remodeling project that Jason envisioned before we even moved in. Here's the before...

And the almost-after (it still needs paint, trim, and knobs).

You can't really tell by my "before" picture, but where there now are cabinets and counter, there used to just be an empty space where we kept our trash can (my camera died before I could take a second picture). The space was designed for a stackable washer and dryer, but Jason--realizing that those do not belong in the kitchen--worked HARD to get the hookups for those moved. (See THIS post.)

I'm always amazed by how Jason can just think of an idea and do it. I might have thought, "a counter might be nice here," but never would I actually take out a wall and put one in. Already it has made the kitchen feel much bigger. This was also his first tiling job ever, and it looks awesome! Have I mentioned before that my husband is wonderful???