Southwestern soup

We just had the BEST soup for dinner! I wanted to try the soup recipe on the front of Jan. Southern Living. Every time I saw the magazine, I would WANT that soup. So this afternoon I made my grocery list and decided to make that soup. Well, while I was gone to the bookstore, my wonderful husband went to the grocery story, came home, and made the soup with the help of Jonathan. It was so good that I have to share the recipe with you just in case you don't get SL...my favorite mag.
Southwestern Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
2 (16 oz. ) cans of light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapenos, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes and chilies, undrained
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
2 cups of frozen yellow and white corn
1 envelope of taco seasoning mix
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro
Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven medium-high heat,
stirring often, 10-12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is soft; drain.
Stir in kidney beans, next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings.
ENJOY!!!! If you want a picture look up Jan. issue of Southern Living

don't forget

I read the letter that Jenna and Barbara Bush wrote to the Obama girls telling them some of their experiences in the White House. You can read it online. I don't know if you read it, but it was wonderful. They told them to enjoy everything about living in such a special place and go to every event that they possibly could. They told them what staffers were good for a hug or smile. At the end, on a more serious note, they gave them a bit of advice which has stuck with me all week. They told them to never forget who their daddy really is. Others will think that they know their daddy, but they don't. They weren't there when there daddy held them right after they were born or when he sent them off on their first day of school. What a good reminder, "Don't forget who your daddy is." My Abba Father walks with me every day, loves me even when I mess up, picks me up out of the pit and sets my feet on a rock. He is my refuge and strength.
As the hymn says, "O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be; let they grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander-- Lord, I feel it-- prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
Our daddy binds our heart to Himself. Our daddy is gracious and longsuffering. He is a big-hearted Father! So many others will tell you that they think they know Him, but they don't.
Don't forget who your daddy is.

being sick...

...i hate it. I miss out on everything. If you know me, you know how I hate to miss stuff. I love going to basketball games, even though you get home late and have to get up and at it again the next day. I love going to parties...all kinds. I missed both yesterday. David called from the b-ball game to tell how wonderful and exciting they were. Both the girls and boys won, the boys in overtime! hooray!! He said he was going to bring the girls over to their friend's house for some fun! Their friend's mom is my good friend. I hung up the phone and felt rather crummy. I hadn't eaten anything in two days, still not sure if I want to. I was bummed. I also was missing my nephew's wedding celebration dinner. I was sure there was lots of talking, laughter, and wine...and I was missing it ALL!! Oh well, so I just went to bed early and woke up, jumped on the computer to see if anyone had posted any pictures of any of the events that I missed yesterday. Today is a new day, I feel much better and am hoping to go to a Super Bowl party tomorrow night....

being mama

The last few days I have got to be just the mama and not teacher. Jacob was sick all night Mon. night into Tues. and then Jonathan started last night. When Jonathan starts to throw up, it comes on him like a vengeance...always has been that way. It always makes me worry a little. We finally got a nice blanket of snow. Jacob looked longingly out the windows on Tues. as it snowed and then as the kids played in it. He wanted to go out, so I let him. Who knows when it will snow again. He only lasted about 10 minutes because he was so weak. Tues. was nice snow to play in. Yesterday was snow mixed with ice and slush...very wet. One of the joys of being home the past couple days was making homemade bread. I keep hearing my mom and sister talk about all the baking they are doing and it just made me so hungry for homemade bread. So I made four beautiful loaves! It is so soft. I think I must have kneaded it b/t 12-15 min. I was having so much fun...like therapy. Mom once told me that is why my Aunt Gladys had such good bread...because she kneaded hers for a long time. Mom was in too much of a hurry to GET IT DONE!
Katelyn has decided to read two books a month outside her school work. She just finished Passion and Purity and now is reading a book by Paul Tripp...can't remember the name. By doing this, it has challenged me to do the same. So I read "Same Kind of Different as Me". Now I am going to finish "Prodigal God" by Tim Keller...one of my favorite authors and preachers. I started it over Christmas and then started and finished a couple of other books that I got for Christmas. PG is an easy read and very, very good.

friend's blog

If you don't read any other blog today, you have to read my friend's at "Life with 4 kids". It is hilarious! Also, Emily Evans, thanks for referring us to such good books! I just finished "Same Kind of Different As Me". I LOVED it! Melinda, you will love it. Emily is at "Finding Grace".

back again

Home again, home again....
What a quick trip. It feels like a dream. Aunt Miriam's funeral was a sweet worship service. Kate and I sang "The King of Love" (the traditional funeral song in the Calhoun family). My sisters and I have sung that song together many times. It is such a good song and I never get tired of singing it. It was a beautiful day yesterday for Aunt Miriam's funeral, sunny and 60. David did a great job as well...that was a hard funeral to do...Miriam loved David like a son. We will miss her very much. We saw many friends from our first church that we hadn't seen in a loooonnng time. I got to see my friend Jennifer in Aiken for a little bit. We got back home tonight and I sat down, checked my email and found that my Aunt Carolyn went to be with Jesus this morning. I don't think we will be able to go to that funeral...in Minnesota. Our thoughts and prayers are with my mom and her siblings and other family members...we love you.

Christmas at Longwood

Last Saturday night the girls wanted to go hear their favorite band (Line of Fire...a group of TOCS students and former students) play up in Kennett Square, PA. So I thought that sounded like fun, we (the boys and I) could go to Longwood Gardens while they are at the concert. I wanted to hear the band too, but it wouldn't be too cool to have your mom hanging around with your friends ALL evening. We got to Longwood just as the last ice skating show was about to begin. We practically ran to the rink and found some REALLY good seats. One reason they were really good was because they were in front. When we sat down and got settled, Jonathan pointed to the people sitting right in front of us...Melinda and Joel (my sister and brother-in-law)!! What fun! We couldn't have planned it better ourselves! I didn't have a camera with me, so Melinda will have to post her pictures on her blog. I haven't been to Longwood in a long time at Christmas, so I really wanted to fit it in this year. It was not disappointing at all....breathtaking!! It was fun being with
M & J too!

our friend

Aunt Miriam went to be with Jesus. She is no longer struggling with a body that is eaten up with cancer and all its side effects. Praise Jesus! We are going back down to South Carolina, leaving sometime late this afternoon. The funeral is Friday at 2. David is helping with that and Kate and I are singing. We are looking forward to seeing friends and celebrating what Jesus did in Miriam's life...what a dear friend she was to our family. God gave us a really special time with her when we were down there. She had improved and wanted to show me her sewing projects. She sewed 7 Christmas place mats on Christmas Eve! We all sang and prayed together. She told me that she wanted "And Can it Be" sung at her funeral. So I said, "Why don't we sing it together right now." What a sweet time of worship that was; it brings tears to my eyes now! Part of the last verse says, "bold, I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ, my own. Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?" Amen!

Happy New Year!

We are back home in our own little nest! We have tons to do before school on Monday, including finding some sort of vehicle that will hold 7 people and their gym bags and backpacks. David is out doing that right now....and he has to preach tomorrow!! I am off to the post office and the grocery store and just thankful to be where God has put me. I had a dream that I lost track of time and realized that I was very late getting to school. I was running through a parking lot trying to get to my car and woke up! yeah, it was a dream! I should take down the Christmas decorations today...I really want to keep them up and enjoy them a little bit longer. I know, most people just want to be done with it by now. I want to hang on to every last minute.
We had so much fun in SC. We had the traditional New Year's dinner at our friend's the Avera's in Beaufort, SC....black eyed peas, collard greens, ribs, pulled pork, butter beans, mashed potatoes. David was a happy man. Actually, we all thoroughly enjoyed it and ate like pigs...now back to reality and eating right!