I love Southern Living

This month's issue of SL has some really great recipes that are calling my name!
So tonight for the birthday dinner we are going to have Rosemary Grilled Chicken thighs with grilled veggies and couscous. Now I am feeling inspired! It was a toss up b/t the chicken and the Grilled Pork Roast with Fruit Compote. I already have chicken in the freezer. Anyone want to join us for a birthday party?!

feeling uninspired

First 5k....here she comes!


I guess I better write something today. I haven't felt like I had anything to say...how unusual for me! :) I have had a lot on my mind, just not anything I want published on the world wide web. So for what can be out in public....
We had a fabulous weekend which started with pouring down rain for running club practice and getting my keys locked in the car, probably ticking off some parents for calling off running club practice, sitting at the school until after 6
We woke up to a new day on Sat. morning! Kate and I went and ran our first 5k of the season. We both had horrible times! It was very warm and muggy. I felt like I could hardly breathe! Humidity zaps me. I felt zapped the rest of the day. Yesterday we went to the beach all afternoon. It was fabulous!! It was a really hot, humid day yesterday...perfect for playing in the water. We were in the water a lot. Mary Ellen hasn't downloaded, uploaded....or whatever....her pictures yet. So I will have to post pictures on a later blog. We had a great time together as a family. Back to work today...David's b-day! I am reminded today of how blessed I am to have a wonderful Christian husband. It's also a bonus that he is incredibly romantic, loves to have fun, puts up with all my craziness! The other night we were having a heart to heart. I am pouring out my heart to him and he says, "I have NO idea what you are talking about! "...poor David. That is probably the story of his life. It wasn't funny at the time, but now it kinda makes me laugh.

Happy birthday...

...to the one I love!

Friday night football!

Kate and Mary Ellen enjoying the game..


This is not that great of a pic....but that is the only one Mary Ellen took of No. 44...
When we moved up here from SC 8 years ago, we really missed Friday night football. In the small town that we lived in, it was the social event of the week. Everyone went to the f-ball game. They always prayed before the beginning of each game (yes, this was public school in the south). The local pastors took turns praying before the game. When it was David's turn to pray, we would all get to go for free! :)....fun times. Well this past Friday night we got to go to a high school football game. Our school doesn't have a team. So one of our senior boys plays for another Christian school. It was so fun and made David a bit home sick...I love football season. Another reason I am excited for fall....

good friends

Today I had a visit from a good friend. We have known each other for almost nine years. She has been such a blessing to me. We met when we came up to candidate at Willowdale almost nine years ago. She and another good friend, Katie Martin, took me to Winterthur while David was being "entertained" by the elder board, staff, pastor and whoever... We hit it off from the beginning. In fact, we were having such good conversation over lunch that we didn't realize how time had gotten away from us. Good thing Katie was nursing or we would have been there way past our time limit! It is interesting to me that both Katie and Sarah have become such dear friends and that they were the first ones I met. Sarah has since moved out to Spokane, WA with her family for her husband to go to Moody's mission aviation school. They have been invited to join an organization that helps missionaries in the very remote places of Alaska. These places are only accessible by plane or boat. There are no roads. Paul is very skilled with his hands and now has his pilot's license. He has already been to some of these places this past summer to help work on a house of a missionary. Both Paul and Sarah have the gift of helps. We have been the recipient of it and have also enjoyed Sarah's wonderful gift of hospitality. It truly is an act of love. I always loved being in her home...so comfy and cozy. He finished our basement in our old house in West Grove, PA. We had a lot of compliments on it when our house was on the market. It is sooo good to look back and see how God has blessed us with dear friends. Sarah brought her kids with her today. My kids had a great time with them and we hope it isn't so long before we see each other again. I think Jonathan and Sam picked up right where they left off a few years ago. So once again, God manifested himself to me today through the gift of friendship...he gives good gifts!

God's grace...

Don't use change for your career, use your career for change.
---Sarah Palin
I liked that quote from her speech last night.
Another thing I read this morning that I didn't want to forget...changing the subject
"So God's grace isn't always comfortable because he isn't primarily working on our comfort; He's working on our character. With violent grace He will crush us because He loves us and is committed to our restoration, deliverance, and refinement. And that is something worth celebrating."
---Paul Tripp taken from "Whiter Than Snow" meditations on sin and mercy
This is referring to Ps 51:8

Palin power

I just finished watching Sarah Palin's speech! She rocks!! What a great speech! I can't go to sleep. I was in the middle of making lunches for tomorrow and ended up sitting down in the LR to watch the speech....might as well do lesson plans.