Jeans

Here's our girl in her first pair of jeans! This is significant because I can remember receiving my first pair. I was 4, my sister was2 and Grandma was horrified we didn't have any so she bought us each a pair. Heehee! Unfortunately, I cannot resist the cuteness of baby jeans so Nugget will not have this memory! They are so cute!

Home for Dinner 2009

Every year Cedarville Alumni office plans "Home for Dinner." It's an opportunity for alumni to host current students for dinner. It is so. much. fun.! We have hosted students every year since we've been married. We have had a great bunch every year! One of the best parts of Cedarville University is its student body. This was our group from this year. Again, a great bunch of students. We had one nursing student (yay!) and even a media type major (which was so fun for Ralph).
We had a very yummy planned for them and were quite pleased with the results! Our menu was:

• Crostinis
• Cherry Coke Ham
• Vegetable Medley
• Home made rolls
• Chocolate Espresso cake w/Cafe Latte Cream
• Sweet tea, lemonade and water

The crostinis were just hamburger buns I had frozen. I brushed them with a mixture of olive oil and butter, toasted them, topped them with a mixture of sauteed mushrooms and garlic and Parmesan cheese. So yummy!

The Cherry Coke Ham is a Nigella Lawson recipe. It ended up being Wild Cherry Pepsi ham as that was what was on sale. :) Here is the recipe:
5-6lb boneless mild cure ham
1 onion
approx. 6 12oz cans Cherry Coke

For The Glaze:
approx. 16 whole cloves
1 teaspoon pimenton dulce or smoked paprika
3-4 tablespoons cherry jam
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Put the ham snugly into a large saucepan (you really need the tightest fir you can, so that you don't have to use lots and lots of Coke to cover it later) and fill with cold water. Put the pan on the heat and bring to the boil, then drain the ham into a colander, wash the ham under the tap and rinse the saucepan before putting the ham back in. This will get rid of some of the saltiness. Or just soak overnight [which is what I did].
Add the Cherry Coke and the onion, halved, to the ham and if the liquid doesn't cover it then add some water. Put back on the heat and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and partially cover the pan. Cook for approx. 2-2 1/4 hours.
When you are ready to glaze the ham, preheat the over to 450. Remove the ham from the liquid, reserving it for later, and sit the ham on a board. Strip off the rind, and a little of the fat layer if it's very thick, and cut a diamond pattern into the remaining fat with a knife in lines about 3/4 inch apart. Stud each diamond with a clove.
Put the jam, pimenton dulce and red wine vinegar into a saucepan and whisk together over a high heat, bringing it to the boil. Let the pan bubble away so that the glaze reduces to a syrupy consistency that will coat the fat on the ham.
Sit the ham in a roasting pan on a layer of aluminum foil, as the sugar in the glaze will burn in the oven as it drips off. Pour the glaze over the diamond-studded ham and then put it in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the glazed fat has caught and burnished. Take the ham out of the oven and return it to the carving board to rest before you carve it.
from Feasts:Food To Celebrate Life pg.206-206

The Chocolate Espresso Cake w/Cafe Latte Cream is also a Nigella Lawson recipe. This cake is so yummy we will DEFINITELY be making it again soon! Here is that recipe:
For The Cake
5oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons butter
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup/4 tablespoons Tia Maria or other coffee liqueur

For The Caffe Latte Cream
3oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
scant 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

Take anything you need out of the fridge to bring to room temperature. The only truly important thing, however, is that the eggs aren't cold, so if they are, just put them into a bowl (I use the KitchenAid bowl I'm going to whisk them in later) and cover them with water for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and line a 9 inch springform pan.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave or double boiler and set aside to cool slightly. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick, pale and moussey. They should have at least doubled in volume, even tripled. If you're using a standing mixer, as I do, this is effortless.
Gently fold in the flour and espresso powder, taking care not to lose the air you have created, and finally add the melted chocolate and butter, folding gently again. Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 35-40 minutes, by which time the top of the cake should be firm, and the underneath still a bit gooey. Immediately pour over the Tia Maria and then let the cake cool completely on a rack before releasing it from the pan.
For the cream, melt the white chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and let it cool. Fold in the cream and espresso powder, whipping the latte cream together to thicken it a little. For some reason the white chocolate seems to make the cream instantly thicker; if I whisk the cream first it can seize a little when it's stirred into the chocolate.
Sit the sprung cake on a plate and fill the middle sunken crater with the caffe latte cream and dust with a little cocoa, or just put the buff-colored cream in a bowl, with a spoon, to serve alongside the cake, dusting or not with cocoa or, indeed, instant espresso powder or a mixture of both, as you wish.
from Feasts:Food To Celebrate Life pg.292-293

Here She Is!

God's Grace

I have had some opportunities to practice my last post. It's been one of those weeks. You know? Recently, a one of my co-workers committed suicide. It was rough but we were dealing with it. Then this past weekend another co-worker was killed in a car accident. She was 20 and in the prime of her life. My co-workers and I are not dealing so well this time.

Then yesterday happened. Yesterday was that day I've been waiting for since I found out we were pregnant. The first big scare. Oh, and it was a BIG scare. Our day started out innocent enough. I woke up with enough time to shower and do my hair before Nugget wanted to eat again (she's going through a growth spurt and it's every 2-3 hour feedings again). She woke up, ate and we headed downstairs to find my phone as Ralph mentioned someone had called while I was in the shower. We didn't make it very far when my feet went out from under me and we slid down several steps. The look in her eyes. She cried immediately (a good sign, meaning she didn't pass out). She wouldn't be comforted so we looked and found a huge bump on the back of her head. We think she hit her head on the wall on her way down. She cried and cried and wouldn't eat.

Ralph called our doctor who had us come in that afternoon. She thought it was just soft tissue damage but sent us for X Ray's just in case. Well, we had just pulled up to the house when our doctor called and told us to head to Children's ER. She had a fracture and needed a CT scan to rule out a bleed. I don't know if we've ever been so scared. We hadn't even called any family to tell them about the day because we didn't think it was that big a deal. I had called Mom that morning because that's what I do when I'm sad/scared/don't know what to do. Like when I fall down stairs holding my 3 month old. :) We hadn't called anyone else because we thought we'd have her checked out and everything would be fine. She did great during her X Ray's and CT scan. It was so sad seeing her all swaddled and strapped down for her tests. She's so little and all the equipment is SO BIG! It never looks that big when I take my patients in for their tests.

The best part is she is fine and will heal. She got to come home with us last night. There was no bleed. We have some amazing friends and family here! I feel so blessed. We had multiple offers of dinner for last night and even friends bringing dinner tonight! Thank you all for your love and prayers! I love hearing everyone's children's head trauma stories. They help, they really do.

Today was the memorial service for my co-worker. It's been an emotional week. I'm bruised inside and out. God is faithful. The chaplain today made the point that we're going through the valley--it does have an end. I was reminded yesterday and today that I'm not going through it alone. God is good all the time.

Fear

I am always amazed at God's Word! It truly is alive and active and sharper than any double edged sword. It would seem from outward appearances I am very scattered, for lack of a better word, in the Word right now. My "quad," girls in my house church I meet with for accountability and prayer, are going through Esther. Amanda and I are using Beth Moore's study and Holly is using The Coffee Cup Series (Amanda and I have also love that series of Bible studies). Ralph and I are working our way through Daniel with Beth Moore. Our house church is studying the Sermon on the Mount. All of these seem unrelated, at first glance, other than the fact that they are all in the Bible. The other day, God used Beth to connect some dots for me on fear.

Daniel follows several young men until one is quite old. He shows the valiant choices they make in the face of fear for their God. They tackle these things we would be terrified of head-on and glorify God.

We are just getting to Matthew 6:19-34 in house church. It's talking about storing up your treasures in heaven and not worrying. The first may not relate to fear for you, but for me it does. One thing that people tend to fear most is the loss of a loved one. In my short life, I have lost a good number of family members. This number includes small children—a cousin and a nephew. We have come to view them as our treasures waiting for us in heaven. Part of the cloud of witnesses that surround us. People matter more than money. God more than people. I want people to know my God and Who He is, was and will always be. I trust Him to care for them better than we ever could.

The part about not worrying is obvious in its tie-in to fear. However, God really used those verses in my heart this fall. I was very worried about finances before Nugget came. I memorized these verses as a child participating in our local Awana program. God brought them back to me time after time without fail whenever I was tempted to worry this past fall. I WAS NOT to worry about what I would eat or what I would wear or what Nugget would wear. HE. WOULD. PROVIDE. End of discussion. His way, not my way, with what He knew we needed, not all of what I would be tempted to want, but with what I needed. He has and continues to do that.

That brings me to Esther. Beth took the familiar phrase "and if I perish, I perish" and changed it to look like this, "if I _____________, then___________." Enter the name of your biggest fear coming true. It happens sometimes, doesn't it? God doesn't prevent all of our fears from coming true. If your biggest fear came true, then what? Then what after that? And after that? She had us keep going like that until all we could say was "then God." It was cathartic to think through my deepest fear in that way. It was also interesting to me that what I would consider most women's deepest fears weren't really mine. I have watched those I love walk through those events and survive with the Lord's help. In some ways, they continue to survive in an ongoing, active way. The tragedies I'm speaking of are the death of a child and a spouse who finds someone new (or lots of new someone's).

My aunt, my sister (and BIL), my in-laws and a friend from high school (and her husband) are all in various forms of surviving the loss of a child. I have no doubt it would devastate me to lose Nugget. These men and women have shown me one can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Even go on living and loving God when He allows the death of a child. This same aunt has also shown me God is faithful when He allows you to walk through the death of a child and a spouse who finds someone new. Sometimes I find myself thinking, "Well, this was their/my one tragedy. He wouldn't really let us go through more." Then I think of her. God never promised us a tragedy free life or a life of singular tragedy. God is faithful. He has provided. I don't know the depths of her struggle but I know she still loves and trusts the Lord. I praise the Lord for these men and women who have taught me so much in their gracious, heartfelt responses to tragedy. They didn't pretend they weren't devastated. They didn't pretend everything was okay. They did point to The One Who got them through the hard days—Who still gets them through the present and future hard days.

Our First Video

You'll have to forgive my talking in the backgound--I thought Ralph was taking pics not video! Hee hee!

Moments in My Day

Unique Challenges of Motherhood

There are so many things that it never occurred to me that would be so difficult as a mom. Mainly things that revolve around feeding my precious girl. Ralph and I decided to head up to Columbus to watch the 5 Best Picture nominees the Saturday prior to the Oscars. We decided to skip two of them, making it a slightly shorter day. Initially, we thought we'd bring her with us. Then I got to worrying what if she had a tough day, the noise levels, etc. Suddenly the oh, so portable baby seemed less portable. :) Grandpa and Grandma were quick to volunteer to watch her--even though it meant being up well past midnight. Then came the concern, "How do I pump during this 14 hour or so day away from her?" I am in a whole new world. Turns out that Easton provides a nursing bench in its women's restroom, next to this bench was an outlet. It was the perfect spot to head to in between movies. I think it was worth it for Ralph and I to have a day out together, so far we have only done so separately, but it definitely takes more forethought and preparation than it used to. Just ask Amanda. We ended up leaving town about when she originally thought we would but we said, "Let's leave earlier," an hour and a half to be precise but were a little late leaving, had to run Nugget north to Grandma and Grandpa's, forgot critical things for pumping at home, had to head back south to pick up said items, etc, etc. Thank the Lord for an understanding best friend! She claims not to be a patient women but I think she has the patience of a saint! :)

So, to you experienced moms, what else should I expect to take more time and preparation than it used to? What tricks and words of wisdom do you have for me?

I've pulled off our first party, feeling pretty good about that, and am preparing for our first dinner party (aside from close family friends) in March. Taking care of her is the most fun I've had in a long time. I embrace each new challenge with the enthusiasm that comes from a long awaited desire finally fulfilled. Her fussy days provide me with an excuse to stop and cuddle. Her happy days fill my world with smiles and giggles--love those! I will get some on video for you grandparents and great grandparents and aunties and uncles soon!



P.S. Don't forget (Grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc) to check out our Flickr page for more pics. You can even download, print and order the pics we post there. Her two month pics (late, of course) will be in the mail to you all shortly!!!

Precious Moments

I love being a mom. Every day I feel so blessed to see her little face smiling up at me. Being a working mom has some challenges--mainly lack of sleep. Nugget and I have a great routine on my days off. On the days that I work, it doesn't go so well. It usually involves me being up until 11, feeding her around 2 or so and then getting up at 4. Recently, I worked three in a row and was feeling extremely exhausted. The fall asleep while sitting straight up kind of tired. We headed up to bed where I was hoping we would actually get some sleep. She started fussing as she had the past three nights. I reached my hand out and her little hands grabbed mine. She stopped fussing and fell asleep holding my hand. It was very sweet. Those are the precious moments I love. There is nothing better.

Rejoicing

What do you rejoice in? I have been working on memorizing Psalm 119. It will probably take me over a year to get there but that's ok. February I memorized verses 9-16. Verse 14 really stuck out to me. "I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches." That's a whole lot of rejoicing. I don't think it ever occurred to me to rejoice that way. It's been sticking in my head. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard at times to do what we know we should if we took the time to rejoice in doing it. Too often I think we focus on how hard it is to fight our sin nature instead of rejoicing in following Christ. Why is that? In some ways, I feel like I should just do what is right and that celebrating it wouldn't be. But as I've been pondering this verse, it's been changing how I think. We celebrate with children when they do what we want--prizes for potty training, when they stop sucking their thumbs, etc. I wonder if we started celebrating our relationship with Christ more if we'd be better off. Anyway, it's a verse that's sticking with me. What have you been meditating on recently?