Sautee Adventures

One of my personal goals for this season of my life is to start cooking. I've been married for two years, and it's finally hit me that it might be a good idea if I knew my way around the kitchen. I've gotten away with it this long because my husband is a foodie. He knows food. He loves food. And man alive can he whip up some really yummy stuff. This is all well and good (and yummy), but there's still some innate need in me to be able to put food on the table - literally - for my family. Don't get me wrong, I have no aims to become like Julia Childs or to even cook all of her recipes. But I do want to be able to come up with a menu, bargain shop for groceries, and put together a decent spread for dinner.

Last night's venture: Chicken Quesadillas. I have to admit, I didn't go into this meal trying to make something fancy. My goals were cheap, quick, and easy. Ingredients: canned chicken, cheese, and tortilla. Doesn't get much easier than that. But then I started thinking of ways to jazz it up a bit. I chopped up an onion (the first onion I've ever chopped by hand, thank-you-very-much) and some mushrooms (canned), and sauteed them. The only reason I even know that word at all is because my husband sautes everything. So I did what I've seen him do a hundred times. A little bit of oil and high heat, throw in the chopped goods, pinch in salt and pepper, give the pan a couple of shakes (and tosses, go me), and voila! While that was cooking, I threw in the canned chicken. Because, really, the whole motivation behind the onions and mushrooms was to cover up that weird canned chicken flavor. And boy did it ever. Add some rice on the side, and we had a great meal. I have to say, that was the yummiest thing I've ever made. Better yet, it seems Hubs really enjoys me cooking for him :)

Inch by inch

Good morning Monday. First Monday of my PhD career. I can feel the stress trying to seep in, and already the question trying to form in my mind "Why am I doing this, again?" So, it only took four days for that question to pop up. That's okay, I'm sure it will many [many] more times before this is all said and done. I know I'm here for a reason. I know I'm here because the God of heaven moved in my heart to be here. And that somehow this is part of my "destiny" - whether in getting me to the right career, or just making sure I get a big dose of [much-needed] character building. So instead of giving in to the stress and questions, I am choosing to remember. To remember that this day is His. And I am called here "for such a time as this."

"Inch by inch, a cinch. Yard by yard is hard." Today I am going to take it inch by inch. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:34

Quick Update

Okay, so I need to do a bit of back-posting. To log the story of the summer, and the start of school. Let's sum it up a bit.

Our trip to Israel was amazing.

I spent the entire month of July playing World of Warcraft with my friends. It was a blast. (Poor Hubs worked the whole summer.)

Had plans to move into an apartment at the end of July. That didn't work out. The next week we found the cutest little house - for less rent, and including laundry room! AND the same day we found the house, Drew was offered an assistantship from Clemson - meaning less work, and more money, while he's in school.

It was a summer of waiting and resting, not sure what God had in store for us, but believing He would take care of it. And boy did He ever. We've had the house two weeks now, and I love it more everyday. And it's so much fun being a student with my husband.

We certainly are on the adventure of our lives.

Day 2

Day 2. Already exhausted. I’m handling the early mornings fairly well. That is, I’m actually waking up at a decent hour. But then again, I’m not sure I’d call 6 o’clock in the morning “decent” by any standards. (Okay, I DO hit the snooze button – twice – but I’m out of bed by 6:20. Still decent… if you want to call it that.)

My meandering here gives evidence to the fact that my brain is on “power saver” mode. Perhaps more coffee is in order.

Eight A.M. Bioinformatics. And prof made sure he let us know he purposefully chose that time. Sadist. Okay, okay, he’s actually very reasonable, and I think I’ll enjoy his class a lot. As long as I can keep my brain from fogging out.

Next on the books… Biochemistry. Except I’m teaching this one. Well… assisting-teaching.

All in all, I’m loving it. *Que McDonald’s theme*

Dust Bunnies

Less than a month until the Big Day! I'm trying to get this apartment cleaned out. And it seems that "cleaning out" makes a very big mess. We're donating most of our big furniture to the church yard sale, and i'm trying to bring myself to part with all this nick-nacky stuff that seems to multiply in hidden corners and drawers. It's amazing how much stuff accumulates. And, unfortunately, both my husband and I have pack-rat tendencies. "But my fourth grade teacher gave me that dinosaur mug..." (which, btw, is an actual example, ha).

I have to say, though, that having a completely clean coat closet makes me feel great. Even if the living room does now look like the closet threw up on it.

Adventures of a lifetime

For the last few months I have been looking toward a huge bend in the road, having no idea what the scene will look like when we finally round that corner. It's been such an interesting process. Anticipation, expectancy, lots of faith, plenty of questions, and ultimately really trying to learn what it means to leave it in His hands.

To put all of this practically, Hubby and I were trying to get into grad school, with no assurance of funding or positions available, and neither of us had jobs lined up for the summer/next year. So, stepping onward without really having a place to set our feet down. But I'm learning a lot during this waiting process, and I'm really thankful for it.

As of now, Hubs has been accepted into his Master's program (hooray!) and has also found a full time job for the summer that promises to transfer him when we move. It's such an answer to prayer!

I am currently a college instructor, and finals are upon us. After this, nothing. For the first time in a long time I will have neither job nor school requirements of me. But I shall have my own adventure nonetheless. That of packing and moving. I have approximately six weeks to clean up this place, donate all the junk to our church's yard sale, pack it up, and move it. Into storage no less. We're moving in with my parents. And immediately after we get moved, we are flying on an eleven day trip to Israel. Sounds like adventure to me!

Remember

My randomized playlist this morning has been awesomely uplifting! Thought I would share some lyrics...


When you figure out
Love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small
"So Small" -Carrie Underwood


He is all the strength that I will
Ever need
"He will carry me" -Mark Shultz


Remember surrender
Remember the rest
Remember that weight lifting off of your chest
And realizing that it's not up to you and it never was
-Sara Groves


When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Horatio Spafford


For whatever it takes
And whatever the faith
I trust You
For whatever the cost
And whatever is lost
I love You
I love You, Lord ....
Let my life be an example of Your love for me
I give this world just to carry Your cross
And to be what You want me to be
-"Like Clay", LaRue

Fam

Once I became "of age" I spent all of my free time with my friends (i.e., non-family members). Walks downtown, shopping, movies, coffee... you know, the general "hanging out" things one does with one's friends. Rarely was I home; rarely was I "hanging out" with the fam. The past two to three years, however, have seen quite a shift in my relational queue. That is, all my hanging out buddies were suddenly gone. And, honestly, it has only been just recently that I've realized how much of a hidden blessing this has been.

I now have a closer-than-ever friendship with my sister; I've spent more time chatting with my parents; and I've visited by older brother and his fam more than ever. I suppose this is all very fitting for this part of life. I have so much to learn about being a wife and [eventually] a mother. I'm pretty sure these are the best people I could ever look up to in those regards. My sister and her husband have survived and conquered fourteen amazing years of marriage with two beautiful - and might I add, very well behaved - children. My older brother and his wife are conquering the joys and struggles of raising a full-of-life-and-love little boy (and have the belly-laughing stories to prove it). My parents have survived - and thrived through - some of the toughest struggles you ever could think. And I have to say, it's quite a blessing to live in the shadows of such God-fearing, family-loving, help-giving people that just-so-happen to be my family. They certainly do make the bestest of friends.

House Hunting

Hubby and I went looking at apartments again today. This has become a small hobby of ours over the past year or so. It's fun to think and plan and "hot dog" talk about the future. Today was a bit different from past times, though, because this time we actually are moving. Granted, we're not moving for another three months or so. But there it is, looming... June 12... the day our lease ends... and, as it turns out, the same day we fly off for our pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The move is inevitable. So I'm attempting to handle all the details as calmly ahead of time as I can. Which is basically to say, I'm checking out my options and trusting that God knows what He's doing. He's a pretty smart guy, God.

Today was our second look at our soon-to-be hometown. We found the coziest little town home - a hundred dollars cheaper than everything else we've seen and including most of the items on our "wish list" (i.e. patio, next to the bus stop, etc). Needless to say, we're fairly excited. Now if we could just get all those details figured out...

"I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait"
~While I'm Waiting, John Waller

Day 1

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will direct your path." -Proverbs 3:5-6

And so it is that I have begun a new blog. I say "new" because I've had blogs before. Xanga, MySpace, etc. They all met dreadful ends. That is, I deleted them (which I now sorely regret). I really enjoy blogging. My blog is unlikely to be "cool" in any way or catch the attention of masses of readers. And that is fine by me. I blog for me. For my sanity. For archivability. And, let's face it, for fun.

This year is going to be one of the most interesting years I've faced yet. I'd like to have an outlet for, and log of, the events that are to come.