Tender Mercies

Dear Adelai, "Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.  If you did, what would there be to look forward to?  Be thankful when you don't know something,  for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.  Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.  Be thankful for your mistakes, they will teach you valuable lessons.  Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference. It is easy to be thankful for the good things.  A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.  Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.  Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings." -Anonymous Oh sweet girl, I heard this quote today at the end of my yoga practice and immediately thought of you. You were ...

My husband and I LOVE food. Anyone who doesn't know that about us just doesn't know us very well yet.  We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on November 25th. This past year has been the most difficult one for me, but the most rewarding. A baby's first year is not for the faint-hearted. My man has sure seen the worst of me as I have traversed these fatigue filled days, as well as the best of me as I have cherished every squishy giggle from our beloved girl. BUT O HOW AMAZING TO GO ON A DATE FOR 5 HOURS ALONE WITH HIM! (Thank you to the mother-in-law for tending the baby!) We have been planning to go to La Galette Berrichonne  ever since we were told of their 7 course French dinners on Saturday nights by reservation only back in July. Yes, we are planners too. Eating French food on our anniversary is an unofficial tradition for us. We went out for French food on our wedding night and fell in love with it, so we treat ourselves to a decadent meal once a y...

Dear Adelai, October flew by like a whirlwind. You went on your first airplane, visited the Nation's capitol, learned how to crawl like a master, and how to stand up against anything and everything you can grab onto. I've learned that our home isn't as baby proof as I would like, especially when I heard the "click" of the power strip to the deep freeze and realized you had turned it off. I'm glad I noticed it right away! Grandma Adams's house Oct 15 I've been thinking a lot about how curious you are. When I open the fridge, you immediately begin crawling towards it and want to discover its contents. When I place a piece of avocado or roasted pumpkin or salad turnip on your tray, you waste no time in grabbing it and placing it in your mouth.  Nom nom nom.   You just want to learn and discover everything! I only pray I won't inhibit your learning by my being too cautious or concerned over insignificant matters.  I am not the ...

Dear Mom of the screaming child, Nobody wants to be "that" mom, the mom who receives all the questioning looks from strangers sitting in too close proximity for real comfort. Airplane rides are hard with children, especially when they are crying, but most especially when they are screaming. This is a letter to you, to let you know that you are not alone and that I have been there too.  I sat in the window seat, my seven month old daughter screaming in my arms. She didn't want to nurse. She didn't want her toy. The scene out the window wasn't distracting her either. She was just sad! And so was I. Tears streamed down my face as I thought of the innocent passengers next to, in front of, and behind me. They didn't know they would be stuck next to a mom and her baby when they prepared to board their flight. We all paid the same price for our tickets and we all deserved to have a peaceful flight. But there was nothing I could do to sooth my baby girl...

What would you create with these seemingly random ingredients?  I felt like I had gotten into a rut. Food wasn't exciting anymore and I felt like I just was barley keeping up with putting food on the table and making sure my husband had his lunch and snacks and breakfast for the day. My baby girl has been going through a sleep regression of sorts and so I haven't been feeling 100% either.  Enter my very sweet and thoughtful friend.  She understands me and knows of my real love for cooking. I don't know if she realized I had gotten into a rut or if she just has some intuition that led her to give me a challenge. When I returned home from a weekend trip to the East Coast, I  had several ingredients on my counter with some specific instructions.  Jen- - Noting cold -Both need to be pan cooked, grilled, or oven #1 One meal consist of:  Anise seed/flower buds Hershey bar tea bag cashews #2: 1 bottle saffron 1 bag semoli...

When my husband mentioned that he wanted to run the Army 10-Miler in Washington, DC a few months ago, my immediate thought was, "Well then I want to go with you." Truth be told, I didn't expect him to actually make the team or be healthy enough to run because just four months ago his knees were in pretty bad shape and he couldn't even run a mile without terrible pain. So I just let him do his thing and waited. Flash forward to the beginning of the semester. He tried out for KU's ROTC team and made it. So I bought a plane ticket for Adelai and me to join him on the East Coast in October.  With the CG of ROTC We've been focusing on the important things in our family, and spending $330 for a ticket for me to fly over and spend 48 hours in DC was worth the expense. I wanted Adelai to be there for her daddy when he participated in a big event, and I wanted my husband to know that I supported him. What I really wanted was for this to be a family end...