I didn't sign up for this!

Have you ever said that? or thought it? I did yesterday. I had to deal with something I really didn't want to. Then I heard God say "Yes you did! You gave your life to Me! You told Me you were Mine!". Oh yeah! I did give God my life didn't I?!

Sometimes that means I'll be put in situations or have to do things that I don't want to do, but if I do want my life to belong to the Lord, that means I give it to Him to do with as He wills.

He is always good, I can always trust Him and the trials of this life are nothing to be compared with the glory that is to come.

Sleeping a little better

I have Jason on video saying "tonight is the last night I will sleep in Momma and Daddy's room". He said this on the night before he turned 5. Then he said it again the next night, and the next. Then about 10 days later he suddenly started sleeping in his own bed! We did not do anything. He just did it. I think its an answer to our prayers, God knew how much we needed the sleep.

I think I previously posted that Silas was sleeping in his own room as well. Not now. He's been teething for the last week, 3 of his four 2 year molars are coming in! So he's been restless at night and been in our bed. Hopefully we can get him back in his own room soon.

Praise the Lord Jason is in his own room! We've been trying for 3 years and it finally happened when we weren't trying!

September 11, 2001

Where were you?

Archie and I were up and planning to have company over for lunch. We had no TV and hadn't turned on the computer or the radio. About 11:30 our friends called to say they weren't coming over under the circumstances. They weren't sure exactly what happened but they were watching the news.

We turned on the radio and tried to find some kind of info on the internet. After a while we packed our almost 10 month old Michael and drove out to my mother-in-law's house to see her TV and try and figure out what was going on.

I remember just standing in the middle of the living room watching the 2nd plane fly into the tower. They kept showing it over and over again. It was unbelievable!

What was happening? Was this all just the beginning? Was this all that was going to happen? Who was doing this?

I was glad that Michael was too young to know what was going on. I wished I could help somehow. I did pray.

Lord, I lift up to You the families of those who died that day. I pray that You will be with them in a powerful way. That You will comfort them and bring them peace. Most of all Lord, bring them close to You, use this to turn their hearts toward You.

Amen.

Jessica & Jessica - "Buttered" Noodles

Recipe? Buttered Noodles

Secret ingrediet? Yellow squash

Very easy recipe. Pasta (any kind, the funner the shape the more likely it will be eaten), yellow squash puree, milk, trans fat free spread, Parmesan cheese, and salt.

I have used this recipe several times now and it always wins with everyone, except Jason! I want to try pureeing the squash a little better and leave it without any chunks, maybe then he won't notice and will like it. He loves pasta though! Just not with squash in it.

I do wish grated parmasan cheese wasn't so expensive. It looks so much prettier than the powdery kind.

Jessica & Jessica - Chocolate pudding

Now this one sounded weird but I was willing to try it.

Recipe? Chocolate pudding

Secret ingredient? Avocado!

It really took very little time to make, while I didn't time myself I'd say the whole thing took about 15 minutes.

Simple recipe, avocado, powdered sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, trans fat free spread, and cornstarch.

I did not have enough cocoa powder so I just used what I did have and I think it was fine. It called for 1/2 cup and I only had 1/3 of a cup. But like I said, it was plenty.

The recipe called for 1 cup of avocado puree so I pureed 3 largish avocados and it was about a cup and a half, so really, 2 large avocados would have been about a cup.

The hardest part was getting the corn starch mixed in well enough but in the end it was fine.

I pureed the avocado until it was super smooth. I started out by just smashing it with a fork and then I put it into the food processor for about 2 minutes. I tell you, I didn't know avocado could get so smooth! It was like soft butter.

When it was done I served it with a little whip cream on top and wow! It was so good! You could taste the avocado and it was fantastic! It was VERY rich and smooth. The kind of dessert you can only eat a little of but that's all you need.

Michael was the only one who didn't like it but he's not a chocolate fan so whatever.

Jason loved it and couldn't believe it had avocado in it. My mother-in-law loved it even though she does not like avocados at all! Silas loved it even though I only let him have a little since chocolate doesn't like him. Gideon loved it. It was great!

Definitely a recipe I'll want to use again. Its not an every day pudding, but a real once in a while treat, or something you might expect to have after a fancy dinner.