Snap Shots of Washington

I'm back from the best trip (ever!) to Washington. I actually got to see most of my family from both the Gordon and Walton sides. I can't think of any other time when that happened. I only wish Aaron could have been there! It was so special to celebrate Addie's first year of life with a fun birthday bash. She came down with a fever the night before and still had a wonderful time. She's just the world's best kid. She's so happy, funny and FULL of personality! I can't get enough of her. Addie even decided to walk for the first time for her GG and Auntie! She completely surprised herself - She took about 5 steps, landed on her butt, then started clapping. It was so cute and funny, all I could do was laugh and cry at the same time! I love my family so much and couldn't have imagined a better time together. I'm truly, TRULY blessed.

It was only fitting to post this picture with my cousin Jill first. She's blogged about me in her famous running blog and she's amazing! She'll be running her first marathon this Summer. We got in two good runs together while I was in town. It was beautiful - The Cascade Mountains, Mt. Rainier and the Puget Sound all around us. It just doesn't get much better than the PNW!

When you're 4 years old, choosing just one when presented with a plate full of cupcakes is the toughest decision you've ever made. Waiting for a scream...(eek!!)
Nope - We're happy still!!

Sis, GGD, me and Mom (GG)
GG and Oompa's gift to Addie. Her first Radio Flyer wagon!
Birthday festivities
Addie's gift from her auntie and uncle. She LOVES her Rody Horse!
Childhood friends - Tyler and Claudia

First hair cut...somewhat of a tramatic experience, but a lovely look to show for it!

Someone loves ducks...and bath time!

Just the "usual" attitude of this kid!!

Ruston Way - The beautiful Puget Sound!

Mom's side of the family...were we really all together?!? And no, that's not Aaron behind me...only my 7 foot, 18 year old cousin - Ok, 6 feet. But when you're only 5'2, everything just looks ridiculously tall.

Tutu Time!

Old Friends :)

Addie Walked!

Power Smoothies

I'm on this new kick that I thought I'd share. I love most fruits and veggies, but it's not always "easy" getting the right amounts of them. And of course if I have the choice between a fruit or a veggie, usually the fruit wins! I started thinking, "I wonder what it would taste like if I ate them together?" So I tried it! Why not? The result is a super tasty, healthy, vitamin-packed power smoothie! I grab anything from a kiwi to kale and throw it right in the blender along with some ice and liquid (water, your favorite juice, or I use Naked Juice "Green Machine.") I realize it may sound a bit strange, but don't knock it 'til you try it.

To add a little protein, try throwing in half an avocado. I'm a huge fan of avocados - Not only for their taste, but for the fact that they're made up of healthy, essential fats.

Here are a few ideas. If you try this, let me know what you think.

1 kiwi
1/2 banana
4-5 frozen strawberries
1/2 avocado
1 carrot
5-6 kale leaves
3-4 broccoli spears (I don't "recommend using the "tree" part...it doesn't taste as good.)
a few ice cubes
1/2 C. water or juice of your choice (juice will obviously sweeten it a bit more.)

or

4-5 frozen strawberries
1/2-3/4 C. mix of frozen blueberries, respberries and blackberries
1/2 avocado
1 carrot
5-6 kale leaves
5 slices cucumber
a few ice cubes
1/2 C. liquid of choice

It's fun to play around with different ingredients to find what you like. I typically enjoy this for breakfast and sometimes one other time during the day (but not as a meal replacement other than breakfast.)

**I generally use kale (visit the link and scroll down to read about its nutritional value) in every smoothie because it's one of the healthiest veggies known to man. It's extremely anti-inflammatory and packed with antioxidants.

Enjoy!

Purse Project

My friend Rebecca has sure kept me on my game, because I promised I'd finish a craft project before this crazy snow storm was over! Thanks, Becca, for the texts, calls and encouragement! ;)

I've been meaning to fix the strap on one of my favorite purses. It isn't a fancy purse, nor did I pay much for it to begin with, but I absolutely love the size, color and look! So, after searching at the fabric store, I came home with the only pattern I thought would really work. It isn't the best, and Aaron isn't a fan of it (when I asked him what he thought, his response was, "Does it match?") Arg. Thanks, honey!! But he gave me two thumbs up for my creativity. Coming from such a handy guy, i'll take that as a compliment. Of course, the alternative would be a new bag!

Thankfully, this was super easy and took me only about an hour. That means I can always switch it out with something else in the future. Hey, at least I dusted off the sewing machine after about a month of no use!

Snow Crazy

It's official, we are snow crazy AND stir crazy! Since Friday, we got somewhere between 25 and 30 inches of snow. Old Town looked more like the Whistler Ski Resort (fitting, I'd say...) than it did a busy, happenin' city. We ventured out and hiked a bit on Saturday, ending up at the steps of one of the monuments. It had been turned into a snow boarder's haven. Pretty incredible!

Today (Monday), the entire city is bascially shut down still. The metro system can't operate above ground because there's too much snow piled on the tracks. My office runs on the Fairfax County School District schedule, so who knows if we'll even be open tomorrow. And the latest?? Another 6-10 inches in the works and hitting us tomorrow in the early evening! I must say, the snow is beautiful, but will this winter EVER end?!? I'm fairly certain I've asked that dreaded question every year since I've lived here. Thank the Lord for seasons and the hope of Spring!

Explanations

I've found myself unable to blog much for the past few weeks. It isn't because there's a lack of things to share, it's just that I've yet to discover a way to share things that can't be understood outside of the heart.

It's almost conflicting when I realize that most of the work I do is what many would call "depressing" and "overwhelming." When people ask me what I do for work, I often want to blurt out the question: "Do you want the short or the long answer?" Sometimes I can tell when I've explained too much....I might start to really bring the mood down in a conversation. I've come to realize that it isn't purely natural to "want to" walk through the fire with another human being during a time of great brokenness.

As I was catching up today with a friend who is about to embark on a new journey working for an international ministry, God brought these words to me as she and I discussed the amazing places faith in Christ leads us. I said, "Being in a ministry that takes you into the lives of hurting and often over-looked people, leaves your heart in two places. Half of your heart is constantly hurting and broken, but at the very same time the other half of your heart bursts with joy for the incredible miracles the Lord allows you to witness." The world is full of great sorrow - It is easy to get stuck on those things...this I know. But incredible things are still happening!

As I met with my boss yesterday, she shared something with me that really resonated. She said, "Often times we ask ourselves why a loving God would allow so many awful things to happen in the world. But the real question we should be asking is this: How could God not just wipe us all off the face of the earth for the destructive choices that we make." He created us. He could take us all away. It's very humbling to think of life in that way.

The thing I love most, is that I get to share real life with women as we see the good and bad in one another. I'm allowed the opportunity to walk beside someone as we journey through a time of life. She allows me trust - and to love and to help her. What our clients don't always realize is how much they actually bless us. It's incredible and I truly learn so much from them. Someone also said to me recently, "Whoever you come into contact with, always remind yourself: YOU are the worst sinner you know." Leaving any and all judgement behind and thinking of yourself as less than the broken one sitting before you. Since Jesus died to save us all, we are all broken in need of His grace and forgiveness. And it isn't about "getting rid" of anything, but accepting the gift that we could be loved enough to die for. For me, compassion flows out from my very being as I continue to grasp a bit more each day the grace I've been given. And how freeing it is to know that I am not given the power of judgement. That belongs to God alone. But through Jesus, I can be filled with his love and called to share it with women as it breaks our chains of pain and sorrow.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified FREELY by his grace, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24

Reconciliation

During our Christmas vacation in California, I brough along an amazing book that I could literally not put down. It's such an incredible story that I decided to dedicate an entire blog to share about it.

I don't want to give away important pieces of the story - so I won't - but this is truly one of the greatest books to tell of authentic faith, the bridge from misunderstanding to understanding, reconciliation, compassion, ministry, true friendship, love, struggle and pain. If you haven't read this book, you're missing out on something so imporant and special! I encourage you to visit your local book store or library to pick this up. Grab a box of tissues, because you'll cry and laugh tears. This story will change your perspective and increase your understanding of racial divisions, help you find your true passions in life and will move you to take action. It gave me a renewed compassion for people and helped to re-fuel my faith in a fresh new way. It also taught me that each one of us walks through life with intense joy as well as pain, regardless of what it looks like on the "surface."

This book is another reinforcer as to why I love the work that I'm doing, and a reminder that I ultimately do that work for God, who can do far greater things than I could ever imagine.

Ok, now go out and get the book! Then leave me a note.

First Meredith Christmas

Not a first for any other Meredith but me! And of course, the real first Meredith Christmas for Aaron and I as a married couple was last year. But this Christmas was a big deal for me because it was the first time I hadn't spent this special holiday with my side of the family. And being that it was also Addie's first Christmas, it was a little extra sad to not be with them. But truth be told, I always feel "at home" just as long as I'm with Aaron. I'm not sure about other women, but I didn't really grasp at the time that I was "leaving" my family as soon as my daddy gave me away. It's such an important thing to prepare yourself for as you commit to marriage. I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve as I write this because I did struggle with it at first. But the reality is that I didn't marry Aaron to make decisions in life that centered around anything or anyone else....but him.
We had a wonderful time in Palm Desert, Cal. We spent 9 full days in the sunshine and loved every second! Each day went nearly something like this: eat, run, pool, eat, pool, hotub, read, eat, games, hotub, sleep. And for the boys, golfing was in there just about once a day. Sounds like a pretty nice vacation, eh?
We spent time enjoying our family; visiting and catching up. We missed having Jesse and Jen with us. Aaron, Jesse and Sam have such a unique relationship. They're brothers, but truly best friends. I love the bond they share. My in-laws were down from Alaska, so you can only imagine how great of a mood the sunshine put them in! Sam's awesome girlfriend, Marylin, also came down and I ALWAYS enjoy her. She's simply adorable. We get to see my mother and father-in-law about once a year now, if we're lucky, so reconnecting with them is special. And it was fun to get to know Aaron's Grandpa and Grandma a lot better. Grandpa Dupar has some great stories! And I've returned home with a few lovely knitting creations thanks to the very talented Grandma Dupar!
We made time to revisit some of my old stomping ground when we took a trip up to the Joshua Tree. I have so many great memories of being there with my old Azusa roomate, Julie. We had many fun adventures together! I wouldn't necessarily call the Joshua Tree "beautiful" because it's the desert, but it's one of the most unique places in the world (I think, anyway.)
So here we are back home in 15 degree weather with a chance of snow at the end of this week. Go figure! Southwest "lost" our bags for a little more than 24 hours, but we finally have our stuff back following a day spent with un-brushed hair. I looked pretty cute. Anyway, here are a few pictures from our sunny Christmas!

The Fam

Aaron and his "rough life."

Marylin and Sam

It's all an illusion...

I miss sunsets like this

Family Time

Well i'm a good beat behind, but I wanted to post about my parents fun visit and our trip to NYC and Conn. to see some family. One of the high lights of the trip was finally getting around to seeing the Newseum. It's so typical that I only get out to do these fun things when people come to see us! It's now probably one of my top two favorite museums in DC - Truthfully. They have real pieces of the Berlin Wall, a whole section on 9-11 and so many educational exhibits that remind us how important a role the media has played in US history. I don't always love the media, but this museum really shows the good side of things.

We just had so much fun with my parents. At this point, I only get to see them about 2 times each year, so it's always a special time. Aaron and I are constantly thanking the Lord for our incredible families. We feel so blessed.

We drove up last weekend to Connecticut to see my uncle, Nonz and the kids. Unfortunately, my aunt Tina wasn't in town, so we missed her! It was such a sweet time for my mom to reconnect with her brother since the last time we were all together was at our wedding! Distance sure helps keep things in perspective. It isn't easy being so far away, but it helps us to never take our time together for granted. The kids performed on their violins for us, they took us to see where they go to school and then we went out for ice cream which is always a crowd pleaser! Too bad I just officially found out that i'm allergic to Dairy...and eggs! UGH. What will I do?!?

Anyway, it was very, very cold up north so we didn't stay out as long the day after spending a freezing Friday in the city, but we did get out to catch the incredible sunset on the Long Island Sound. My uncle lives just up the street from a park where you can look out over to the city. It was breath-taking and we had to take some pictures!

It was such a fun experience to see New York City at Christmas time...something Aaron and I have not had a chance to do until now. It really is beautiful! The department stores have the prettiest window displays and I thought I was dreaming when I discovered that the Macys in the city is EIGHT FLOORS. Yes, it's true. Can we say OVERWHELMING?!? Then, that night we went to see The Lion King on Broadway. I'd heard people say it was incredible, but I'm pretty positive there aren't any words to describe it! It amazes me just how creative we can be. Broadway talent never disappoints!

Here are a few pictures that capture our fun time together!

The beautiful Long Island Sound

The fam - Minus Dad and aunt T

One of my favorite Christmas windows at Lord and Taylor

Such an INCREDIBLE show!

Mom and Dad (or GiGi and Oompa...according to Addie!)

This guy proposed to his lovely girlfriend while skating at Rockefeller Center. Hundreds of us got to watch! Super cute!

Simple Pillow Fix

I've had a decorative pillow that I use for our bed, but I was getting a bit tired of the same boring pattern. I found fabric that I LOVE and decided my pillow needed some sprucing up. Even better, the fabric was only $6.99 per yard and when I walked up to the counter to have it cut, we discovered that it was almost to the end of the spool. The woman at the counter offered me the rest at 50% off. Woohoo!! Gotta love it! I don't plan to decorate our entire place with this fabric (ha!), but I love it so much that I'm thinking of other creative ways to use it. Right now, I'm working on a little shoulder bag with a different fabric. If I like how it turns out, I may use the leftovers for that.

I enlisted Aaron's help for the button in the middle (he squeezed it down for me as I threaded). I found this little vintage thing at a shop in Arlington and it was just what I was looking for. It ran about $3.

The best thing about this pillow project is that it only took me about 30 minutes. I just re-covered the pillow I already had. It was easy to measure the fabric and you avoid the mess of pillow stuffing. Plus, I can always just remove this new fabric and re-cover it again in the future. Lovin' the easy fixes!

The Day Ahead

If any of you think about it, please pray for me today. It's just going to be a an extra challenging day at work, but I know God is in control.

I just listened to these words from a new song by Casting Crowns called "To Know You." If you haven't heard this album, go listen to it!

"To know you, is to know the pain of the broken-hearted, 'cause they can't live without you."

And neither can I!

Perfect as Pie

One would think it makes more sense to blog about Thanksgiving food AFTER Thanksgiving, but I couldn't stand to wait because of how my morning has gone! Aaron and I have plans to spend the evening with some good friends, Grant and Joy, who happen to be in town and also without family in the area. I told them that I'd like to bring the pumpkin pie (I LOVE making pies) and the stuffing (my number 1 Turkey Day favorite!) Joy is a Vegan, so I knew I wanted to make both of these dishes suitable for her diet. She certainly didn't request this...but I made the decision! Vegan eating is obviously very healthy because it focuses on veggies and protein from legumes. I'm no where near a Vegan, but Aaron and I have been eating far more veggies and fruits since my diagnosis over the summer than we previously did, so I'm ALWAYS looking for "healthier ways" to prepare a classic meal. Pie, in my opinion of course, is one of those classics. I learned from my mom and grammy G when I was just a kid that you NEVER EVER buy your own pie crust. You make it from scratch! So I've gone from using Crisco, to using butter (not much better for you!), to just today learning how to use light olive oil for the crust. I've found that butter is better than crisco because it creates a flakier, pastry type crust, but olive oil is always healthier for you. I couldn't have used butter in this case because it comes from cow's milk and that isn't Vegan.

So, my first try with the recipe I found: Terrible. It wouldn't even roll out without falling apart! I thought I may have missed a step, so I tried again. STILL no luck! Then I finally looked up a different recipe...PERFECT! It worked like a charm! So I think i've found the best olive oil pastry crust recipe. After a morning of initial frustration, please allow me to share the wealth of knowledge!

For a single crust pie. Double the recipe for a two-layer crust.

2/3 C Extra-Light Olive Oil-chilled (put bottle in the fridge for about 20 minutes)...and emphasis on extra-light. You don't want a strong olive flavor to your pie!
2 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 C Ice Water - I suggest even putting cubes in it to make it really cold

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork. Add the chilled olive oil and cut in with a pastry cutter. Cut until pea-sized balls are formed. Add cold water and mix again with the fork. Then form a ball of dough with your hands. Flour your rolling pin and rolling mat and flatten dough.

Add ingredients (apples, blueberries, cherries, pumpkin, etc.) and bake for 15 minutes at 425. Then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 35-40 minutes.

*Today I made a pumpkin pie and I highly recommend the pumpkin mix from Whole Foods. It's all natural and smells amazing. The color (as you can tell from the picture) is darker than usual...probably because they don't use artifical colors! Hooray!

Enjoy! This recipe makes a beautiful pie!

Sew, baby!

My sweet little niece, Addie, is the lucky recipient of my first project on my new sewing machine! Lets just say that I'm loving every second of my free time because I've been busy cooking, baking and crafting! My dear friend, Rebecca, let me borrow this simple dress pattern which I variated just a bit. I found a cute red turtleneck and white sweater to go with it so Addie can wear it this winter. But I also added some little lady-bug buttons to make it wearable in the spring/summer.

I am finally getting familiar with my machine by Baby Lock and it's amazing how many features it has. One of my favorite, of course, is the button hole feature. Makes life much easier! I bought from a great little shop in Maryland that has been so helpful. They've given discounts on supplies and have spent a few hours with me showing me some tips. They threw in a basic sewing course that I was all for!

I've been hunting for great fabrics and have found a handful, so more projects to come!

Where Have I Been?!

Whew. The past few weeks have been pretty darn busy, hence my complete lack of blogging.

I started my new job almost two weeks ago now. It all happened so quickly! I had been in contact with a local pregnancy center for a few weeks looking into a potential position that was more operations oriented. Then everything changed in a matter of about 24 hours. I had spoken with the office about coming in to shadow someone working on the admin side of things. I called on a Monday to set things up, and I was offered a counseling position, instead, right on the spot. WOW. God has definitely known my heart all along! Since i've been training for the past year to counsel, this is exactly what i've wanted to do. I'm not a certified counselor or anything...though the possibility about going back to school isn't off the table as of yet. But as far as the term "counseling" in this position goes, I'm trained to counsel based on specific guidelines.

This has been a bitter-sweet job experience for me because the woman whose shoes i'm attempting to fill has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I'm sad that it was her illness that allowed this opportunity to open up for me. We continue to pray for a miracle for her. There's so much about my job that I can't write or talk about. The only difficult part about this is that I would love to share the amazing things that God is doing. It's incredible just how blessed I am through the process. But it still comes with its huge challenges. I see many clients who are in desperate need of help and compassion. It is only by God's goodness that I can be the hands and feet of Jesus. Such a humbling process. But the only boast I will make is in the mighty power of Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:17)

I've found that Romans 15 shares the truth and purpose i've come to know in this position - Just in case you wonder about (or I ever begin to doubt!) my calling here, at the pregnancy center, as well as in this life. Sharing the hope of Christ is the goal. Because whether we are talking about the life of the unborn, or the salvation of those who do not know the Savior of the world, it comes down to an issue of LIFE. So I am thankful that i've been called to this position to be a "fisher of men." (Matthew 4:19)

I love Romans 15 (1-13) from the Message Bible, so i'll leave everyone with this:

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"

That's exactly what Jesus did. He didn't make it easy for himself by avoiding people's troubles, but waded right in and helped out. "I took on the troubles of the troubled," is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we'll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!

So reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God's purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do!

Then I'll join outsiders in a hymn-sing;
I'll sing to your name!
Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together!
People of all nations, celebrate God!
All colors and races, give hearty praise!

There's the root of our ancestor Jesse, breaking through the earth and growing tree tall, tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope! Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend we had a wonderful southern Virginia getaway with our dear friends, Jeremy and Leah Heise. Jeremy's aunt and uncle have a lake house and allowed us to come crash it! The claim to fame for this lake is that it's where "What About Bob" was filmed. So, in honor of it and to have a good night of laughing, we watched it! If you haven't seen this film, it's a classic comedy and I highly, highly recommend it.

Saturday we had gorgeous weather and there just so happened to be a family owned winery down the street from us (convenient!) so off we went to enjoy sunshine and wine. The boys also got to fish and Leah and I spent some time just chatting on the lake and catching up. We love these guys! Oh, and they've also just welcomed a new addition to their family. Sweet Aspen is a Swiss Mountain Dog puppy and full of so much spunk and love! I'm now lovingly referred to as "Aspen's auntie Jenny!" Love it! Here's a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

Jeremy and Leah at the winery

Aaron and I at the winery

Sweet Aspen girl!! Check out those paws. She's gonna be a huge dog!

Lake view

Our getaway house

Good Eats!

I was just thinking the other day that I need to start posting about the different foods I've been cooking. Ever since my awesome colon issues were diagnosed (no shame, no shame...), I've become accustomed to eating completely different. As Aaron says, "If we weren't already eating healthy before..." and I suppose he's right. But it's interesting how "healthy" doesn't always mean it's what your body wants for its fuel. I've discovered that certain foods that seem healthy, just simply don't agree with my body. But the fiber deal is the big issue - For me and for everyone! I am such a believer!! If I could offer any advice for a healthier body (and i'm talking internally) it would be to EAT MORE FIBER. The body really needs it! And especially to fight off colon cancer, fiber does the trick. Here's a run down of a few key things i've changed:

-No boxed food. Maybe occasionally, but it's expensive and is packed with things your body shouldn't have to digest.
-Bye bye, Candy. This was tough at first for me. I love candy, but I eat it VERY sparingly now.
-Less pasta, more bulgur, couscous and quinoa. Bulgur, especially, is much higher in fiber, but all 3 of these have much higher nutritional value.
-Less cheese from cows. I generally just use Feta these days. It's soooo yummy and goes great with a variety of dishes.
-Olive Oil. It's the only oil I keep on hand, even for baking. I don't notice an olive taste when I use it for baking, but some might so light olive oil is best for that. It's good to buy the right kind of olive oil, so it should say"first cold pressed" on the bottle.
-Less red meat. It's fun to eat now and then when eating out or something, but I simply don't cook with it anymore. Ground turkey and chicken is what I cook most. Sometimes pork loins. Beef is hard to digest and can do a number on the colon (in case you were concerned. Haha)
-FISH, FISH AND MORE FISH! Salmon is the best and definitely fresh caught. Farm raised salmon is horrible for your health. Basically it's been raised in a small body of water with a lot of other salmon. It inhibits their growth and causes them to be fattier and feed on their own feces. Also, be wary of "Atlantic Salmon." There are so few in the Atlantic that it's illegal to commercial fish them. So stores only sell farm raised Atlantic and might be fooling us on the label if it says "fresh."
-Green tea. I prefer it iced with a lemon. Good for health and just GOOD.
-Soy milk. Easier to digest than regular milk. Packed with good protein. BUT, I do take a calcium suppliment 2-3 times a day now. Some studies have shown soy may cause problems in women with their thyroid, but nothing has been proven and its been eaten without problems for centuries.
-Less Coffee. This one has been really hard for me, but my tummy loves me for it. I treat myself here and there :)
-Focusing on breakfast. It's such an important meal. Anyone who skips breakfast is making a huge mistake. Just google why breakfast is so important and you'll get a list of a million reasons. I start my day off with a bowl of Kashi Go Lean fiber cereal. I admit, it isn't the most pleasing to the palate, but it does it's job. Enough said. Adding sliced strawberries or raspberries gives it an exciting flair. Thank goodness!!
-I must have chocolate, but it's pretty much dark chocolate only for me. These days you can get it with nuts and mint, hazelnut, etc. I look for at least 70%.

I know there are many more things, but that’s all I can think of right now. Aaron has been very supportive. Most of the time, he’s happy to eat what I cook…unless it has tomatoes! Strange boy!

If you want a really good recipe idea, try this one. Sorry my picture stinks. My camera didn't do a very good job.

2 cups quinoa
Half yellow pepper (seeds removed) chopped
Half red pepper (seeds removed) chopped
Half cucumber, cut into small pieces
2 parts of a shallot, chopped
5-6 basil leaves, chopped
3 fresh tomatoes, diced
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Greek seasoning
Salt


Let the quinoa cool after being cooked. Add approx. ½ C. olive oil. Mix in. Then mix veggie ingredients in. Add balsamic vinegar, greek seasoning and salt (to taste). Serve with Feta cheese on top.

And thank you, Gramma G for the wonderful cook book! So far the spinach stuffed chicken is my favorite. :)

Sweet Surrender

Just got back from church and thought I'd take a few minutes to type out some thoughts whirling around in my head. Boy, thank goodness for pastor Marty Baker. Let me rephrase that - Thank goodness for an amazing God who speaks through pastor Marty Baker. We've been traveling so much lately that today was the first time in almost two months i've been back for service at our beloved church in Burke, VA. God has such a way of speaking to me through our pastor's preaching of the word. Today we studied how God called Paul to some of the craziest places, such as Corinth. And in those times, Corinth was to the Roman Empire what Las Vegas is to the U.S....the kind of "sin city." So God called Paul to places that most people wouldn't have any desire to live, let alone preach the gospel. Places where there didn't seem to be a single believing Christian in sight. Yet, God called Paul to those places and he went....willingly....and didn't complain about it.

It got me thinking about the time we've spent here in the DC/VA area. Pastor Marty asked our congregation how many of us had moved to the area within the past 10 years. I'd say about 325 out of 450 people raised their hands (we're quite the military crowd at our church-which we love of course!) Then he asked how many of us were excited to move to this area when the opportunity presented itself. Sadly, only about 25 raised their hand! Needless to say, I was not one of those 25 people. And the truth is that when I moved here, I was just excited to be with the man I love! The idea of DC sounds great - and in some ways, it is - but it's one of those places that's easier to visit than live. But don't worry, I won't spend any more time complaining in this blog (there is a point to all of this.) One thing that our pastor really drove home was that God doesn't make mistakes. He sends us to a place and allows us to walk through certain experiences in life for a great purpose. Every person we meet....every friend we make....every job we have....there is an eternal purpose.

And then he talked about how God works in such amazing ways. He asked us if we could think of one person or one couple who we just knew God had miraculously brought into our lives. I immediately thought of our good friends, Jeremy and Leah. Leah and I met when we both attended a volunteer seminar for the pregnancy centers. I like to say that I knew as soon as I saw the cute shoes she was wearing that we'd be friends for life! But I know it was more that God ordained our time and place of meeting. And thanks to today's sermon, I now know that God has a plan in bringing such incredible people into your life just when you think there isn't anyone there. And the purpose of this is to help encourage each other to serve God and His people for the glory of the kingdom. I couldn't possibly write into words just what friendships like these mean. And in Paul's case, God brought him Titius Justus, who "just so happened" to live next door to a synagogue that Paul had been kicked out of after trying to preach the gospel there. God had such an eternal purpose in bringing Paul and Titius together! He still made a way.

And like I said, I really started to think about our time here in VA. At times i've been on the edge of bitter by how certain things have turned out since moving here two years ago (time FLIES.) But God is slowly working in my heart and i'm actually feeling the change. I was convicted today to remind myself that we are in this town for a purpose. I am already singing in my head,

"Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city." And the truth is, I really believe it! And i'm falling more and more in love with where we're at because of it. If you've never heard the song, listen to it here.

There is NO ONE like our GOD. HE is God alone, and I am not. And I stand in the belief that for as prepared as we were to move - Selling our house, saying goodbye to friends, etc. - He alone must have a wonderful purpose for Aaron and I in this place. It's actually pretty exciting. I don't know it yet, but I just know in my heart that God's plan is marvelous.

I'm in what feels like a "desert" in my job search. I can accept the fact that I may just need to take what's available to me, but my heart can't shake the desire to do something more with my gifts. What an incredible year 2009 has been since beginning my volunteer work at the Alexandria Pregnancy Center. How I wish I could work there, but i'm honored none-the-less that I clould be freed up enough to volunteer my time. I have such a heart for people, but definitely for women who are faced with challenging circumstances. It may not be God's timing to do something like this as a full-time job, but I know God had me do this for a reason! Hopefully all my millions of readers out there (ha!) are seeing a common theme here: PURPOSE.

In the mean-time, I can honestly say that if it isn't God's will for me right now, i'm ready to work hard in a different capacity. So as I search, I know that God already knows. That's where I seek and then wait. I've thought to myself, "maybe it's because we will only be here until next summer." But i'm done making those types of assumptions. Life changes so fast and drastically! We can't live in a state of "on-hold." Do you know what I mean??

I remember when Aaron was deployed, he used to write to me and tell me that the song "Blessed Be Your Name" had such a new meaning to him. It's an easy song to sing when your life reflects the first verse: "Blessed be your name, in the land that is plentiful, when your streams of abundance flow, blessed be your name." But then we get to the moments in life when our song is finding us in the desert place, in the wilderness and when darkness seems to be closing in. Aaron can recount the many times that he sang that song in church in the states and it rolled off his tongue. But in that real desert place, he was learning what it meant to bless the name of God there, too.

Aaron and I both know that our story is nothing new. This is not a call for Pity. Many have come before us with the same fears, questions, confusion, uncertainty and frustration. But I know that the story didn't end there for them. God was faithful to them...back then....and we trust that He will be faithful to us now.

Of course, we would ask that fellow christ-followers would be in prayer to God on our behalf. I ask for prayer for Aaron as he settles into a brand new job (that currently has him traveling quite a bit...but only for the time being.) And pray for his sanity during my emotional tears - haha! I know he is under pressure, yet excited about this amazing new opportunity. Aaron is a man of such incredible character. I love that he is truly a gentle spirit. He may not be the first to share his struggles, but I know he would appreciate your prayers.

Please be in prayer for me as I continue a job search and tackle the task of moving all of our things into our new place while Aaron is traveling. The biggest thing is that I would find/make time to be alone with God. I've had bouts of loneliness lately. Don't worry...Aaron isn't necessarily neglecting me! I'm discovering that my need for time with God (when i'm lacking) seems to manifest itself in a feeling of loneliness. It's such a terrible feeling! Makes sense though, right? So I know I need that time. Sometimes I'm just too stubborn to slow down.

And on a final note, I just wanted to share a praise. My dear friend, Mari, whome I had various classes with at Azusa, has just welcomed home her husband Gabe after spending 15 long challenging months in Iraq. Though Mari and I were not particularly close when we attended Azusa, we've created an internet/email bond over the past year and a half that has been truly special (God had such a purpose in that, too!) Aaron and I have spent much time in prayer for Gabe and for her as she was home to be a mommy to two beautiful little girls. Mari has been such an inspiration to me and I treasure the fact that she gifted so many people with the example of her commitment to Gabe and her girls. I know it was one of the most difficult experiences they've had in their life up to this point, but they made it through....praise God! So just a little shout out to her: Mari, girl! You're amazing! Words never seem good enough, but I just have to say that i'm so, so proud of you! And we are forever grateful to Gabe for the huge sacrafice he made during the past 15 months. Please come visit us in VA so we can be real face friends...not just facebook! Haha :)

Alright, until next time!

All Around the World in...a Few Months!

Seriously folks - Here's the run-down. We've now successfully visited all of these places in the past few months:

West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Georgia, South Carolina (my fav!), North Carolina, California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Alaska (I had to write that again since we went there twice this summer!), Texas, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France.

Wow!! I'm surprising myself just by typing that! We’ve traveled a whopping amount in the past few months and let me tell you, it's been a BLAST! But realty is starting to hit - Mostly for Aaron really. He just started his new job and we've been in San Antonio for his training at Randolph AFB. I say WE because I decided to fly out here with him just two days after returning from our time out in Washington and Alaska. We found out last week that he'd have about 3 weeks of training and we found out just as last minute that our condo is not ready for us to move in. The former tenant of our place decided not to clean ANYTHING, so we asked our landlord to have a professional cleaning crew come in and do it. Ugh. Yuck! I had a free ticket on Southwest air, so I booked the flight and off we were! Thankfully, our friends Brian and Megan live here. We met them when we were stationed at Andrews AFB together. He also separated from the military and is now working for a big engineering firm here in San Antonio.

So we've been having a great time with friends and enjoying all that San A has to offer. We visited the River Walk last night and loved it. It's actually quite lovely here. Aaron's company is based here since they have a huge contract working on the bases in this area, so it's likely we would be relocated to Texas next summer when Aaron's DC contract is up. But, of course, all of that is up in the air still! We're just along for the ride, shall we say ;)

To back up a bit, we had a wonderful time on our WA/AK trip! Time with family is always so precious. Our niece, Addison is growing more everyday and learning new things. She just started rolling over! Big girl! She's almost 6 months old and full of chubby-love! We just adore her.

Out in Alaska we joined in the excitement as Aaron's brother Jesse and his new wife Jen got married. The wedding was incredible! We danced the night away at the Alpenglow ski lodge and had the most incredible scenery all around us. I also got to reunite with some old friends from college. So fun!

Now we're getting back to reality and definitely ready to settle into our new place for the next year. Hopefully it won't take me very long to find a new job!

I find it unreal that it's already September! Hope everyone had an enjoyable summer!

Fun night out at the River Walk, San Antonio with Brian and Megan

We celebrated grandma and grandpa Dupar's 60th wedding anniversary the day after Jesse and Jen's wedding. These two are so cute!

Toasting our steins at Jesse and Jen's reception. Jesse is getting his PhD in German history AND who doesn't love German beer? We love their creativity!

Finally....another girl in the Meredith family!

Addie in her "yellow polka-dot bikini" and SO CUTE!