The best story ever told

As a teacher at a Christian school, one of the perks that I look forward to each week is staff devotions. I coach a vocal club that meets at the same time, so I don't always get to attend but when I do I'm  encouraged in my walk with the Lord. This past week, our Superintendent was discussing the Christmas story and kept referring to it as "the best story ever told." I left staff devotions and went to teach my last few classes before Christmas break, but I couldn't get those words out of my head- the best story ever told.
I have heard the Christmas story so many times. I have read the words, acted out the events in church pagents, heard it at every Christmas celebration growing up and in several school chapels. Sadly, the best story ever told has become all too common to me. For the past two weeks, my constant prayer has been for a fresh look on the Christmas story. I want a new appreciation and awe for the awesome gift of Jesus.
I love how the Lord answers prayers. He is so good. I've been reading Matthew 1-5 and Luke 1-2 every day this week with new eyes. I've been so moved by Zechariah's prophecy in Luke 1. Zechariah was the father to John the Baptist and a priest at the Temple. When Gabriel, an angel of the Lord, told Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth was pregnant, he was full of disbelief. Elizabeth was barren and very old. Gabriel said that the boy was to be called John and would prepare the way for the Lord. Asking for a sign to confirm this prediction, Zechariah was punished for his unbelief. Because he did not believe Gabriel's words, he would be silent until the baby was born.
This part of the story alone is amazing to me. A pregnancy is a LONG, drawn-out, slow-moving process. When I was pregnant with Ainsley, I felt like many months moved at a snail's pace. Imagine being completely unable to speak for the entire nine (really more like ten) months! He couldn't speak to his wife and tell her everything that happened or at least explain why he could no longer speak. Some scholars believe that Zechariah was also deaf during this time as well. All for a lack of faith, something of which I am guilty all too often.
Of course, Elizabeth is pregnant and she does give birth to John the Baptist. The next verses in the story bring to tears. The baby is born and Zechariah is finally able to speak. I've thought through what I would have said after forty weeks of silence. I would explain the whole angel striking me mute story and all of the thoughts I've had over the past months. But, Zechariah didn't say any of that. He praised God and prophesied about the long-awaited Emmanuel. His first words were of praise and gratitude.
"Blessed by the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:67-79
I'm not sure how to read those words and not be completely arrested by the truth they represent. Jesus, the horn of salvation, sent in human form, to pay the penalty for my sins so that I might find a light in my darkness. All this out of his tender mercy and love for his children. Amazing. Humbling. Awesome. 
I love how God answers prayers. It is with fresh eyes and an overwhelmed heart that I celebrate Christmas this year.

Winter Baby

This girl has become so used to her winter hat that she wears it around the house. These were taken by Joanna a few days ago. 

Mama time

Yesterday, my dear friend Joanna gave me the best Christmas present- three hours ALL TO MYSELF!!!!! I went grocery shopping for the Christmas party we're hosting for our small group tonight and still had some time to buy a couple of Christmas presents. I couldn't believe how quickly I could get in and out of the car without the little lady with me. AND to add to the bliss, Jo and her son Sam (her other son Ben took a good winter's nap the whole time) cleaned my house! I was nearly speechless when I came home. The whole place smelled like swiffer! Wood dusted, toys put away, floors cleaned- what a blessing!
As much as I delighted in having some time to myself, the crazy thing was that I missed Ainsley. Goodness, there are days that feel so long at home with her and yet the minute I'm away from Ainsley I miss her sweet face. I miss her crazy laugh she lets out whenever something is really funny. I miss the sound of her blowing rasberries at her stuffed animals. I miss all of her new words- hello, banana, light (granted, none of her words sound exactly like the real thing). I miss watching her sit on the couch reading a book like a big girl. Most of all I miss her stomping over to me and resting her head on my legs until I pick her up for a quick snuggle.
As soon as I walked in the door after my mama-time, Ainsley came from across the room yelling, "Mommy!" and raising her hands with a big smile on her face. Three hours or solo-shopping with a clean house and a sweet baby girl upon returning- my Christmas break is off to a truly wonderful start.

Ainsley's first puppy

Yesterday was a big day in the Smith household. Not only was a trip to Ikea involved, but we added another "member" to our family- a MASSIVE stuffed puppy. To say that Ainsley has an affinity for puppies would be a bit of an understatement. This little lady lights up when she sees anything resembling a puppy (she still has yet to figure out that bears, horses, and the big buffalo at our local park are not puppies). She squeals "puppy, puppy, puppy-dog, puppy!" at the top of her little lungs and then begins barking.
All this to say, when the three Smiths were at Ikea yesterday and the littlest one saw the stuffed animal display, all hope of walking out empty handed was lost. Not only was there a puppy stuffed animal but there were MANY huge puppy dogs for our baby girl. She went to another place for a while there. Her eyes glassed over and the shouts of elation could be heard on all three levels of Ikea. Mercy.

My husband grabbed one of the puppies and gave it Ainsley who proceeded to carry it on her lap for the rest of the trip, quietly whispering "puppy" under her breath. She has dragged that dog all around our apartment, stopping only to cuddle up next to it on the floor.

Tis the season

When Joel and I were first married, I was a bit of a Scrooge when it came to Christmas decorations. Our first apartment housed no Christmas tree, no festive wreaths or snowmen, and played no holiday-celebrating music. I didn't even wrap presents until the day before Christmas Eve.
Enter my mother-in-law. She took me to the most wonderful Christmas shop in her small town and outfitted us with many a Christmas decoration. Not only did she purchase ornaments, but she also bought all of these branches, sparkly leaves, and fancy garland. Armed with my array of decorating goodies, our second Christmas as a married couple was such a HUGE upgrade that I was almost proud of my accomplishments. I took pictures and sent them to my mother-in-law to see the fruits of her labor.
Each year since, I've added little touches to our apartment. We now have a tree, a few snowmen, a second baby tree, and an inkling of a wreath I'm thinking of making. This year making its GRAND entrance is the newest addition to our tree, courtesy of Mom Smith, a Christmas bird. I also have been playing A Very She and Him Christmas on repeat in my car.  Scrooge, no more.

Yet another thing I love about my husband...

When my husband was young, he received some evergreen seeds as a toy in a McDonalds Happy Meal. Others might have thrown the seeds away, but this guy planted those seeds in his backyard and watered them every day faithfully. The tree is now a stately pine, towering over the house. I love this. My husband was a visionary even then.

On Thanksgiving, Joel and I drove by his old house and marveled at the tree. I looked at my husband and felt overwhelmed that I was the blessed woman that got to be his wife. Also, I felt reassured that if we ever need a back-up plan, Joel could make quite the woodsman.

How Ainsley entertains herself in the car...

Off schedule

Tonight I fell asleep at 7pm. Now it is 1:10am and I am wide awake, ready to start the day. Argh. I think because I spend so much of my brain power trying to be aware of Ainsley's schedule that I've become a schedule junky. When did this happen? Pre-baby life was so much more random and unexpected...spontaneous, even. I imagine that as Ainsley grows and I mature as a mama, that hold I have on our schedule will start to ease up and our lives will look a little less predictable again- at least I hope.
While I am here at 1:14 in the morning, I must share some pretty AWESOME news. In March, my father-in-law was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer. The whole family was shaken, but held fast to the Lord's promises. For months, Psalm 119:71 ran through my mind and prayers. "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." The whole experience pushed me deeper into the Word and challenged me in my faith. Yesterday, the doctor told my father-in-law that he is in COMPLETE remission. No cancer left. God is so merciful. My husband and I are both overwhelmed by the news.
Last night at small group, one of the girls was talking about how she doesn't want to forget the goodness of the Lord but rather to live in a place of constant gratitude. I feel so similarly this morning. Let me not forget a moment of your grace, Lord.
Now, I need to try and sleep some more.

Still...

Shh! Baby napping, 

precious moments of quiet 

must soak each one in

My heart is filled with thankfulness

Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend wrote this beautiful song, My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness, that we had played at our wedding. I've had the words in my head all week.

My heart is filled with thankfulness to him who bore my pain
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace and gave me life again
Who crushed the curse of sinfulness and clothed me with his light
and wrote his law of righteousness and power upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness for him who walks beside
Who floods my weaknesses with strength and causes fear to fly
Whose every promise is enough for every step I take 
Sustaining me with arms of love and crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness to Him who reigns above
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace, whose every thought is love
For every day I have on earth is given by the King
So I will give my life, my all to love and follow Him.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my Savior. Praise Him for His infinite grace, His resilient love, His far-reaching mercy, and His eternal blessings.

BREAK!

Let the Thanksgiving festivities begin! My last class has finished and I am officially on Thanksgiving break with my two favorites. Four days off with my husband and the lady will be BLISSFUL! Now if Ainsley could just wake up from her nap so we could start celebrating...

Saturday project...

Today I accomplished the daunting task of organizing my bookshelf. I can barely believe it myself. During Ainsley's naptime, I was looking at Pinterest when inspiration struck. I cleaned off the bookshelves, gave them a good dusting, and then came up with an organization plan. I'm pretty excited about the way things turned out and that I managed to give almost a whole shelf just to Agatha Christie.

Books without a home...for now.

Clean slate

My little helper

Finished product!!

Agatha's section

Lately (in pictures)

Movie night

Yes, she is fast asleep in this picture. 

Last week I went to see Mary Poppins with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. We had an AMAZING time!

No Chicago trip would be complete without cupcakes. 

First snow of the year

Deep conversations

You know you have a toddler when you find "treats" in all of your shoes. So far we've found cards, cherrios, her play necklaces, sippy cups, and blocks. 

Kitchen failure

Last night I cooked easily the worst dinner ever. I've made several tasty meals in a row and I think I let me confidence get the best of me. On the menu for the evening was stroganoff. All would have gone fine if I would have followed my mom's recipe, but of course I thought of myself as a cooking master and got liberal with the ingredient swapping. I didn't have any cream of mushroom soup, so I substituted beef broth. First mistake. I didn't have regular sour cream so I used fat-free. Second mistake. What started as a creative idea ended as a soupy-salty-grayish mess. My husband took one bite and said with a smile, "That's a strong taste. It's interesting." Never what the chef wants to hear. Suffice to say, last night was not my finest showing of cooking skills!
We threw the whole mess out and got take-out. And then we laughed about it. I love being married to that man!

This Reader's Vice

I have this sickness. I love to read and I count myself as somewhat adventurous in my book selection. Every time I go to my bookshelves to pick up a new read, however, I grab the same book over and over. The book I choose changes with seasons. For a while, I was loyal to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; then I read only Murder on the Orient Express. I had a poetry phase that brought me back to Billy Collin's Nine Horses time and time again. Currently, I cannot part with A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. This book is so lovely. It is made up of all of these small vignettes and recipes, so beautifully written. The best parts, in my opinion, are when she writes about Paris. I have never been to Paris but have always wanted to go. A few years ago, my dear friend and I went on this whirlwind trip to Italy, to visit her brother and sister-in-law. We had an incredible time eating gelato and walking the streets of Venice and Florence. Anytime I think of that trip or read A Homemade Life, I deeply desire to travel abroad again- Paris this time. Or maybe Spain. Or Greece.
Until then, I'll just read the stories from a fellow traveler about the streets of Paris that I someday hope to stroll.

Doughnut Run

This week Ainsley met her first doughnut. They were instant friends.

Thankful Thursday- 11.3.11

Thankful for some extra sleep Tuesday morning thanks to parent/teacher conferences not starting until 9 and the husband who took care of the lady.

Thankful for newly discovered pistachio gelato from Grahams. YUM.

Thankful for my parents who let the lady and me hide out at their place last Saturday when our street was taken over by zombies.

Thankful for music! Coldplay's newest record has been on repeat in the car. Track 7 always causes Ainsley to start dancing in the backseat. I am also thankful for the laughter Ainsley's dance moves bring to our family.

Thankful that Ainsley is finally joining me in my love for books. Yesterday I found her like this in her bedroom:

Good to see you, November!

The weather today is idillic- breezy, sunshine-filled, just cool enough for long sleeves. I must say, you've outdone yourself, November! 

I know so many people believe that spring is the season of romance. Flowers blooming, hummingbirds providing a constant soundtrack. To me, though, I find fall to be the peak of all nature's romance. I love the way the crisp weather inspires soup-cooking and cuddling on the couch. In the Smith household, fall begins a season of movie nights and many pots of risotto. I love fall walks with the tapestry of colorful leaves paving your path. Fall has a comfortable, dependable, nestled-in kind of romance. 

Sitting out on my deck enjoying this gorgeous day is making me feel a bit twitterpated, if you can't tell. 

Sometimes

Sometimes Ainsley doesn't like to take naps. Sometimes she doesn't like to eat either. Sometimes she loves bananas and sometimes she doesn't. Sometimes she thinks I'm the best and sometimes she gives me the stink eye. Sometimes we "sing" and dance to Brooke Fraser in the car and sometimes she wails at me until I turn the music down. Sometimes she likes to cuddle and sometimes she's an independent lady. Sometimes she prefers Daddy but sometimes she prefers ME!

Sometimes her random, unpredictable, change within a moment demeanor is challenging. Sometimes, like this time, it's one of my absolute favorite things about being her Mama.

One predictable Ainsley fact? She always prefers Daddy in the morning. Lucky guy!

The circus is coming to town

An invasion is coming. Doom is imminent. Husbands, hide your wives and children- a Halloween street fair is parking outside your door! Tomorrow night, our downtown is hosting a party called, I kid you not, ZOMBIE FEST. Apparently, zombies will be roaming the town while a massive beer truck parks itself literally right in front of our apartment. According to the signs, the festival is expected to draw 3000-5000 people, all dressed to impress. Yikes! Our weekend is shaping up to be interesting to say the least!

My little family of three

picture by Allison McKelvey

Ainsley and her belly button

Some children have a beloved blankie. Others, like my nieces, cherish their pacifiers. My daughter, however, has a deep, loyal devotion to her belly button. When in distress, Ainsley's fingers go to the mouth and to the button. A faithful friend her belly button is turning out to be. Whenever I put her in a onesie, she desperately scrapes at the fabric to get to the button, usually resulting in much weeping. Is it wrong that I find the whole episode quite adorable?

Messy Motherhood.

Today Ainsley threw up on me. ALL over me. I have a gag reflex that works overtime and I was covered in throw up. I set down my daughter and tried to clean myself up. Suddenly, she started laughing, saying "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" and shakily walked towards me, arms outstretched. I knelt down and received several messy hugs and kisses.
Worth it, don't you think?

Too early for much of anything

I have this distinct memory from my childhood. I remember many mornings of waking up and tip-toeing downstairs to get a glass of water and then seeing my dad at the kitchen table with all the lights off but one, staring at his Bible. I can't count how many mornings I would sit back out of sight and watch my dad spending time with the Lord. I also can't count how many of those mornings I ended up being the last one ready and receiving the frustration of my siblings for my tardiness. Watching my dad, I was taken by that earnestness he showed and couldn't comprehend why anyone would willingly choose to get up earlier than they had to. He would wake up at 5:00am or sometimes even 4:00am, just to meet with the Lord.
Now I'm the one who gets up in the early hours of the morning to go to work. Each day, I hit my snooze once to give me 5 more minutes of blessed rest. I stumble to the coffee pot in desperation. Often cranky and bleary-eyed, I rush through my morning routine stopping only to kiss my daughter and husband goodbye. No quiet. No prayer. Just me in a rush.
My dad is in education, just like me. When I was growing up, he was a teacher, just like I am now. He had the same time schedule. He had kids to take to school with him. He had the same amount of sleep. And yet, I think he figured something out far sooner than I have. If I claim that God is the Lord of my heart, wouldn't He also be Lord of my morning? If I claim that God provides all that I need, wouldn't He sustain me without the extra 5 minutes of sleep or even coffee? If I claim that the joy of the Lord is my strength, is walking through my classroom doors all huffy-puffy honoring to Him?
So much to contemplate this early Wednesday morning.

Twenty-Nine

Today is my twenty-ninth birthday. I am officially in the last year of my twenties. My, oh my. Thankfully, the upside of birthdays is that opportunity to reflect on the past year- the blessings, the challenges, the lessons learned- and be thankful that I am no longer who I was a year ago and be hopeful that the Lord has more to do with me in the next.
So here is a list of the 28 lessons I learned (some more serious than others) in my twenty-eighth year. Here's to hoping the twenty-ninth will be as fruitful.
1. A good cuddle will solve most toddler issues.
2. If you use applesauce as a substitute for sugar, your finished product will be bland and chewy.
3. Singing as loud as possible in the car is not always pleasant for the little ears in the car seat behind you.
4. When you ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life that are not honoring to Him, He answers. Quickly. 
5. A weekly game night spices up your life IMMENSELY. 
6. Marriage just gets better and better. 
7. A meal at The Girl and the Goat will be a sweet memory not soon forgotten, especially if that meal is accompanied by great friends. 
8. If you meet a friend at Caribou every Thursday for a month, you start to get free coffee. 
9. Even though green beans may be your daughter's favorite food today, they may also be her least favorite food tomorrow. 
10. Excellent shoes make any plain outfit special. 
11. Weekly date nights are a must for parental survival. 
12. Every reader should read The Help. It's that brilliant. Then go see the movie and marvel at Viola Davis. 
13. Going on vacation with close friends will be the highlight of your summer. I'm hoping the event will become an annual tradition. 
14. When playing Ticket to Ride, don't wait to take tickets until you've finished the ones you already have. If you do this, you will lose. 
15.  The truths in Psalm 139 never cease to humble. He searches and knows me....and still loves me. I just cannot comprehend. 
16. Shopping at a rummage sale is hit or miss, but when it's a hit, you never stop bragging about your purchase. Did I mention I found killer baby shoes for $1 this summer???
17. Even though you judged Kohls shoppers before you were married and had a limited budget, Kohls has a lot of great items to add to your house or wardrobe. 
18. When your husband wants to tell you all about the latest Apple conference, you listen. 
19. A book club is an excellent venue for discovering books you never would have noticed if someone hadn't picked them as that month's read. 
20. Eighth grade students LOVE to write about space travel. 
21. Risotto is an easy meal to throw together and a satisfying meal for husbands. 
22. Taking a picture with your extended family where all six babies/toddlers are smiling is impossible. 
23. A nap not cut short by a baby's cry is to be treasured. 
24. Always carry snacks in your purse. 
25. When a friend is grieving and you have no word to shed light on the darkness, a hug is a pretty good substitute. Being present works too. 
26. Banana bread is not as easy to master as everyone says it is. 
27. Husbands love when they come home from a long day of work and the kitchen is spotless. 
28. The lesson I relearn every year it seems- God is so good. He is faithful, steady, and so very good to me. 

Hello Weekend!

Welcome back, Friday
Feels too long since I've seen you
Relax, stay awhile.

Lunch Break Thankful Thursday

I am a worker bee this week. I am currently in my lunch break at the writing conference I've attended the past three days. I have listened, learned, contemplated, and marveled. I love conferences like this because I return to my classroom renewed.
To start off this Thankful Thursday list, I must say that I am so very thankful for the opportunity to grow as a teacher. I pray that I never feel satisfied with my performance in the classroom. I want to be better.
-I am also thankful today (and every day) for my Mama. She spent yesterday in Elgin watching Ainsley so I could attend the conference. Seriously???? This woman is too much. With Nana, Ainsley played "cupcakes," took a long bath, practiced her walking, watched "Martha Speaks," and hopefully missed her Mama.
-Joel and I are spending our week sipping on Alterra's Sulawesi roast. Yum.
-One of the teachers attending the conference with me is inspiring to me. This woman cannot stop talking about the Lord's work in her life. In every conversation we have had these past three days, she is practically bursting to tell me how much she loves Jesus and how salvation has transformed her life. I am so thankful for her and the influence she has had on my faith in such a short amount of time.

It's back to the seminar for me. Watch out, class; Mrs. Smith is returning to you armed with mini-lessons and rubrics!

Lions, tigers, and pigtails.

Joel took the day off from work on Thursday so we grabbed the lady and headed to the pumpkin farm. Goebberts Pumpkin Farm has a cute cafe, haunted house (which I would NEVER explore), an animal land, and pony rides. We had a ball. Also, I put Ainsley's hair in pigtails for the excursion. She was not a fan.

Fall in its finest

How should you spend a splendid fall day? By hanging out at the park with your top girl, of course!

No day at the park is complete without a coffee and snack for Mama (even though Ainsley snagged most of the snack for herself).

Moments...

Today when Ainsley had finished her dinner and was waiting for me to come rescue her from her highchair, she started singing a song. The lyrics are pretty sophisticated, but I think you would appreciate their poetry. The words were as followed: Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. The Mommys ranged in intensity, getting louder as the ballad drew to a close. I ate it up...with her spoon.

Just a few more days...

When your husband works at a large, thriving church, you know getting into the marriage that there will be weeks where you are husbandless. Seasons come and go where the production ministry is in high demand and Joel and I are ships passing in the night...or really, in the early hours of morning. I would love to say that I always handle these crazy times with grace and support. Praise the Lord that His transforming love is changing me and that grace seems to flow easier than it used to in early marriage. One thing though that is always the same when weeks like these come around is how much I miss Joel. Our house is too quiet like everything is waiting for his return. Just a few more days and he'll be home.

Tonight I am baking cinnamon rolls as a sweet breakfast surprise for my phantom husband. Chalk up one more wife point for me!

Thankful Thursdays- 9.28.11

Today is National Coffee Day and Thursday- double reasons to be full of joy and gratitude. A concise list will have to do for this late edition of Thankful Thursday. 

-This week I read and graded thirty short stories from my eighth grade class. Entertaining, inspiring, and memorable to say the least. 

-I finally tried out that recipe for apple cider bread that I found weeks ago. If I made the bread again, I would change a few things, but I'm proud of myself for attempting the bread. 

-Every day this week, Joel has made me coffee to take to work. This man is too much. 

-I'm so thankful for God's transforming work in my life. He is so good. 

-In just a few weeks I get to see my family in Milwaukee. So, so happy. 

What calms down an unhappy baby?

A week ago, Joel was flipping channels on our TV and found this show about puppies. He decided to record a few minutes of the it for Ainsley, since she really loves puppies. The other night she couldn't sleep so we cuddled with her and put on the puppy show....

Sick baby

Visitors beware
Sick, cranky baby lives here
She's taken over

Date night, date night, date night!!!!

For the first two years of married life, I did not fully appreciate the power of date night. See, I didn't have a baby that required a sitter and therefore my handsome Lovie and I could go out on a respectable date really whenever we wanted to. Coffee run? Date! Home depot to buy a new hammer? Date! I don't feel like cooking so let's go out for pizza? Amazing date! Now a date night requires planning, much debate over what to wear, and most importantly childcare. Thankfully, the Roziers watched Ainsley tonight and the Mr. and I went out for a night on the town! Two big bowls of pasta and one slightly too long sports movie. An excellent Friday night, if you ask me.

Up late...

Only me awake
Husband blissfully dreaming
Jealousy abounds.

Thankful Thursdays- 9.22.11

Another Thursday and another opportunity to be filled with gratitude for the blessings from the Lord I've experienced this week. I've been excited for this Thursday and have been looking for moments to put in my list. As always, God has been good this week.
Today I am thankful for...
-Brief breaks in parenting. Yesterday, Ainsley took a four hour nap! Not only did I get to fit in a much needed snooze, but then I worked on lesson plans with blessed silence. When she woke up, she and I were both ready to play.
-Chapel at HCA. This week was a spiritual emphasis week at my school so we sat in an extra amount of chapels. Yesterday we focused on Proverbs 3:5-6 which I have heard so many times that the power behind its message sometimes gets lost on me. BUT, as I was listening to the scripture being read, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at the truth behind the words. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." I love when the Lord speaks so clearly through His Word.
-Small group. So very thankful for my small group.
-4 pounds of Alterra coffee came in the mail yesterday. Happy day.
-Date night tomorrow!!!!!
-And to finish up today's list, I am thankful for a daughter with LOTS of personality. Yesterday we were at the grocery store and Uptown Girls started to play. The lady started laughing and dancing in the cart, drawing attention from all the other shoppers in the produce section. Wish you could have been there...

Fall Reading List

I have a stack of need-to-read books that sit on my nightstand giving me the stink eye each night when I get into bed. The plight of the English teacher is the constant battle between the books I have to read because I am about to start teaching them against the books I really want to read but don't have the time. The other plight of the English teacher- constantly being asked what good books I've read lately that I could recommend. Today I give you what I am currently itching to read and hopefully will soon be able to confidently recommend.

1. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
This book has been on my shelf for months. Often I pass by it while reaching for another read, but my eye catches its yellow cover and I have a brief moment of contemplation. Well, pass by no longer, Olive Kitteridge is first on the list! Not only did this book win the Pulitzer Prize, but the plot centers around a retired schoolteacher. Done and done.

2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
I realize that I am about 3 years behind when this book was a very big deal, but better late than never right? This bestseller is about a boy with autism who investigates the death of a neighborhood dog. Intriguing!

3. Absent in the Spring by Mary Westmacott
I love any novel by Agatha Christie. When my friend, Christina, lent me this book by Mary Westmacott, a penname of Agatha Christie, I nearly fainted from excitement. So what if this book is far from a mystery and the back description reads really depressing? I'm sure if Agatha has anything to do with it, I'll be a fan.

That's it, readers (all nine of you)! Stay tuned for book reviews...

Annual Morton Pumpkin Festival

My husband hails from the small town of Morton, Illinois. He refers to it as the Emerald City but Morton is better known as the pumpkin capital of the world. Joel has told me about the annual Pumpkin Festival since we first met and has often urged me to attend. Finally after years of pining, I grabbed Ainsley and headed down to my in-laws house for the festivities.
Ainsley was quite the trooper. She faced the brisk September air with her trusty North Face and a pumpkin hat. We dined on pumpkin chili, pumpkin pasta salad, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin ice cream. The little lady polished off a piece of pumpkin pie all by herself! Then she went on a ride down the giant slide with Grandpa and the carousal with Grandma. We topped the night off with a cup of coffee and early bedtime.