What's on the menu?

*This week is looking delicious, and easy!*

Since we are doing the grocery shopping today after naps, tonight is looking like Homemade Pizza night.

(Not necessarily in this order)

-Spinach and Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts served with Homemade Rolls
-Beef Roast with Balsamic Onions served with Steamed Snap Green Beans and Homemade Cornbread Muffins (crockpot)
-Curried Coconut Chicken served with Stirfry Veggies all over white Rice (crockpot)
-Covered in Garlic Chicken served with Steamed Broccoli and Homemade Rolls
-Homemade Chicken Pot Pie (leftover chicken from Garlic Chicken)
-Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas served with Corn and Chips and Salsa

All week is it supposed to be either cloudy or rainy, however Sunday is supposed to be sunny and 60, so I think I'll let Nathanael take over dinner that day, and fire up the grill!

When it rains, it pours.

Or freezes in my case.

This morning I rushed to get all three kids ready to go to a WIC appointment, just to find that when I got there one minute early...that every state government office in the state of South Carolina was closed today.  Why you ask?  Oh, because it was 28 degrees and drizzling outside.  Sure I had to scrape some ice off my car before getting into it this morning, but come on...shut everything down?

On top of that, on the way home the car overheated.  I ended up pulling off into a McDonald's.  I thought it would be better to get off the road and wait for Nathanael, then to try to get home and be stranded on the side of the road.  So, if that wasn't bad enough, I didn't have much cash on me and McD's CC machine was down.   I was just going to order water for all of us, but the manager was there and overheard my dilemma and gave us our drinks for free so I could afford the breakfast.  So the kids and I spent a little over 2 hours, eating breakfast and just hanging out.  They also later gave the kids a free happy meal toy, and an ice cream.  They were very sweet to us.

So ya, I guess when it rains, it freezes and pours.

Just found this.

Back on September 23, 2007, I wrote this in one of my notebooks:
I'm waiting on a miracle.
It doesn't seem that anyone has hope left.
I know it is possible.
Why hasn't it happened yet?
When will it happen?
You have healed people because of their own faith and also the faith of their loved ones.
I'm still waiting.
I'm still believing.


Then later, sometime after October 1, 2007, I wrote this in the same notebook:
I have invested so much time in thought and in prayer.
There is no response to my letters.
All of my questions have gone unanswered.
So many miles between us, but you touched my heart so many times.
You were there in times of need.
If only this once I could have done the same.
It still doesn't seem real.
I can't convince myself to believe it.
You left behind an impression of love and devotion.
I miss you!


The next year I wrote this:
Jan. 2008 I went to Ohio to surprise my mother for her birthday. On the way down the kids fell asleep like they always do. So, it was just me, the road, and silence. I decided to put in some of my music that I always bring for car trips. I can’t remember the exact order that I played the different CDs, but I do remember the thoughts I had while listening. 

I thought a lot about my Aunt Karen and the time that she was here on Earth, and the time that I had with her. I thought about how she took me to pick up my wedding dress when everyone else was busy and I remembered the time she took me out to buy new maternity clothes when I was pregnant with Ivy because she knew I couldn’t afford them on my own. I then remembered how she was taken from this world in such a sort time and how I expected her to live. I believed she would live. I believed she would be healed and that God would be glorified and the surrounding family would see Him. And then I remembered none of that happened. I was lost…and alone. I cried. (repeatedly blinking my eyes so I could see the road in front of me) I thought to myself…What God did I want to be glorified? And where was He when I thought He would make Himself known? 

I don’t know the answers to these questions …and I probably never will. But right now I’m searching…waiting for something. I don’t know if it is made up, but I feel that the family might be a little closer. Maybe it’s because no one wants to miss out on time that could be spent, since we all know now that life isn’t forever.

As the songs played in my car, I thought either my past was a waste, or it wasn’t. Either the God I worshiped was real, or He wasn’t. And then I decided that I couldn’t be on the fence any longer…I needed to make a choice and go with it. At this point I have made the choice to continue the walk down the narrow path…to see where it will take me.


Writing this today:
I still look back on that time often, and different events that have occurred since.  The ups and the downs that I went through with my faith.  I can say to this day, I am thankful God carried me through, and that he continues to carry me daily.  I know that there is always room for my relationship with Him to expand, and I pray that throughout the year of 2011, I learn more about Him, and the path He will have me walk.