Jared is an Adult!

It's an exciting day around here. The world recognizes what we've know...our first AMA child, Jared,  has become an adult.  ::snort:: 


We raise our children to transition for youth to young adult and you know - it just happens....we're proud of the young man Jared has become.  He's faced a lot of "stuff" in 2011....and he conquered.  God has developed in Jared  the right stuff in the face of hard stuff.  We rejoice. 


The girls and I created an ice cream cake keeping Jared's favorite things in mind....

No, she doesn't do this when we're having company

Zander alarmed me by mentioning  a loose tooth. I thought it was a permanent one...but a friend has a dentist husband who put my mind at ease. Zander pulled his tooth out at dinner.....couldn't stand how it felt. ::snort:: We were a bit alarmed to see this at dinner - but we've learned to flex around here.


I continue to live sourdough in my quest to get this right for Michael. This a.m. I made 8 really, really sourdough muffins. I was too sore last night to bake them and so let them sour overnight (a total of about 24 hours).  Jared and Michael like them....I think the rest of us would like milder.  I then fed the starter and made two loaves of sourdough bread....somewhere between a marginal and a fail. I wasn't patient enough to stay up until 3 a.m. to bake them (got my timing wrong) and so baked them early. ::snort::  I did bake 8 PERFECT muffins tonight after Michael reminded me I DO own an electric griddle....it worked MUCH better than the cast iron....no burning. Not bad for one day of baking. 

We shopped for Jared and were happy with our finds. Suitably adult like gifts.

Jared and I watched some clips from Iowa and talked. Relaxing - very relaxing afternoon.  (Of course I let go the expectation of several projects).

The roads were bad enough that Michael didn't want to venture out to Jared's restaurant of choice. I baked pizzas instead. We opened gifts...enjoyed cake....good times.

Birthday Hugs 

 

Stacia tries to help Jared blow out trick candles

Wonderful day...filled with just a bit of ministry, lots of family, lots of laundry and baking...and  a bit of school. Good stuff.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Back to "Normal"

PWOC began again today. A good day. 


I went to the commissary. 


I had a nice, beneficial Skype with Asia's Chaplain Advisor. 


Created a new family favorite for dinner. Go figure. Desperate times. 


I continue to learn how to care for, feed  and keep warm a sourdough starter. I've made several batches of sourdough English muffins and I think it has become our bread of choice. All I know is I have to make them at least once a day. I keep upping production to get some in the freezer.  

I've realized my kitchen is too cool so it is common to find jars of sourdough starter and souring dough in the living room. ::snort:: 


This year (and you know the year is new but it's working for us!) we have decided to read through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs as a family. This is very doable with the ages of our children. It's proven to be fun....and inspirational. 

Focus, FOCUS....

We have also begun a family gratitude journal - which invariably leads to rousing rounds of "Count Your Blessings" sung in old time church falsetto voices.  We are "naming the graces,"  "choosing joy," and finding the joy in "ugly beauty" from time to time. 

Last night Michael, Stacia and I took Yuuki for a starlit, snowy walk.....unfortunately she clued right in on a neighbor's house with a yapper dog and lunged on the leash. She twirled me around and I landed spread eagle on the snow-covered ice. One arm stretched to the left still grasping Yuuki as she barked at their door, one arm/shoulder broke the fall....landed on the arm/wrist/shoulder and knee...OUCH. Women of certain ages are not meant to bounce around off snow-covered ice as if they were 6 yo males.  I'm sore. 

Immediately after this I got to name an "ugly beauty". I got to give thanks that I did NOT break anything and could walk home under my own power.  ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

No Chaplains were harmed in the making of this photo! 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Something is just not working right....

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

HooBoy!

Hooo Boy! This is going to be a doozey of a week! ::snort:: Not only am I coming off the Holiday schedule but I was traveling 4 weeks before that and had a regional conference the week before THAT....

What did I do today:

• Drove Jared to work - tried two routes and timed them for winter driving
• Made sourdough English Muffins (and they were good) 
• Finished several local and regional ministry projects
• Started several ministry projects
• Started another batch of dough souring
• Skyped with Jamin
• Shopped for a ticket to VA and back
• Went bowling with family
• Ran errands
• Cooking up another  batch of sourdough English muffins (trying to get ahead of the demand)
• Enjoyed new family routines 
• Reading the New Testament/ Psalms and Proverbs this year - teaching to interact with the author of the Word
• Started a FAMILY gratitude journal...and sang several rousing rounds of "Count Your Blessings"

Tomorrow:

• PWOC
• School
• Work on a new regional ministry project
• Possibly book a ticket

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Hello 2012 - Nice to Meet You

We are certainly going to have to work on some new holiday traditions. We USED to have traditions for New Years - it seems when the older kids left we lost some of our zeal for holidays. In our defense, silly string wars are more appealing in 70* weather than in 20* weather. ::snort::

These two are not very festive

Those of us who were awake and waiting for mid-night thought maybe this called for some relaxing times....and nothing says relaxing like FIREWORKS! 

It adds a bit of adventure to the proceedings when you can't read the directions or what to expect....we thought we were doing pretty well...until Jared had a stick that ended up shooting fireballs out the end.....singed him a bit.

I am still trying to decide which reading program I want to do personally this year. I have a lot of time in the word preparing for speaking and studying and so don't have the leisurely time to read through the word in 90 days etc.....still thinking. I began with the first reading in the chronological plan....Gen 1 -3. I read it aloud to Zander as he was up early. He had some GREAT theological stumper questions....and I journaled 5 pages.....great start. But then I didn't work out or have to school. LOL  Michael and I are talking about what reading schedule we want to do as a family...we are leaning to either the E100 (essential 100) or New Testament, Psalms/Proverbs as we are reading most of the Old Testament in school this year. I am planning a blog post with various reading lists linked. 


We headed for chapel. Michael did some work and the kids and I went out for breakfast then back to chapel. I have enjoyed 2011's theme "Living Faithfully" and I really like 2012's Protestant theme of "Walking Worthy".  Christina brought me sourdough starter - it's alive. As we talked about how to care for it Anna told me I wouldn't have to worry about stirring it as in Japan the quakes will take care of that for me. ::snort:: And two hours later....

I suppose Mother Nature was celebrating the New Year with some shaking of her own? ::grin:: 


Back at home I made the typical New Years Gyudon. We sat around and visited, we played with Yuuki and went on a long walk.....

Um.....two in one? 

Just after I clicked she saw a CAT - the chase was ON
Pulling Nolan on the ice... 

Quelf.....

Michael looked down his nose at my Quelf answers..... Zander and I came up with a pretty nice limerick about a 5 armed man. This is a fun game. 


Bre Skyped in...the only family member we've managed to connect with on New Years.

Note: Helmet and paper on head are quelf directed

I started dough souring and think I made several key errors. Ah well - I have a year to learn this.

More fireworks were in order as EVERYONE was awake this time!

This man has had TOO MUCH vacation! ::snort:: 

WOW - that's a GREAT smile. I dream of seeing it more often! 

Pretty great expression here too! 

Jared chose to skip the 2nd night of pyromania - hmmmm.

It was a good day....long day as holidays which fall on Sunday are destined to be in a Pastor's family. 


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Enjoying her adoption toy

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...