Slow Cooked Barbecue Country Style Ribs

In an attempt to make budget friendly, time friendly and variety filled menu plans, I am always on the lookout for new recipes and easy ways to get supper on the table.

I found the original recipe online on a southern food website and tweaked it a little to suit my tastes better and it was DELISH!  I used country style ribs from Aldi's that were about $5 for 2 pounds of meat (so I halved the meat, but only back off the liquid a little just to be sure it didn't get dry), but the original recipe called for 3 to 4 pounds of boneless country style ribs,so I will give you that recipe in case you are cooking for more than two people. 

3 to 4 pounds boneless country style ribs
Sprinkling of meat tenderizer (to your preference or you can omit if you like)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 minced garlic cloves (I used the Pampered Chef garlic press for mine)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple juice
1 bottle barbecue sauce (16 to 18 oz of your favorite) I used a honey flavored for mine

Grease 5 to 6 quart crockpot with cooking spray.  Wash pork and trim excess fat and dry with paper towels.  Put sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Sprinkle tenderizer, salt and pepper on each piece of pork and place in crockpot on top of onions.  Sprinkle pork with half of brown sugar and minced garlic, flip and sprinkle other half of sugar and garlic on other side, making sure each piece is coated.  Pour apple juice evenly over meat.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours and check (original recipe called for 8 to 9 hours, but I found this to be too long).  When meat is almost cooked through, drain liquid and reserve for gravy if you wish.  Pour barbecue sauce over top of meat and onions and stir carefully to coat.  Continue to cook for 1 hour or so to infuse the meat and sufficiently coat all pieces.

I made mashed potatoes to go with ours so I used the drippings from the crockpot with flour, salt and pepper and a splash of water and about a tablespoon more of apple juice just for something different and it was very, very yummy!

Pictures of crockpot food are challenging, but I promise this dish was worth making again and RC loved it!  I had enough for our meal last night and 2 lunch meals for the next day.

Crockpot Barbecue Country Style Ribs

Gravy made with juices poured off after cooking meat

Photo Card Birthday Invite

Photo card invites are pretty popular these days, but they do require lead time to order and be delivered and can sometimes be pretty costly...being on a budget makes it necessary to evaluate how to cut spending on birthday party preparation (so you have more money to spend on cupcakes of course..HA!) and making your own invites doesn't have to be hard! 

I made this super cute one with a selection of pictures I took of the birthday girl dressed up for her tea party and made the pictures into a collage using the free Google Picasa software...super easy to do!  I took advantage of 10 cent 4x6 prints from CVS and printed 60 prints for $6 and tax.  Then I mounted each picture on a 4.5 x 6.5 piece of cardstock that I had in my scrapbooking supplies and used a single picture cut to size on the back along with the party wording...This is the end result...I used pastel papers because that will be the theme colors of the party, and I'm showing two different invites so you can see the front and back...I covered the party invite details for privacy reasons, but you would put your where, when, etc information there.  I think they are super cute and they took me about 1.5 hours to cut, mount and put the invites in envelopes.  All for a little over $6 for 30 invitations...of course if you have to buy paper and adhesive it would cost a few more bucks, but still very affordable, personalized and a great keepsake!

Reflecting, Remembering and Rejoicing

It's been a while since I've blogged, mainly because we are just so busy living life between two houses, I hardly have time to catch my breath let alone blog about it.  But it's July and we'll be headed on vacation shortly and then when I return, the countdown to the end is on.  That sounds so ominous doesn't it?  Well it kind of is.  I have been caring for children in my home since my mom passed away in October of 1996 and at the end of the summer I'll be closing the doors on that chapter in my life.  I have undergone many changes over the years, had frustrations, wonderful days and not so wonderful days but for the most part my job has been my life.  I've identified with it, been identified by it and known pretty much as the "Nannie" for all those years.  And it's been great.  I've made it through many rough times with the love of the families around me and hugs and kisses from my precious babies.  I was able to be removed from the world when I needed to be, but also felt a little secluded sometimes on the bad days when I felt like I was up to my ears in diapers and whiny children.  I needed both of those to began the restoration process and be able to move on.  God has miraculously drawn me to a place of humility and grace and allowed me to be married to the man of my dreams and begin the next chapter of my life with him by my side.  I am rejoicing in the fact that at 38 years old I get to make a fresh start, claim some things in my life as my own and explore the 'me' side of my life for the first time ever.  And while it's exciting, it's also terrifying.  Peeling back the layers of Nannie, CCH church member and lifelong Hburg resident leaves me feeling vulnerable and a little 'deep end without a paddle'.  My life after the transition will consist majorly of cleaning out one house and preparing the other for our life together.  It's a daunting task, but I am going to try to embrace it with wide open arms and see just what God has planned for me!  Blessings to all who have stumbled by here!

S

Praying for My Husband from Head to Toe

I have been blessed with a wonderful husband...loving, attentive and most of all loves the Lord.  I can't imagine my life without him.  I prayed for him for many months as God laid our relationship out before us...and I want to continue to pray for him now that we are married...Join me if you like in praying for your husbands, your marriages, your families...Blessings, S

You can click here for a printable to put on your mirror, in your bible or journal...I found this online and don't take any credit for it.


Head
Father, I ask that You would continually renew my husband’s mind, resulting in a transformed life. Help him bring every thought to Christ and make it obedient to You. Give him a greater understanding of Your Word. Help him to think on things that are pure and right and worthy of praise.” (Psalm 119:15, Rom 12:2, 2 Cor.10:5)

Eyes
Lord, keep open my husband’s eyes to spiritual truths that You have for him. Help him to see things as You see them. Please guard his eyes from things that make his heart wander away from you and me. (Psalm 119:18, Psalm 119:37)

Ears
Father, help my husband to hear Your voice clearly. Give him wisdom to recognize your voice with certainty. Protect him from listening to those who aren’t seeking or walking with You. Guard him from negativity of what others say, and help him discern between good and evil. Thank you for giving him the ability to determine what is of You and what is not. (Is 30:21, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 John 4:1)

Mouth
Jesus, help my husband to speak the truth in love. Your desire is for him to be quick to listen and slow to speak – so I pray that you would make that his desire too. Give him courage to lovingly confront when necessary. Let the words he speaks be Yours, not his own. Help him speak words that bring grace and truth to the hearers. Thank you that You want to help him grow in his ability and desire to communicate with you and others. (Psalm 19:14, 119:13, 41:3; Eph 4:15, 4:29; James 1:19)

Heart
Lord, instill in my husband’s heart a desire to seek passionately after You. Teach him to guard his heart with diligence and wisdom. Help him deal with anything in his heart that is not pleasing to You or that separates him from You. Create in him a pure heart, O Lord. Thank you that You are enabling him to lead our family with integrity and honor. (Psalm 78:72, 119:10-11; Prov 4:23; 1 Thes 3:13)

Hands
Lord, I pray everything my husband does would be done with his whole heart, serving You rather than man. Seeking to please You alone. I pray You will increase his skills and his abilities so that he might bring honor and glory to you – and feel like a good provider for our family. Thank You for blessing everything he puts his hands to. (Psalm 24:3-4, Col 3:23)

Feet
Jesus, I pray my husband would love Your Words and walk in Your ways. Help him walk in a manner that is worthy of You, bearing fruit in every good work. I pray You’d show him how to creatively share your truth with our kids as he does life with them each day. Father, when he walks through the valley of the shadow of doubt and difficulties, I pray he would fear no evil because He knows that you are with him. Thank you for loving and leading Him. (Deut 6:7, 8:6, Col 1:10, Psalm 23:4)

Mother's Day Reflections

This is a picture of my mom, my sister and I at her high school graduation in June 1996.  My dad had passed away in February that year and just four months after this picture was taken my mom passed as well.  That year and many years after were the toughest of my life and I will never be the same because of it.  It's not something you get over.  You just move past it and trust that God will carry you through the rough days.  Like Mother's Day.  I am so glad to have had my mom for the twenty two Mother's Day that I did, but I of course wish now that I could go back and enjoy them a little more, savor that day a little more and appreciate the time I had with her while she was here a lot more! 

This year is the first year in 16 years that I've 'celebrated' Mother's Day.  When I was married the first time, my then husband's mom was also gone and we never had to celebrate.  This year is different because my sweet husband RC has a mom who is still with us.  She is a precious woman of God whom I've had the pleasure of knowing since I was a little girl and has accepted me as one of her children probably even before I became her daughter in law.  I am very thankful for the man she helped raise and the values she taught her son because I am very much the benefactor of those years spent shaping and forming him!  I will enjoy celebrating her day, but holding it together is going to be a challenge that I'll once again need God's help to bring forth the smile instead of the tears and enjoy the day with my in laws and my sweet husband.  Though bittersweet, I am so happy that RC's mom is able to see him be married and happy once more, see her children and grandchildren growing up and be such a big part of all of our lives. 

Mother's Day also serves as a somewhat painful reminder that while I've been a Nannie (aka second mom) to more kids than I can count anymore, I've never been able to be a mom myself.  I am praying that God will choose to honor me with that one day soon either by giving RC and I a child of our own or opening the doors to adoption for us.  I am trying to focus on the fact that I have a wonderful husband, family and friends and that no matter what God's plan is, that I'll continue to be thankful for the blessings in the life I have rather than focus on what the future holds.  But it is hard.  Really hard.  I know that God's plan is sovereign and His timing is perfect.  I am putting one foot in front of the other today, reminding myself of that with each and every step.

To all the mothers in my life and all those who happen upon my blog.  Happy Mother's Day to YOU.

Blessings,

Stephanie

Spring Creative Memories Retreat 2012

I spent the weekend in Hickory, NC hosting my spring retreat for my Creative Memories customers and had a blast!  I spent a good amount of time in the kitchen as always, but just about finished a book for my mother-in-law...that I 'gave' her for Christmas...yes, I'm behind...lol.

I will be sharing a couple of recipes that I used this weekend that were REALLY good that I found on pinterest...YUMMO!  The girls seat favors turned out super cute as well!  Missed some of my regulars this go around...LL you aren't allowed to miss ANY more crops....but have a few new faces, and stories to tell is always fun!    Here area few random pics from the weekend! 

Thursday Thoughts

Coming off a long weekend at the campground with RC and my sister and into a week of spring break with 6 kids everyday, you'd think I'd be crazy.  Well I am, but kind of in a good way.  Before I get to that...let me share some of my favorite pictures from the beach.

Ok, much better...Now back to my story.  This is my last spring break with my kiddos.  And it's really kinda sad.  I enjoy seeing the everyday stuff with the kids.  Of course I enjoy the moments like birthdays, Christmas, etc, but I enjoy the kids just being themselves and playing, hanging out with their friends and the everyday life.  I'll miss that the most.  Along with the snuggles and hugs and kisses good morning and goodbye.  Okay, so I'll miss a lot of things.  I am very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life, being a wife to Randy, part time Nannie to our niece, de-cluttering two houses and making the Lake Wylie house into our home.  This week I've been reminded how much fun my job can be.  No shuttling kids around to school and back or after school pickup.  No stressful schedules or demands.  Just hanging out.  Going to the park.  Having fun in the yard.  Snack in the grass under the tree.  The things I'll miss.  Here's a couple collages of cute pics of the kids hanging out.  Just being kids.  No game boys or Angry Birds or whatever the latest craze is...just having fun.  I am digging the new Picasa editing software by the way...I played with a few options in the collages...totally love the soft edges and the 1960's filter too...very cool!

Life around here is pretty busy.  Days begin at 530am and end around 10pm.  There is much to be done to prepare for the move.  So much clutter.  So little time.  But I am blessed to be in the place I'm in.  This time last year so many things in my life where waaaaay different.  And I wouldn't go back.  Not even for a second.  God has guided me in a totally different path than I ever thought I would be.  I am embracing the future, holding onto the present and enjoying the time I have with my sweet babies.  It will be time for the really hard stuff soon...I'll just have to deal with that later.  When I have to.  Until then, I'm going to love on them, spoil them when I can and snuggle them as much as they will sit still for. 

Blessings to all who have crossed this blog...May you feels God's peace and love in your life.

Stephanie

Lessons in Cooking

Before I got married, I often only cooked, like really cooked, once a week for myself.  I'd make lunch for whichever kids were with me that day, but not really 'cooking' more like chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, pb and j, you get the idea.

Well now that I'm not the only one in the house, I do like to prepare a meal for my husband to come home to.  Which means I'm doing a lot of cooking.  Like everyday cooking.  Seriously.  Anyhoo, it's been fun pulling some recipes out of my arsenal of the years of watching my mom cook and learning bits and pieces about making biscuits or icebox coconut cake or whatever she was making that night.

With the inclusion of Pinterest in my life, new recipes are being tried quite often and most of them are quite successful.  RC isn't picky, thank goodness.  Just leave out celery, pickle relish, lima beans and some other oddities and he's good to go.  He does love red velvet cake.  And I had never made one before.  Ever.  2 bottles of red food coloring?  Are you serious?  I worked my way into homemade by using a box mix to make red velvet whoopie pies for RC to take to work.  The cream cheese frosting was really good...I didn't care for the cake part at all.  I forgot to reduce the liquid to make a true whoopie pie, so I had to bake them in a jelly roll pan and cut them...can you say crumbs EVERYWHERE?  I even had enough crumbs to make some cake balls...eh...whatever!

RC's birthday was a week later and I decided to give the homemade cake a try.  I used Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake recipe as well as her icing recipe too.  I don't know who bakerella is, but she's pretty popular on pinterest...so I decided to give it a go.  Lemme just tell you.  Red food coloring, two whole bottles of it, is something quite dangerous.  Don't mistake the lock/unlock button for the speed button on the stand mixer.  It won't be pretty.  Here's the batter...

Easy enough, right?  Pour into pans and bake until done...check and check

Remove from pans and cool on rack. Um yeah, not so much...Every single one stuck to the pan...like REALLY stuck.  One would think that with a cup of oil and really well sprayed pans, the cake would just pop out.  One would be wrong in this assumption!

The picture doesn't do the mess justice, but oh my...what a hot mess.  I pieced together what I could, determined to salvage the cakes and proceeded to the icing.  Butter, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioner's sugar.  Not too intimidating and very good.  One recipe should have been enough, but because I had to repair layers, and basically use the frosting as glue...here is what one recipe got me.

So, I went back to the mixing bowl and made another batch.  That's 12 cups of sugar, 2 blocks of cream cheese and 4 sticks of butter in total....Yikes!  But here is the finished product complete with candles for RC's 42 birthday...and I must say homemade red velvet is MUCH better.

Here's the guts...don't look too closely or you can see the obvious repair points.

I gave RC the choice of what he wanted to eat that night and he chose cubed steak, rice and gravy...so here's the plate of that...Paula Deen, before her realization that cooking and eating bad foods is actually bad for you, geez who would've thunk it, would've been proud...it was delicious!  And I added a pic of the birthday boy blowing out his candles...Thank goodness the cake was good!

So in my search on Pinterest I came across some cute St Patrick's Day cupcakes, using none other that Bakerella's (told you she was popular) recipe and swapping out two bottles of red for one bottle of green.  So I made some more treats to send with RC to work and a container of mini cupcakes for the kids for snack today.  That's some seriously green batter, folks...whew!

I am enjoying my rekindled love of cooking, the scales however does not agree with me.  So I'm now in the search for some more summer clothes wearing friendly recipe to incorporate into our routine.  We'll see how that goes over.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Belated Birthday

I realized that I never posted pictures from the celebration for Randy's birthday this year...We got together at Rey Azteca in Lake Wylie to eat supper together with friends and family from NC and SC! It was a great time! Love these folks and of course my sweet hubby!

Marriage Retreat, March Madness and More!

I really cannot believe it is March 13th.  Really?  Seriously? I have been married for eleven weeks already.  How did that happen?  Even though we had a relatively low key wedding and reception that didn't take months and months to plan and recuperate from...it really feels like we JUST got married!  We just spent the weekend at a marriage retreat with 19 other couples from my home church...it was a blessing to get away for a weekend to Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock, NC to spend time with other couples some married for more than 30 years and some still dating or engaged!  We listened to a video series by Mark Gungor that was entertaining, yet informative.  I wouldn't say I agree 100% with everything he said, but even those points we discussed with the group and weighed in our opinions with each other.  It was a wonderful weekend full of smiles, laughs and most importantly, time away with my husband!

All of the wonderful couples at the marriage retreat!

For those who aren't aware, I am a HUGE UNC Tarheel fan.  Well, if you caught the ACC tourney over the weekend, you know it didn't end the way I wanted it to.  Now onto the NCAA tourney and maybe a chance at redemption.  The only thing that made it bearable was that Duke lost before us and we did manage to hang on til the last shot, though giving the game to the better team for that game.  Florida State creamed us during regular season and deserved the win both times.  I still don't have to like it.  March Madness also siginifies the end of my favorite sports season, college basketball...hopefully I can hold on 'til football season, because you won't see me watching any boredomball, oh I meant baseball.  Yuck!

My daycare kids are growing like weeds and time is flying by WAY too quickly for me as I near the end of this chapter of my life.  I can't hardly imagine my life without daily care of these precious babies, but I know God's plan for me will be laid out in the weeks, months and maybe year ahead...and for that I am excited, nervous, sad, overwhelmed and overall thankful that I was able to be a part of so many lives over the past 16 years. 

I have some prayer requests that are heavy on my heart today and I am lifting them up to God, praying for wisdom, guidance and discernment.  It's "funny" how you can be bebopping (yes, that's a word) along and realize that some things around you aren't what they seem.  Makes you wonder what else you've missed along the way either through being deceived or just plain clueless, but nonetheless I am trusting God to help me sort it all out. 

I am in love with the song, Never Once, by Matt Redman.  It speaks into my heart and reminds me just how far I've come through God's love, grace and mercy in my life.  It hasn't always been easy, nor will it always be.  But His unmistakeable guidance and evident hand in my life just fills me to overwhelmingly overflowing with thankfulness.  I can't hardly process how much my life has changed from this time last year.  Looking back at this post from March 2011 is a reminder like no other...how BIG our God is.  Even though I took that step in obedience to what I felt the Lord was leading me to do.  I hated, yes hated ~ even though that's an ugly word,  every single second of online dating.  I met a few nice people, but the overall experience was one I could've done without.  However it was one of the steps in the process that led to RC and I being where we are today, and I will FOREVER be grateful for that!  I now know what it really feels like to see God work in and through the many trials of your life to bring about blessings and reveal HIS plan.  Not until I completely surrendered my life did I really begin to see God's direction...not to say I haven't felt guided in the past, but to really be to a point in my life where I said, Lord I cannot do this alone...and I trust YOU to show me the path. The words in "Never Once" ring true now so near and dear to my heart and I hope maybe one of you will be touched as well.  My favorite lines are the chorus that say "Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did You leave us on our own, You are faithful, God, You are faithful" It seems so simple, yet is so very true...God will NEVER leave or forsake us...He tells us so in Hebrews 13:6...And when we stand on the mountaintop and look just how far we've come (verse one) it's hard not to be utterly amazed at what God can and will do in and through you if you will focus your eyes on Him.  Whew...I'm on a tangent here, however...I am so blessed and can't contain my excitement for all that God is doing in my life...I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I'll settle for my blog for now - so if you are still reading...bless you! :)

I am off to spend some time with my sweet RC who is sitting and strumming the guitar as I type...Blessings to all who have passed by here! 

Stephanie

Lego Party for Peyton

Peyton turned 7 this year...hard to believe it's been that long since he was that chubby newborn!  He picked a Lego theme and my sister, with her new found obsession with Pinterest, helped Peyton's parents throw a super cute party!!! Here are some of the ideas she used and some she came up with!  Enjoy!

Duplo blocks in canister

Table setup for party

Cupcake liner in punch cups filled with goldfish crackers

Rice Krispie treats on a stick with one side coated with chocolate!

Fun way to serve cheese balls

Lego cake with 13x9 pan cake and 6 cupcakes

White chocolate dipped Oreos on a stick

Lego cupcake tower

Cupcakes with real Lego decorations

Lego colored tissue paper in a vase

Cupcake tower

Cupcakes displayed on cake pedestal made from dollar store plate and candlestick...too cute!

Oreos on stick displayed in tin bucket with foam and tissue paper

Rice Krispie squares in tin bucket with foam and tissue paper

Another dollar store plate and candlestick display

Closeup of Lego cupcakes

Party favors - Candy building blocks in plastic baggies - super cute!

Peanutty Chocolate Banana Bread

My first contribution to Pinterest...this bread is very yummy, not too heavy or sweet and a great breakfast bread or snack!  I found this recipe in an old Pampered Chef cookbook from way back and I used bananas that I had previously sealed with the Food Saver and frozen/thawed out and they worked perfectly!  (great way to salvage bananas that have gotten too ripe, but you don't have time to cook anything with them right away)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup milk chocolate morsels, divided
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bottom only of of loaf pan with nonstick spray.  Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Add bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil and egg; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in 3/4 cup of the milk chocolate morsels.  Spoon batter into pan.  Coarsely chop peanut and sprinkle peanuts and remaining 1/4 cup milk chocolate morsels evenly over batter.  Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Loosen sides of loaf from pan and remove to cooling rack to cool completely.  Cut into slices with bread knife for best results.

Month Full of Blessings

It's official.  I've been married a month.  I'm totally, completely, madly head over heels in love with RC.  Like seriously.  I admire him, I am amazed at how smart he is, I feel absolute, unconditional love from him and I think he's just the cutest, sweetest husband. EVER.

Ok, so I'm biased...shouldn't I be?  God has entrusted me with a man who loves Him first, strives to love me as Christ loves the church and who treats me like a princess.  I have never felt so blessed that I can remember.

Life isn't perfect of course.  Living between two houses and his commute is not so much fun.  There are still bills to be paid and never enough money to pay them all.  I feel somewhat in limbo between my home church and RC's church in the transition and that feels weird.  Time is of a premium and I'm not making a dent in my 'to do list' just yet.  You know, the everyday stuff that is life.

One of the things I heard in a sermon last weekend was that I need to be a contributer and not just a consumer in my life.  Now in the context that it was given originally, it pertained to being involved in church and giving of time and energy and resources to help the body of Christ reach out to the unchurched and to be connected with that body of believers on an intimate level.  But it's gotten me thinking about just everything else that takes an effort.  I have to contribute some of my 'down time' a.k.a. tv, facebook, pinterest, just being lazy time...in order to achieve my goals.  I can't 'consume' my whole day with stuff and then expect the work to magically get done.  Time management has always been a struggle for me and when I feel overwhelmed as I do with all that I have in my house to do...it just creates an unproductive environment.

I am praying that 2012 will bring about some changes in that.  I have to buckle down, committing to spend at least a few minutes each day working on a bigger task.  I have the time.  The energy kinda comes and goes and there will ALWAYS be excuses for that 'one more thing I need to do first'.  But I desire to live a simpler life, with less 'stuff' and more time for my sweet husband and the things we enjoy doing together.

Bottom line is this.  I have been blessed with an understanding and patient man who I absolutely adore.  I want to be able to spend unstressful, relaxation time with him without thinking..."oh I should be doing______) So that's my goal...spending a few minutes a day on a task that I know can't be done in one day, but little by little...I'll get there.

Blessings to all who have come by here!
Stephanie :)

Blessings

I have almost been married for a month?!?!  Time is flying by so quickly and my life is so busy with  making the adjustments to marriage, living with someone for the first time in a long time and just fitting everything in!  I don't want to blink and miss anything!

Tonight we are taking part in a Night of Worship at RC's church in SC (side note ~ I guess it's technically my church now too, but I'm not at that "I've changed churches from my childhood church of 30+ years" yet stage...I'm getting there though, slowly but surely) as a married couple, reading Psalm 57 together, and I must say I'm nervous, excited and most of all just feeling very honored and blessed to have a strong Christian husband who is leading our marriage.  I am far from the perfect wife and learning every single day how to be in a marriage like ours, biblically speaking of course - being quick to listen and slow to react doesn't come naturally to a head strong, opinionated, can be sassy mouth Southern girl...I'm just sayin'.

I am just so excited about the direction of our lives and while somewhat anxious about some aspects, I feel so very blessed to have the unconditional love of the sweetest man I know and without question completely trust that he loves me no matter what may come...and I have NEVER experienced this feeling before!  The level of comfort and security I feel...I just can't describe it....it's just awesome!!!

On to the busy weekend ahead...thank goodness next week seems to be a little calmer...Blessing to all that have passed by this blog!  You are God's creation...don't ever lose sight of that!

S

New Year and Blessed Beginnings

Well, December came and went and I only got one post done...with wedding planning and just holiday madness, there was simply no time.  I was living life and enjoying my engagement.  It's January now and no letting up in sight.  We have hit the ground running and are managing two households and work and meetings and church and on and on.

But I am so stinking happy I just don't even have the words to type here.  God has so richly blessed me with the sweetest, kindest, gentlest husband I could have EVER imagined.  I really don't even know how our marriage could be better at this point.  I know the day will come when we disagree or bicker, but I have such a peace in my heart about RC's unconditional love for me, I say 'bring it on'.  Making up will be fun too right??? ;-)

2012 will bring about a great deal of change for me and in many ways, some things will never be the same already.  I have taken a step back from my responsibilities at my church and we are attending RC's church when we are at his house on the weekends.  I have mixed emotions about not playing and singing with the praise team...I miss the time with the team for sure, but I know that this season of my life is dedicated to being a wife and helpmate to RC and bringing our households together.  I know God will lead, guide and direct me to where I should be serving in the future.  I am praying to not be anxious about any of it and just let Him lead.  While I am glad that others have stepped up to serve in my place at CCH, it is bittersweet since my whole life for many years revolved around my service and volunteer time at church.  I know that there will be new opportunities to serve at RC's church as time permits, and I am thankful for the welcoming arms of new friends and people I'm meeting in the area.  God's plan for me is yet unfolding, but very exciting!

I have married into a wonderful family and am so blessed with loving inlaws and friends!  This group shot was taken on the island in the lake where we were married.  The weather was perfect, the reception was exactly how we planned it and the honeymoon was more than I could have ever dreamed of.  I hope to get back to blogging more regularly soon and keep everyone updated on the craziness that is my life!  Blessings to you all, S :)