Hopeful

I'm rebelling. I'm here, when I should be working through a very long to-do list. But it's late, and I'm tired...

Bloggy-time has been scarce today - this week - this month! It's been one big thing after another -- remember that train I boarded at the beginning of the year? Yeah. Still chugging away -- but we will check off the last big January to-do item this coming week, when Mr. H's mom and sister come for a visit.

When that visit is done, life should slow down...a little...I hope...

:::

I just love this picture. It totally captures my life right now.  The new year has brought much more interest and many more calls,  job-wise, for Mr. H.  I'm so thankful for that. I would rather we were past 'interest' and more into the 'making offers' stage, but I'm doing okay -- things just "feel" different out there now, and I feel hopeful.

I feel just like this picture. We're certainly not out of the woods (in fact, the wolf is closer than ever), but is that a light just around the bend? Are we almost there? Or is this just slightly desperate, wishful thinking? I want to shake my head and be wise and prepare for the worst. That's practical.

But I just can't shake this feeling...

hopeful.

 

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Crispy French Toast

Not too long ago, I (who never wins anything) won a giveaway at our family's recipe blog. (Thanks, Deb!) One of the things I won was a  calendar filled with delightful, delicious, decadent breakfast recipes.

This is one of those calendar recipes:  Crispy French  Toast. Think State Fair meets breakfast: there's a crispy coating and some deep-frying involved.

Yummy -- and  a fun change from regular, ol' boring french toast. Give it a try...

 

Crispy French Toast
.

8 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

6 thick slices of white bread (Texas toast)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 cups cornflakes
.

Preheat deep-fryer to 375° F. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. Beat well. Place cornflakes in separate bowl. Dip bread slices in egg mixture and press into cornflakes.

Carefully slide coated bread slices into hot oil. Fry on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

 

Hints:

► It doesn't say to crush up the cornflakes in the original recipe. Do it. Smaller cornflake pieces make for a more uniform, crispy coating.

►  More eggs, a little less milk -- the coating will stick better.

 

original recipe: Beyond Oatmeal, 2010 calendar from Carlene Duda

Words to Live By

 

 

One joy scatters a hundred griefs. 

                                                                           --  Chinese Proverb

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All We Really Need to Know...

Miss Rumphius

.
Say hello to a big fan of children's literature. When I came across this the other day, I knew I had to share it. Enjoy...

 

All We Really Need to Know We Learn from Children's Books

 

Do something to make the world more beautiful.

Miss Rumphius

::

Clean up the house when you're through playing.

Cat in the Hat

::

You don't have to fight if you don't want to.

The Story of Ferdinand the Bull

::

We're meant to need each other.

Missing May

::

Believe in yourself.

The Little Engine That Could

::

Best friends are terrific!

Charlotte's Web

::

Eat balanced meals.

Bread and Jam for Frances

::

There's no place like home.

The Wizard of Oz

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Don't go uninvited into other people's yards.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

::

Don't cross the street without your mother!

Make Way for Ducklings

::

Don't open the door to strangers.

Lon Po Po

::

You don't have to be perfect at everything you do.

The Chicken Sisters

::

Adapt to a new situation.

Don't Laugh, Joe

 

What have you learned from children's books?

picture: Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney

Words to Live By

 

 

 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him
and He shall direct thy paths.

             -- Proverbs 3:-5-6

 

 

 

picture credit
original post idea from  Christine

She Made It!

No more pillows, no more 'looks'

No more wheelchairs or stacks of books.

No more leaning, no more pain

No more surgery, or feeling drained.

No more doctors, no more ...

.

...ah, forget it -- you get the picture! She made it! Say hello to our healed up girl! 

She is busy and active, and a member of the school's winterguard team (you know, a team that does routines with flags?).  Her ever-present pillow has been retired. Woo-hoo!  This has been a long time coming (details here and here and here), and I'm SO counting this as a belated Christmas present! Life is good. ♥

Chugging Right Along...

So, how's your 2010 so far? Mine is chugging right along!

When I think of the new year,
<-----  this is the image that pops into my head. The new year has been busy, busy, busy!

I feel like I'm a passenger on a train and life is whizzing by the windows, and the train is carrying me along, like it or not!

I got a new job at church -- after 10-plus years of working with children and their leaders in Primary, I'm now in the women's organization (RS). Talk about a mind shift! I've been scrambling to learn the new duties, but I finally feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it now.

Those aren't the only changes. As my 'Words to Live By'  have been hinting, (click  here and here ) other mind-shifting changes are looming for me. Perhaps at the next station, even.

In spite of many calls and interview opportunities in the past couple of months, nothing has really panned out, and it's time to make hard decisions. I'm pretty good at making things stretch, (almost to a magical level, I was told...LOL) but it can't go on forever. Resources dwindle down, even with the tightest budgets.

Our plan of having me go to school, and then jump into a career of my choice once the Sweet Girl's flown the nest, has changed. It's time to enter the workforce now and help out the family. I am more than willing to roll up my sleeves and do what needs to be done, but privately, quietly, deep down in my soul, there is heartbreak over this.  I don't want to give up any part of my labor of love.  I could write a post all by itself on this, but I won't.  Just know that words like "infertility", "you'll never have children", "you're expecting!", "I only have one", and "Mr. H, being able to be a mother is a gift to me from heaven", and "I don't want to miss a *minute* of this!" ... are involved. Enough said.

So, I tuck these feelings away and give myself a good talking to --  I'm trying to be positive and proactive and see what's around the bend for me. The challenge will be to see if I can trust in the Lord's will, and be open to this journey -- and stop checking my ticket to see if I got on the wrong train!

I've found out by experience that when you do what's right, good things happen. Even when it's hard. I have to believe that good things are just around the bend...

Wish me luck.

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Words to Live By

 

Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.

                                               - Max Frisch

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