Here's to more soup...

We have been eating a lot of soup lately. Maybe this eternal cold that I have had since...well, forever, is keeping soup recipes at the forefront. Or, maybe the -30 temperatures, that is Celsius for the Americans out there, are making me crave nothing but soup, and perhaps the occasional latte. May we say chinook anyone?
Anyhow, we slurped our way through the usuals at our house, hamburger-vegetable soup, peanut-curry soup, a minestrone or two, and still feeling a bit unfulfilled in our soup mania, we sought out more.
My man made us an extra large pot of Zuppa Tuscana, delicious, although a little less creamy than anticipated, due to laziness on both of our parts to go to the store for more cream. A keeper still, I think.
I came across this sweet and spicy chili. A touch of cinnamon, and cocoa jazzed up one of my already favorite veggies, the sweet potato. Topped with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips.....yummy! Found this on Real Simple, added a little hamburger, not too many vegetarians in our family.

Oh, and did I mention I made this in the crock pot, definitely a keeper...

Weekends away

There was no watching of TV this weekend. There was not any Internet connection, or cell phone coverage.
There was only the sounds of skis sliding on the snow, of giggles, and of kiddie conversation.
There was the sleeping in sleeping bags, "just like camping", but with a spacious cabin in place of our crowded tent.
There was the the playing of more games, "chutes and ladders", "memory", and "uno" being on the present favorites list. Uno was a greater joy, because Ocean played with us, and won!
There was coffee, always coffee....
We could mention the sore necks from sleeping on the pull-out sofa, or the bit of whining on the ski trail, or the baby crying at 4:00a.m......but we are focusing on the good, and there was a lot of good.
Yes, I believe we will go back there....

Weekends

The snow fell this weekend.
The kind of snow that makes the loudest day seemed muted.

The espresso machine hummed happily with constant usage. The aroma of freshly ground beans filling the house with an aura, an essence of coziness.

The doors were shut to the world outside, not purposefully, for anyone who came would have been welcomed, and most likely offered an espresso.

Books came off the shelves in piles. Words streamed and hung around us, forming stories, fiction and non.

Games were played. I can no longer allow my mind to drift when playing my daughter, not if I want to win.

Pyjamas were worn until...well, the time doesn't really matter. We unanimously decided not to get dressed unless absolutely necessary, and it never was

There was the eating of warm soups and fresh bread.

Maybe next weekend, we will venture out, but, this time, for now, we are content to just be....

the best gift ever...

I am a martyr, I know it, I will admit it. I have this constant, "woe is me" attitude, that no matter how hard I try, this conscious thought pervades. It is the hare looking back at the tortoise, taunting the person that I want to be. Except for the tortoise wins in the fable, my tortoise seldom wins, but when he does, there is victory dancing to be done.
This very morning, as I awoke to my husband's painful coughing, and laboured breathing, my thoughts were on myself, and how I really "needed" to sleep in. Of course, his illness was ruining my plan. I could go on, with more twisted stories of my selfishness, but, really, would that do any of us any good?
So, that brings me to my Christmas present to my sweet husband....you may not think that much thought went into this gift. Would O. Henry have written a story about the deep love and sacrifice that went into this gift? Maybe, if he knew my heart.
Being the mother of four small children, I have to admit that I am guilty of not giving my man the attention that he deserves. I have to confess that I often don't even think that he deserves it. Can't he see how hard I am working and how exhausted I am? Once again, that martyr surfacing, down with you! So, before I can allow my inner self to take control, I force myself to dwell on one of the most precious things in my life, my marriage.
This past year, we have received news from several of our friends that their marriages were crumbling. The pain, the devastation, the loneliness, were so apparent. What if that were me, what if it could be me? What if when my children are grown, and leave home, and they will, what if I look across the table, and realize I no longer know the man sitting across from me? As a result of all of these dreadful thoughts, I realized that I love this man, and want to spend as much time with him as possible.
My gift, drumroll please...is 52 dates, one date for every week in 2011. A selfish gift, you may think, yes, maybe. Our dates in recent years have been great, me talking a hundred miles a minute about anything and everything. This year, I hope to listen, listen to his thoughts, his plans, his dreams.
Our first date was on January 1, 2011. We went to the Olive Garden, and ate lunch. I have to admit, I think I did most of the talking, but, hey, I have 51 more to work on that.

Reflection

It is a new year. We are at the beginning of a new day. The word "new" holds so much promise. The unknown can be scary to some, a challenge to others. For me, I have learned to take one day at a time, each day being a gift, a fresh start. Whatever transpires during the day, I know that God is God, and I am not. I know that if I open my eyes, each morning "will bring me word of His unfailing love." And, so, I reflect.
The beginning of any new year brings resolutions, even for those who resolve to not have any resolutions. My dad told us once that if you know something needs changing, you don't need to wait until the new year to do it, do it now. So wise, my dad is. Other words of wisdom from my family include my sister's resolution for this year, "survival". She is a pastor's wife, and the mother of four homeschooled children. She is fabulous, by the way, and does way more than survives, she shines!
As I glance back into 2010, I remember thinking survival might be the only item to be crossed off the "to-do" list. Yet, here I am peering into the future of 2011, wondering what it may hold, and how best to prepare.
I have set some of the usuals to paper, run a half-marathon, pull the dusty guitar out of the closet, read more, eat more vegetables, drink less coffee? seriously?....I could just copy off last year's list and paste it to 2011.
No, this year is going to be different. I have been challenged by several experiences. One, I read a book last year. Actually, I read it several times. Those middle of the night feedings do come in handy. It was called, "The Heavenly Man". This book was about a pastor, Liu Zhenying in China. His story is remarkable, to say the least, and will literally take your breath away. The part that challenged me the most was his memorization of the Bible. Whenever he had one in his possession, he did not take for granted the treasure that he held. I have several Bibles in my home, and, to my shame, these precious words are often left alone for days at a time. This pastor would memorize as much and as quickly as he could, whole books at a time, knowing that his time with the Bible would be short. When he was imprisoned for years at a time, God would enable him to recall passage after passage that brought him great comfort, physical healing, and miraculous escapes from prison. Wow. My goal for 2011 is to memorize more, as much as I can, so that when those hard times come, God's words will be foremost in my mind.
The second experience that challenged me in the same area, was a visit with a really close friend. God has allowed a time in her life that is so painful, words cannot describe it. Numbly, I sat, listening to her try to describe all that she has gone through.
Hurt, so much hurt. Then, her tone softened, and she began to tell me how God's word had been such a comfort to her. As she lay, curled up from the pain, friends had read the words out loud. As the darkness, so heavy it took her breath away, was lightened by the memory of certain verses she had memorized long ago. As the fear overtook her thoughts, robbing her of much needed rest, only the reading of God's Word brought her peace.
Yes, it is a new year. I do not know what it holds. For me, it holds some memorization of my Bible. I believe I will start with Psalm 101, our pastor calls it the prince/princess prayer...