Georgia B. turns 2

This sweet little Georgie-girl turned two in mid-summer (catching up!).  She is just the absolute love of our lives.  Soooo funny.  She's talking so clearly now and pretty much constantly.  Definitely a woman!  She told me tonight when it was time to go to bed, "No . . . I not tired.  I going to watch Looney Tunes."

Up next?  Potty training.  I told her a couple of weeks ago that we were going to potty train soon.  So now, whenever she wants to give it a try, she shouts out, "Mommy, I'm going on the potty train!"  Don't have the heart to tell her it's a chair . . .   :-)

Birthday Girl!

Sweet Ava turned 10 this weekend.  Double digits.  Not sure how I feel about that yet . . . still pondering. 

Happy birthday, sweet girl.  You are such a joy to me and your dad.  :-)

This girl is busy thinking of ways to raise money for a plane ticket to Ethiopia.  I think she'll do it.  She's a very resourceful girl!

We love you!

Referral!!!!!

We are THRILLED to announce that we have accepted a referral for a sibling set of  . . . . .

FOUR!!!!!!!

You read that right.  And yes, we are thrilled.  Did I mention that already?

We are scrambling about updating our homestudy (as luck would have it, all of the documents from our first homestudy are soon to expire), updating our I-171 and fingerprints and praying for a speedy court date.  Ethiopian courts close soon for their rainy season, so the best we can hope for is probably sometime in late September or early October.  If that is the case, then hopefully an embassy date will come a few weeks after that and we will have these kiddos home by Thanksgiving or Christmas at the latest.

We would really appreciate your prayers for smooth paperwork updates, an efficient court process in Ethiopia and especially for the hearts of these little ones.  While gaining a forever home is such a good thing for them, still there will be grief. 

Hope you're all surviving the heat.  Oh.my.goodness.  I NEVER thought I'd wish for winter!!!

Details . . . and Adoption

We are praying through some crazy stuff right now.  Praying for clarity, wanting a very detailed roadmap, knowing all the while that when God callls, our job is to follow. 

In the midst of that, this came to us via a fellow adoptive mama on our Yahoo Group who shared this recently . . .


A common phrase you often hear from people is, “I don’t do details.” Usually they mean they’re more big picture people. They don’t like to get bogged down in minutiae.


In His own way, God doesn’t do details either. At least when it comes to His commands to people in the Bible. In fact, He can often be painfully vague.


He told Abraham simply, “Go to the land I will show you.”


When He beckoned Peter to walk on the water, He simply said, “Come.”


On His command to Moses to free the Israelites from the most powerful nation in the world, He merely commanded him, “Go, I am sending you to Pharaoh.”


God didn’t use any detail. He didn’t lay out a step-by-step plan. He just issued the command and expected obedience.


Sometimes people wanted more detail. Moses wanted to know how it was going to happen. What should he tell the people? But God didn’t fill in much detail here either.


"I will be with you."


"Tell them, I AM has sent me to you."


That helps.


On the one hand, you would think God was kind of winging it. On the surface, it would seem that His plan was just to deal with the details as they came about. And that’s not very reassuring. Not when you’re being asked to step out on faith.


On the other hand, when you read on in the stories, God had every detail covered. Abraham’s journey. The plagues. The Red Sea. Even Peter’s ability to walk on water. And that’s very reassuring.


God is extremely meticulous. He is all about the details. Far more than you’ll ever be. He has everything already figured out. Every pitfall and possibility accounted for. Every detour arranged to get you to your final destination.


So God definitely does the details in terms of His plan and working it out.


But God doesn’t do the details in terms of what He communicates to you.


That’s because He knows there are some details you’re simply not ready for.


And ultimately it’s because He’s more interested in your full obedience than your full understanding.


Don’t worry. God has every detail in your life covered.


He just doesn’t need you to know them first to follow Him faithfully.




written by Pastor Steven Furtick

More Food - Or, All This Waiting is Making Me Fat! - Or, The Easiest, Yummiest Dinner Ever!

Our new favorite meal around here is shredded beef tacos.  After living in Texas for 2 years, I got completely hooked on Mexican food and am always looking for ways to incorporate it into our menu.  My guys love tacos, but I get tired of the same old ground beef variety so I decided to play.  This is basic Mexican.  Believe me, I can get way fancier, but this is down and dirty, easy to make, GOOD food that all the kids and hubby love.

Okay, are you ready???

First, head to the store and buy a good roast - or not so good as you'll see in a minute.  I usually buy a sirloin tip or an English roast.  Truthfully, I can't tell a bit of difference between them in taste or tenderness.  I usually buy whichever is on sale.  For our family of nine, I buy a 3 1/2 to 4 lb. roast.

However . . . the following is made with rump roast that my dear mother-in-law bought for us.  It turned out just as good and is much more economical to buy if you're on a tight budget.

Okay, start by letting the roast come to room temperature.  Season all the sides well with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Then, place in a pre-heated skillet (coated with oil) and brown on all sides.  You want your skillet to be hot from the get-go to get a nice, brown sear.

Side one . . .

Last side getting brown . . .




We were VERY blessed by m-i-l to get not one, but TWO roasts, so I made them both and packed them into the crock pot.  This is a big crock pot - not the smaller round one.  As you can see, it is wall-to-wall.  Never fear, it will all turn out okay in the end.  :-)

Once you get that beautiful, brown, salty, peppery roast into the crock pot, head to the pantry and get the following . . .

. . . it is IMPERATIVE that you buy this kind.  Target (my favorite store!) Archer Farms Roasted Tomato and Chipotle Salsa. If you don't happen to have a Target store nearby, try to find a good, smoky, roasted chipotle salsa. I can't guarantee the results though!

Next, open the jar (I used two jars this time since I had two roasts.  One jar is enough for one roast unless you like a lot of extra sauce.) **See note at bottom about number of jars.

I puree my salsa because my kids don't like "chunky" salsa.  As in, if they can't see the big pieces of tomato and peppers, they don't realize exactly what they're eating, they just know they like it.  I have a very low tolerance for food whiners so this little step eliminates that for me.  Completely worth it for all of us.  :-)

After you've made the decision to puree or not puree, pour it over the roast(s).  Let it run all down the sides and into the bottom.  Cover that meat!

The only real way to do this right is to cook it on low all day.  You want the meat fork tender and shreddable (is that a word?)

Now, go about your day.  At this point, if you're thinking ahead, you may want to make homemade tortillas.  We love this recipe from Pioneer Woman.  I use lard and I'm tellin' you they are AMAZING.  I've eaten a few tortillas in my lifetime and once you've had these, the store bought ones just don't cut it.  They take a little work but I promise you, they are TOTALLY worth it if you can carve out the time to make them.  Delicious!  You can make them ahead of time and re-heat for dinner and they are just as good.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/homemade-flour-tortillas/

Okay, back to the meat . . .

After about six or seven hours, grab a fork, lift that lid and test the meat.  You should be able to sink that fork in and pull away a tender piece of meat with no problem.  If it doesn't shred easily, let it cook longer.  This is very important.  You want that meat fork tender.  Critical.

Here is the beautiful, brown, smoky, finished meat.  This cooked for about seven hours . . .

At this point, your nose will be in heaven.  Something so wonderful happens when the beef and salsa meld together.  It is the perfect blend.

This night, I shredded the beef all up and skimmed the fat off the remaining sauce in the crock pot.  Then, we took the homemade tortillas and started building . . .

Meat . . .

Cheese . . .

Homemade salsa - also from Pioneer Woman and after making MANY batches of salsa, this one is my go-to.  It is perfect EVERY time . . .

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/

Lettuce . . .

Sour cream . . .

Avocado . . . (if you like it!)

Once you've built your perfect taco, wrap up that tortilla and take a big bite.  You will be in heaven.  I promise.

Because I had so much  meat, I took some of it and made beef enchiladas the next night.  Just roll the meat and some cheese up in tortillas and use the remaining sauce over the top.  If you want to get really crazy, add some caramelized onions inside too. Cover with foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until hot all through.  I put cheese over the top when there are about 5-10 minutes left to go on the baking.  Leave the pan uncovered and when cheese is completely melted they're ready to eat. 

**If you're planning to make enchiladas, definitely use two jars of salsa so you have enough sauce to pour over the top. 

Unbelievably, with this large family, we actually had even MORE meat leftover after tacos and enchiladas.  The third day, I made nachos with the last of the meat and they were delicious.  Topped them with cheese and heated them in the oven.  Everyone added their favorite toppings after that (lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc.)

So, there you go!  Easy, and at least three really yummy ways to use the same meat!

I have also used chicken breasts and a pork shoulder with this salsa and they were also REALLY good.  We happen to like the beef best, but you really can't go wrong with any of the three.

Enjoy!

What We Do While We Wait - More Food

For those of you who love dessert, this is one delicious, easy, melt-in-your-mouth, full-of-sweet-goodness, recipe!

Off the top, let me say that I love to garden and pull weeds and pick things and can those things.  I love to see a dried up little seed grow into a lush, harvest bearing plant, then pick and store up that food for my family and friends.  I am certain I could write an entire book on the theology of gardening.  So, for this recipe, I canned apple pie filling last fall.  It was the first time I had ever thought of doing that (with the suggestion of a friend) and it was EASY and boy, were we all glad I had done it when the COLD, dreary winter days were upon us.  You can completely skip this step and buy apple pie filling from the store or cook apples right at the time you decide to make these - assuming you will make these.  You would be crazy not to try them at least once.  TRUST me on this one.

If anyone is interested in the recipe for apple pie filling, please let me know.  I'm going to skip that step here, but will be happy to pass it along.  It is EASYas long as you have a few simple tools to do the job.

Anyway . . . You will need some form of this:

I highly recommend that you find an orchard near you this July and go pick some Yellow Transparent or Lodi apples and can a dozen quarts of this.  You will not regret it for a single second.  Again I say, TRUST me.  If you are time challenged, however, you can run to the store and grab some Granny Smith's and whip up a single batch for the following recipe.  Let me know and I can send you a good recipe.

Here we go . . .

First, you'll need to gather the ingredients.  You need:  apple pie filling, puff pastry sheets, one egg - beaten and ready to use with a pastry brush, butter, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, a little bit of milk and vanilla.

Next, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Thaw puff pastry until it is pliable enough to unfold.  On a clean, smooth counter or similar smooth surface, unfold puff pastry sheets, and repair any cracks by pressing them back together. Gently roll sheet to enlarge it about an inch in each direction.  Be careful not to smash it too much - GENTLY roll until each sheet is in the shape of a square.  Then cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares.

Spoon apples onto the center of each square. Place a few dots of butter on top of apples and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Take the egg wash and with your finger or a small pastry brush, paint the egg along the sides of the pastry sheet.  This acts as a "glue" to hold the pastry together better.  Fold over from corner to corner into a triangle shape, and press edges together to seal. Place turnovers on parchment paper on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Gently paint egg wash over the tops of triangles and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, until turnovers are puffed and lightly browned.

Now . . . for the glaze . . .  Please don't skip this step.  Please.

To make the glaze, mix together about 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, a tablespoon or two of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a small bowl. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or milk if necessary. Glaze should be thin enough that you can drizzle from a fork.  Next, drizzle.  Drizzle.drizzle.drizzle.  I drizzle over warm turnovers.  Some recipes say to wait until turnovers are cool, but believe me when I say, you want to eat this sweet, gooey, flaky delight while it is warm.  

Are you ready?

Just hot from the oven:

Drizzling . . .

Serve to the smiling, longing, drooling faces surrounding you.  You won't have to call them if they are anywhere within nose-shot of your kitchen.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you will have them wrapped around your finger for days.

Do not expect leftovers unless you are crafty and can figure out a way to hide one for later consumption.  My favorite spot is the pantry.  At night.  When all the little darlings (and one big darling) are fast asleep.  Some day I'll tell you about whole pecans dipped in Nutella.  In the pantry.  At night.

Have a great day!

Still Waiting!

Well . . . we are still waiting! :-( June 3 marked . . .

. . . months of being DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia).  We are SOOOO very close to getting our referral.  Right.at.the.top.of.the.list.  KILLING ME!!!  We are both trying to stay busy (NOT difficult, believe me), keep our eyes and hearts turned to and focused on God, and believing that the ONE who has called us to this is exceedingly, abundantly able to do more than we can think or imagine.  It has in the most blessed way caused us to keep our eyes fixed on him.  Caused us to pray more and better and to TRUST that He is working ALL things together for good.  ALL things.  Not just on the adoption front, but in every tiny detail of our lives.

I was reminded by a cousin-in-law this past Sunday that God already knows the outcome.  He has had the exact children for our family decided from the beginning of time.  His timing and the orchestration of events is happening now in ways we may never see or even be able to imagine this side of heaven.  Our job is to pray and BELIEVE that He has it.  He has it.

I will be completely candid and say that for several months now I have been playing the game of shoving all thoughts of this adoption out of my mind. The idea of waiting and waiting since the slow down kills me.  The idea that there are children sitting in an orphanage somewhere WAITING for paperwork to be done so they can be placed in a HOME and a forever family kills me.  The thought that people who could expedite that paperwork will not or cannot kills me.  So, over time, I've begun to realize that I have stopped believing that God can or will make this all come together.  That He who called us to this really cares how or if it will all turn out. 

And then this . . .

From that unbelief, I realized that for so long I have functioned in my own strength.  I pray, but I'm not sure I really believe he hears or cares.  I pray, but I don't lay it all out there.  I don't want to burden him with my deal.  Make any sense???  Like . . . He's got enough going on without adding more to His plate.  Somewhere along the way I went from a little girl who BELIEVED He loved me and CARED about every detail of my life and LOVED to tell Him about every detail to a woman who read too many books and heard way too many academic sermons and lost the ability to TALK to my ABBA.

I realized a few weeks ago that I have been praying for Him to restore that desire and belief in me.  Even while praying not being sure I believed He would.  But, He has.  In an incredible way.  In this way - THY WILL be done.  In this adoption, in our family life (immediate and extended), in our marriage, in our homeschool, in our ministry.  Thy will be done. 

Thy.will.be.done.  And you know what?  It feels free and terrifying all at the same time.  To pray it and say it and mean it.  To really mean it.  Take my life - our lives, we pray together - and use them for your glory and your kingdom.  The stuff?  Use it for your glory.   Our time?  Use it for your glory.  Career?  For your glory.  Help us to be completely done with my way - our way - and have our eyes fixed firmly on you.  Scares the pants off me.  But there is no other way to go beyond with Him.  To move past the ordinary, safe, in my own strength kind of living.  No other way.

And so, we are waiting.  :-)  Expectantly and with great hope.  Knowing without a doubt that it will come together in exactly the way and time and place that He ordains.