My Friend Mary, Trader Joe's, and a WINNER

I went to my friend Mary's house today, which is always the most delightful thing ever.  She is one of my mega-dose encouragers, a fellow-adoptive mama, our pastor's wife...and we share so much in common, it's ridiculous.  And she feeds me.  I mean, with FOOD, like, really goooood food.  She is the most creative cook I know. And I am determined to do an entire blog post on her one of these days, featuring her off-the-cuff recipes that are completely delicious and entirely healthy.

So anyway, after I did a couple haircuts at her house, we spontaneously left the kids with her hubby and hopped in my big ol' Suburban and went to Trader Joe's.  Which, just so happened to be my very FIRST time there ever. 

And wowie, what a treat that was!  I am totally going back there...I just wish it wasn't so darn far away from my compound.  I hate to leave my compound, you know!

Well, anyway, it was sure fun and I am stupid with organic foods now!  And feeling way good about that, for sure.



OH, I almost forgot!  I chose a winner for my giveaway!  Even though I picked a name out of a literal hat...

it was seriously like Sophie's Choice picking just ONE.  Gosh, you all truly deserve to win!

But, I chose ONE.  Go fine out if it's YOU!   



I hope you all have a mega-great weekend!  Go to church, seek the LORD, and fellowship with the people.

i did it!!

So here's the thing.

Running is stupid.

Never once do we read that Jesus ran.

Not once.

Did he run on the water?

No he did not.

He walked, like a reasonable person.

Anyway, I did my 5k this morning.

But only because of peer pressure.

Here I am at home, pre-race.

Don't let my smile fool you,

I was desperately grumpy, looking for any excuse out.

Then I went to pick up my friend Mary,

who was cheery and excited.

She's adorable that way.

Then we parked on completely the opposite side of the park

(my bad), and had to walk literally about two miles

to get to where we needed to be.

Way beyond that lake there,

that was our destination.

And let it be known to all that it was freezing cold!

But we finally made it.

Here's Mary and me!

Then the race began.  I was so slow, ya'll.

Toddlers passed me.

Old people with walkers passed me.

A woman with an asthma inhaler strapped to her arm passed me.

Blah!

But I did it.  I finished!

(Yes, I walked some of it.)

Blah.

And here we are at the finish line!!

Woo hoo!

Mary, she's so gracious.

It would appear that we came to the finish line together...

but truth be told,

she had finished a good 7+ minutes ahead of me,

then ran back so we could run in together.

I love her!

I did it, I did it!!

Sweet relief.

Never again!!

Well, maybe.



A few more pics...

my friend, hannah

I was going through my pics

on my cell phone and found this little

gem from a couple months ago.

This is my friend, Hannah Mercy.

Isn't she the cutest?

And we happened to have the same hair style

that day.

We are rockin' our curls!

She's from Ethiopia and I'm from Missouri.

We have sooooo much in common.

I love her!

resist or rely

Last night was Girl Time at our church.

My friend Mary gave an amazing message,

Rely or Resist.

In our trials,

do we humbly submit and rely on the Lord?

Or do we pridefully resist Him?

I was one of the table leaders and after the message

we were asked to share our current trials.

I only knew one of the gals at my table.

I love that.

Getting to know new people...

and seeing

how God divinely brings them into our

lives at the very right time.

It always amazes me.

But it often makes it hard to share.

I kicked it off with briefly talking about what was on my heart,

then I asked for the others to share.

I got a lot of stares.

It was difficult to know how to go from there!

Ack.

Then one person boldly spoke up.

Then another.

Then everyone else at the table told what they were struggling with.

I was SO STRUCK by the heaviness of what some of

these ladies are going through.

My heart broke.

I prayed for each of them and the evening came

to an end.

But they remain on my heart and mind.

I woke up praying for them.

But I say all of that to ask YOU...

are you,

in your tough trials (whatever they are),

Resisting or RELYING?

And are you involved with other women

who will encourage, lift you up, and pray over you?

Stop resisting.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor to the humble.”

James 4:6

We are ALL in need of a Savior.

And Jesus is so eager to help, guide, and lead us directly

to a place of rest.

sweet and spicy

I have been a black and/or green tea girl for the
duration of my life.

Until now.

My friend Mary served me some incredible different tea at her house
the other day.

I went out immediately and bought some of my own.

With a little cream added to it,
it is simply the most delicious afternoon treat!


Sweet and Spicy.

I'm adding this little gem to my list of Favorite Things.
(I just started that list today)
(It's about time, I'd say)

Walmart even carries it,
which is nice since I don't seem to know how to drive
to any other store on most days.

Oh, but I get the caffeinated kind.

I need caffeine.
I heart caffeine.
I desire caffeine.
Caffeine is my friend.



Tell me about your tea preferences.
Apparently there's a world of possibilities out there.
I need to know them.

milling with friends

What a fun Wednesday morning we had.
My dear friend Mary came over with her
littlest darlings, Justus and Hanna Mercy.

Mary and I milled grains, like any two Amish friends would.
We aren't really Amish.
Though, I do love the Amish.
Anyway, we milled grains in my modern electric mill.
Obviously, we are not Amish.
But I already told you that.
Let's leave the Amish out of this.

What was I talking about?

Oh yes,
we milled grains and talked up a storm.
It was such a delight!
Having a real life friend who lives close by, who
has adopted internationally, who I can talk to face-to-face
on a regular basis, is a GOD-send!!
(Should I have used whom instead of who? I think so.)

Anyway,
we had fun and our kids had fun too...

And since we were the only adults in the house...
and I really wanted a pic or two of Mary and me, we had
Justus, Isaiah, and Lucy each take a turn with the camera.

These are the only two half-way worth posting.
Photographers, they are not.

Note to self: Next time, finish putting make-up on before being photographed.
And get some bronzer.
And do something about the turkey-neck.

Thanks for a great morning, Mary!

my friend mary

Hey, guys!

My real-life friend Mary is doing a fun little giveaway
*Starbucks Starbucks Starbucks*
based on your fabulous recipes.

Go check it out.

It's such a fun idea!

cursive "L"

Well, it's 4:30 AM and I'm having an extra
big 'o cup of coffee to jump start my
crazy day of travel!

Like I said in my last post,
I won't be taking my laptop
(which is like leaving behind one of my limbs, if you must know)
so I will send short and oh-so-sweet posts from my
cell phone.

I am just giddy with excitement to see my friends
Mary and Patty.
AND for Macy to see her friends Ellie and Lina.
It will be a super sweet reunion.
Three darling girls, once orphans...now in wonderful families
of their very own.
Forever.
I'll probably cry like a big Chinese baby seeing them together.
That is if I don't shed all my tears trying
to get through FOUR dog-gone airports!!
Do be praying about that, would you?!

Oh and I'll let you in on a little secret
(since I know Patty won't be reading this this morning)...
I put a cursive "L" on my t-shirt to wear today.
You gotta go read her latest post to understand.
Although,
I found it to be terribly difficult to make such a letter
out of fabric.
So it has an alarming resemblance to a figure 8 with wings.

Ok,
I gotta run jump in the shower.
Then we're off!!