Making a House a Home

I remember well when we first brought Elizabeth home from China. I was in a fog for about 6 months, it seems, trying to figure out how to do things around the home and still watch her AND include her in what I was doing. Somewhere along the way, it all clicked in my brain and we found a routine that worked very nicely.

Since Caroline's been home (she was born here in the South), I'm finding myself in that same fog that I was in in 2007. Cooking is easier because Caroline is younger than Elizabeth was when she first came home and I can find more time to cook during all her napping. Hosuework hasn't been too difficult, either, but, I must admit, my house isn't nearly as clean or tidy as it was just a couple of months ago. With car seat carriers, boxes of clothes, Sam's-sized diaper purchases and soon-to-be-used Bumbo seats, I'm finding that our tiny home is feeling quite cluttered these days.

My main confusion these days, however, has been in trying to handle Elizabeth!! HA! She is SOOO excited about being big sister that she wants to pick up Caroline and do all kinds of things with her! LOL!! I told her in a few months she'll be sitting up and will be able to play more. Of course, to a 4 year old, "a few months" seems like an eternity!!!

But OOOOH am I thankful for my two little ones!!! They'll grow up and become wives and mothers all too soon. And I pray that, above all, they'll grow up into women of God- ladies that truly have a heart to follow the Lord no matter the cost.

For now? For now I'll enjoy the clutter and the smiles and the giggles. What sweet blessings I've been given!!!

I made this up today because this was all I had on hand. Surprisingly, it was GOOD!! I love when a recipe comes together so nicely!!




1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 piece bacon, finely chopped
2 medium onions, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced *
4 cups chicken stock
1 (14 oz) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, NOT drained
3 T freshly minced rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano reggiano

In stock pot, heat extra virgin olive oil. Stir in bacon and cook until crisp. Add onions and ground beef and cook until pink is gone from meat and onions are translucent. Stir in garlic and cook until you start to smell the garlic fragrance (maybe 1 minute). Stir in stock, beans, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Let come to a boil and then simmer about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Top each bowl with freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano before serving.

*I have to tell y'all, we are BIG TIME garlic fans in our home. You don't have to use 4 garlic cloves if you don't want to. Please change it to make YOUR family happy. :)

Here's our little Caroline at 2 months old. WOW how much she has changed!! So full of love and life and SMILES and giggles! I LOOOOVE it!!

It's no secret. I LOVE to cook. And I really enjoy watching the Next Food Network Star. My favorite this year? Hands down, Aarti!!

If any other NFNS fans are reading this, be aware that you can go vote for the Fan Favorite!! You can vote up to 10 times a day until August 16th and the winner will be 6 episode web-only show. FUN!! I want Aarti to win the whole thing AND win the web show, too! Go Aarti!!!

Our family has been in San Antonio, Texas, attending The Baby Conference. What FUN we've had here!! We were blessed to meet some old friends, make new friends, visit a beautiful city and be encouraged in our family vision! It's been wonderful!!

Were any of y'all here?

I know I can't be the only one out there that has looked EVERYWHERE for canned pumpkin lately, can I? If you're like me and cannot find it, I just found out there is a pumpkin shortage!! For real! Read about it here...

Still, this doesn't AT ALL change the fact that my family and I are really craving Pumpkin Sausage Pasta and Thai Style Chicken Pumpkin Soup!!!

Yep, I just finished a nice little 30 minute nap. I've always loved being able to take a quick nap, but now that we're still adjusting to Caroline, I'm definitely in need of them!!! And how wonderful to know that naps are good for you!!! While Elizabeth and Caroline are napping away, this mommy will certainly find time to fit in a little shut eye.

Yep!! A BABY!!!! Caroline Elaine was born May 12 and we were able to bring her home yesterday, June 16. We are SO blessed!!!

Thank you all for your prayers and support of our adoption! I am quite sure more stories and photos of her will be on this blog soon!

Regeneration

O God of the Highest Heaven,
occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme, lay low every rebel lust,
let no vile passion resist thy holy war;
manifest thy mighty power,
and make me thine for ever.
Thou art worthy to be praised with my every breath,
loved with my every faculty of soul.
served with my every act of life.
Thou has loved me, espoused me, received me,
purchased, washed, favoured, clothed, adorned me,
when I was worthless, vile, soiled, polluted.
I was dead in iniquities,
having no eyes to see thee,
ne ears to hear thee,
no taste to relish thy joys,
no intelligence to know thee; But thy Spirit has quickened me,
has brought me into a new world as a new creature,
has given me spiritual perception,
has opened to me thy Word as light, guide, solace, joy.
Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;
No provocation can part me from thy sympathy,
for thou hast drawn me with cords of love,
and dost forgive me daily, hourly.
O help me then to walk worthy of thy love,
of my hopes, and my vocation.
Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;
Protect me that no evil befall me;
let me lay aside every sin admired of many;
Help me to walk by thy side, lean on thy arm,
hold converse with thee,
That henceforth I may be salt of the earth and a blessing to all.

HT- A Portrait of a Lady

I am SO looking forward to learning from this blog!! Y'all be sure and check it out!!

RaisingHomemakers.com was born out of a desire grow, learn, and be encouraged by women who were living out Titus 2 and who were managing their homes well for the glory of God.

From Nancy Leigh DeMoss

It seems there’s a lot of emphasis in the church today on freedom, love, and worship, as there should be. But we need to remember that God has established a process that leads to true freedom, love, and worship—and there are no short-cuts.

True worship begins with brokenness and humility over our sin. Mourning over our sin leads to repentance and then forgiveness. That produces freedom from guilt and bondage. Freedom gives us a greater capacity for love and then for worship.

And of course, true love and worship will lead us back to a new level of brokenness, deeper repentance, increased forgiveness, freedom, love, and worship.

So there’s nothing wrong with popping in a worship CD. But remember, we can’t experience true freedom, love, and worship unless we enter by way of humility, repentance, and forgiveness.

My sister just found this over at GirlTalk and OH is it cute!!!!

I have made Congo Bars before and they were good. But these? Oh dear. Trouble. Nothing but trouble. The recipe is slightly different but WOW is there a big difference in taste!!!

Thank you, Bakerella, for sharing this recipe!!

Congo Bars

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 lb. light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11.5 ounce package semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

By mixer:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar using a mixer until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time to sugar mixture, mixing on low in between each addition.
Add vanilla and mix.
Add flour and mix until combined.
Stir in chips and then pecans.

By hand:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
Stir brown sugar into softened (not melted) butter in another large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together.
Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.
Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined.
Coat a 13 X 9 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Yep, that's my Joshua!!! He graduated this past Saturday from Liberty University! YAY!!! He's now working toward a degree in Masters of Arts and Religion with a concentration in Biblical Studies. It is so hard to believe that this is the same little boy that used to snuggle with me. Who said he could grow up so quickly???? But WOW am I proud of him!!!

Oh, and in case anyone is interested, he completed his undergraduate degree (and now working on his Masters degree) through Liberty University Online. He LOVES it!! Feel free to contact him through his blog if you have any questions.

THANK YOU to everyone who helped support our next adoption by shopping with Blessings Unlimited!!! We were so blessed by Charree for allowing us to have her commission for the sales.

Now... just to bring a baby home...

.... to my blog party!!!!

Yep, I'm very excited to announce that I am having a Blessings Unlimited party!! My sweet friend (and new mommy!!) Charree, at Held in His Hands, is a representative with them and is very kindly giving all her commission from the sales of this party of us for our next adoption!!!! I am soooo humbled by this!!!



Anyway, y'all be sure and head over to Blessings Unlimited and place an order. Mother's Day is coming up and this would be the perfect place to find a gift for your mother or grandmother or the special mother in your life that you want to bless that day. Or you could find something super cute to go in your own home.

Here's what I found out about Blessings Unlimited...

At Blessings Unlimited, our Mission Statement is "To pursue the heart of God and bring blessings to others." We are a company which operates upon Christian principles for the purpose of Christian ministry, not just a company that sells religious products.

Not only does buying from them help our adoption, but it also supports a Christian company, too!

This online party will be over Friday, April 30th. Thank you to EVERYONE who can help us through this party!!!

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon shortening
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1/2 cup colored candy sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the 1 cup of butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the ricotta cheese and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, stir into the ricotta mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting warm the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of butter and shortening, in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until solids are melted. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar and lemon extract. Dip each cookie into the icing then dip in colored sugar or sprinkles.


See, even Elizabeth loved them! Of course, I think her favorite part was putting sprinkles on each cookie.