Time in Between

I have loved the words to this song to help me put things in perspective during our wait, especially the 2nd verse when it talks about thinking God is holding out on us. We know He's not but it's easy to let our enemy get us to believe it. Please continue to pray for us as we keep focused in our "time in between".





You were there when your Father said

Let there be light
You obeyed when He whispered
Son, You have to leave tonight
To spend nine months in a mothers womb
Three days in a borrowed tomb



(Chorus One)

But it’s the time in between
That brings me to my knees
Knowing you came for me
And all that I can't be
I'm amazed, so amazed
And I thank You for the time in between



Don't take much for this crazy world
To rob me of my peace
And the enemy of my soul
Says You’re holding out on me
So I stand here lifting empty hands
For you to fill me up again



(Chorus Two)

But it’s the time in between
That I fall down to my knees
Waiting on what You'll bring
And the things that I can't see
I know my song’s incomplete

Still I'll sing in the time in between



So many ways
Your love has saved the day
And I'm grateful for them all



(Chorus 3)

But it’s the time in between
The middle of two thieves
That says everything
It’s the reason I believe
I'm amazed, so amazed
And I thank you for the time in between
Oh Lord, I thank you for the time in between

Tasty Tuesday

I know it's not totally grilling season for most people but we do grill all year round. So scoop the snow off your grill to make this next delicious meal & get a taste of summer again!

Chioptle-Grilled Pork Tacos

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained & chopped, 1/4 cup juice reserved
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon & 1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo(we put this in the blender & freeze on wax paper in 1 tablespoon amounts)
1-8 oz bag coleslaw mix
3 scallions, sliced thin(these are also known as green onions)
salt & pepper
2 pork tenderloins(1 1/2 to 2 pounds total) sliced in half lengthwise(we use pork loin)
tortillas(corn or flour)

1. Whisk mayonnaise, pineapple juice(reserved from pineapple chunks), cilantro, garlic & chipotle in large bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup mayonnaise mixture(set aside) & then add pineapple chunks, coleslaw mix, scallions & 1/2 teaspoon salt to bowl with remaining mayonnaise mixture & toss to combine. (You can't taste the pineapple even though I argued this point with Brian before tasting it! PS-I don't like pineapple but this is so yummy & a must have in this part)

2. Pat pork dry with paper towels & season with salt & pepper. Rub with reserved mayonnaise mixture & grill over hot fire until browned all over & meat registers 145 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, & let rest for 5 minutes.(This allows the meat to keep cooking while the juices redistribute throughout the meat)

3. Grill tortillas, if desired. Slice pork thin, arrange on tortillas & top with pineapple slaw. Serve.

I love this recipe because there is always leftover slaw & I have used it on my burgers & brats on other days. It is so good!! This can be spicy but you can just as easily cut the chipotle in half if you don't like any heat. We also buy the crushed pineapple. Enjoy!

Next week's recipe will be great for those who love Chinese food but don't usually make it at home!

Nothing New

We've had quite a few questions on where we are at or if there is anything new going on. Sadly, there is nothing new to report. We are back to waiting for situations to come up to be presented to & until then, we just have to wait. Sounds redundant, huh?? I hate posting the same updates all the time but it just is that way with domestic adoption. We could wait & wait & wait & nothing will happen & then something could possibly come up, either quickly or need to be matched for about 6 weeks. Of course we are praying for the phone call that a baby has been born already but we don't get to chose that. But I guess if we had to pick our dream situation, that would be it. I'd be on a plane so fast! So I guess this update is a no update but for those wondering, this is it! Just keep praying for us. We really could use the prayers to keep a positive attitude for the remainder of this process.

Tasty Tuesday

Here's another great recipe from "The Best Simple Recipes" by America's Test Kitchen. I have never gotten a cookbook that I've loved so much & we now have requests for this cookbook from family. It is available on Amazon if anyone is interested. So here's the selection for this Tuesday!

Crispy Chicken Salad Wraps

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced thin
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded(about 3 cups)
Salt & pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 inch flour tortillas

1. Whisk mayo, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream & hot sauce in bowl. Add chicken & toss to combine. season with salt & pepper.

2. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese in each tortilla, leaving 1/2 inch border around edges, then arrange chicken salad in center of tortillas. Roll stuffed tortillas, spray all over with vegetable oil spray & sprinkle with salt & pepper.

3. Cook wraps, seam side down, in large non-stick skillet over medium heat until golden brown & crisp, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate & repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

This was also awesome as leftovers! I just warmed the mixture slightly & put it in a flour tortilla without making it crispy for a quick lunch. I'm not much of a celery fan & neither are my kids but I chopped it really fine & no one seemed to notice it was in there. Next time I said that we should try colby or pepper jack cheese. Enjoy!

No More Sickness Please!

Yes our house has been not the healthiest in the past week! Ugh! I know with having 4 kids that everyone likes to share germs but I hate it when it seems to spread like wildfire. Last week Wyatt started it off by coming down with a fever & sore throat Wed. night. This made me nervous since his surgery was only 3 1/2 weeks prior. So I took him in on Thursday just to make sure nothing was going on. All the tests came back negative & was diagnosed as having a virus. This was confirmed when Emma got on Thursday night & Jackson on Saturday. They were dropping like flies! Wyatt & Emma were better by Saturday afternoon but then they both got a nasty cold & passed it on to Jackson & myself. I don't know how Brian & Alexa have escaped but I want to know their secret. I have now wiped down all the door knobs & light switches in our house & disinfected the bathrooms in hopes of stopping it right here. Unfortunately, I know the stomach flu is going around so I am praying that we don't get that on top of everything we've had here. I HATE the stomach flu! It's tempting to stay locked up at home just to avoid it but I guess that's a little extreme!

Tasty Tuesday

It's time again for another recipe!! This wasn't the one that I had planned to post but my kids asked me to make this one this week & it just so happens that we are having this one tonight.

Cheesy Ravioli Bake

3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup heavy cream(I use half & half)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil
Salt
2 (8 oz) packages fresh cheese ravioli
1 (6 oz) bag baby spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese(I use part mozzarella & part provolone)

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to center position & heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease shallow 2 quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.

2. Melt remaining butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic & cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, increase heat to high, & cook until thickened & almost dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream & basil & simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.

3. While tomato sauce is cooking, add 1 tablespoon sal & ravioli to boiling water & cook until al dente. Add spinach to pot with pasta & stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain pasta & spinach, return to pot, & stir in tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to baking dish, sprinkle with cheese & bake until top is golden, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

I do have to almost double this recipe for our family & the leftovers are amazing!! I'm not a huge fan of leftovers of the spagetti variety but this one rocks! I also serve with garlic breadsticks. And yes, the workout on the treadmill is a must after this one!

The Post in Which I'm Totally Honest

Okay, I've totally tried to write a couple of posts filled with fluff & nothingness but that's not really where I'm at right now. I feel like I've been dishonest at times responding to people who ask how we're doing. So if you want rambling & to go all over the place in reading the rest of this, then you may continue. If not, stop reading now.

This past month has been hard for me. I've been longing for our baby more than I ever thought I would, whoever that ends up being. I don't necessarily grieve this little girl that didn't become part of our family but the images of what we thought things would look like at this point. Being back at the point of waiting endlessly is almost suffocating to me. I've been just going through the motions but I've lacked the heart to do anything except what is totally necessary.

This past month has been the hardest part in this adoption journey yet. I'm sure that comes as no surprise. I've tried thinking of ways to direct my thoughts elsewhere & I'll seem to be getting somewhere with that & then I slip right back into "waiting mode". I've read emails, Bible passages & devotionals on waiting, some sent to me by people wanting to give some inspiration. As much as this all makes sense, I'm almost to the point that my heart doesn't care. I know God has a purpose & a plan. I know that this will all be made so beautiful. I know there are reasons to waiting & that it may have nothing to do with me but with someone else who needs God working in them. I know that I should be content whatever the circumstances that God has us placed in. I know when we are finally holding our little one this will all make sense & will all be worth it. But until then, my heart is not content & is broken.  I've had so many "why me" moments that I sound like a whiner in my head. I've had talks with God that have gone like "you've tested me enough now back off! I don't want to do this anymore!" I've begged & pleaded for Him to just let this adoption to be done & over with so that I can slip back into quiet mode & just live my life quietly. I've always wanted to live boldly for God but there is a huge part of me right now that is plain scared to death to ever jump in with both feet. I know that we've all had those moments in our lives where b/c of fear we fail to fully let God take over & lead our lives.

I thank God for giving us the Bible in times like this. The Book of Psalms has been awesome to read through! I know God is big enough to handle me being like this.  I'm going to leave with my favorite quote that I've been reciting in my head whenever I feel like I'm heading in the wrong direction. I'm just thankful for a God that is the same as He was yesterday & is today & will be tomorrow!

"Faith is not a belief that everything will turn out to please us; rather it is the confidence that no matter how things turn out, God will somehow use the events in our days for His glory and for our good."

Tasty Tuesday

Here is probably my sad attempt at doing a weekly post! I will be posting a recipe every Tuesday(I hope!) that we have made & really liked. I've mentioned that we like to cook & try new recipes. This doesn't always mean that our kids have liked everything but they are usually pretty good about trying the new menu items. I know this probably sounds too organized for some but I make weekly menus. I usually start of on Mondays(sometimes Tuesdays) & put down what I'm going to make every night. This also means that from time to time we need to swap nights or scratch it all together, especially if I forget an item or to take something out of the freezer for that night. Doing the menus was a way for us to budget our groceries. I know what most meals will cost us & I mix & match them to fit our budget or what we have in the pantry. Once I got going, I didn't know how to function without the menus. Okay, enough jabber! Here's the 1st recipe(my kids' recent favorite)

Toasted Turkey & Smoked Mozzarella Subs

3 tablespoons EVOO(extra virgin olive oil)
6 garlic cloves(minced)-I buy garlic already minced in a jar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained(14.5 oz)
2/3 cup basil pesto(I don't make my own, I buy the jar)
salt & pepper
4 sub rolls
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced deli turkey
12 ounces sliced smoked mozzarella(I used smoked provolone)

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Heat oil, garlic, & pepper flakes in large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes & cook until mixture is dry, about 10 minutes.(I used our immersion blender after this was cooked since the kids hate tomato chunks) Season with salt & pepper to taste.

2. Spread pesto inside each roll, then layer with turkey, tomato mixture, & cheese. Place sandwiches on baking sheet & bake until edges of bread are golden & cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes. Serve!!


So there you are! This is certainly an easier recipe that we've done but the kids all loved it! This can literally be done in 20 minutes from start to finish! I'd love to hear back from anyone who tried these what you thought! Oh, and this recipe comes from "The Best Simple Recipes" by America's Test Kitchen. Brian works for Fisher & Paykel Appliances & America's Test Kitchen uses all of their appliances on their show. We got this cookbook with a challenge to make as many recipes out of it & submit pictures to win 10 more cookbooks. If they are anything like this cookbook, I will never run out of new things to make!