Summer Project # 1

I have a summer project bucket list...mainly things around the house. Some I've written down (in a couple of different places) and some I keep in my head. One that I wrote down....re-paint the door knobs...scared Chris. In fact, he said don't do it.
We installed dark brown door knobs on our exterior doors when we bought our house four years ago. The brass on all the interior doors needed to go. Instead of paying to replace them all (not at the top of our pricey to-do's around the house). I picked up some awesome spray paint intended for such a purpose at Lowe's and off I went on the first project.

 

Here's what the door knobs looked like before...very standard.  Very shiny, very brassy-goldy.

 Here's the process. I used an old gift box to set the knob, screws, and plates on (or poked through) to spray all the sides. I did have to go back over them after they dried so I could identify the spots I missed on the first time through. I used the metallic spray paint from Rust-Oleum.

Here's how they look all finished!! A preview of the bathroom knob and plate! I love them! They go so much better with the style of our home and feel like something new. As you can see below we like the dark stuff...see the handles we added to re-painted bathroom cabinet.

 Again, I'm so excited...here's the one of the guest room located next to that bathroom.

Summer project #1 Complete! I LOVE teaching when it comes to summertime. This week I'm enjoying the Amazing Wonders Aviation doing preschool recreation at VBS! I can tell that God called me to teach high school students for sure...these little ones have sooo much energy!

Marriage

After seeing Chelsea's re-tweet of David Platt's http://ht.ly/aLDd9 link to a beautiful story of marriage I did a little more perusing around the net to find John Piper's quote that this wonderful couple incorporated into their ceremony. Coming on the heels of all the opinions and politics about same-sex marriage, it was nice to see a biblical perspective. We as Christians have the responsibility to live lives that glorify Christ and to do that through our marriages...which mimic the amazing love that Christ has for the church.

Marriage is not mainly about prospering economically; it is mainly about displaying the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church. Knowing Christ is more important than making a living. Treasuring Christ is more important than bearing children. Being united to Christ by faith is a greater source of material success than perfect sex and double-income prosperity.

So it is with marriage. It is a momentary gift. It may last a lifetime, or it may be snatched away on the honeymoon. Either way, it is short. It may have many bright days, or it may be covered with clouds. If we make secondary things primary, we will be embittered at the sorrows we must face. But if we set our face to make of marriage mainly what God designed it to be, no sorrows and no calamities can stand in our way. Every one of them will be, not an obstacle to success, but a way to succeed. The beauty of the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church shines brightest when nothing but Christ can sustain it. - John Piper

Not So Great Run

Shelly and I have the Purity 10K on Saturday. We've been doing "decent" in our training. Funny to think how we were training for half marathons last year and thought training for this would be cake. Well...I guess you adapt your training to whatever race you're doing. I did 6.3 two Fridays ago and Shelly and I did 5.5 on Saturday. Today I was going for four. She did hers...I literally couldn't finish because of a shin splint! I don't have those kind of issues. I've got knee and all kinds of other complaints but never have I had to pull up and walk the last mile. Well, I did because I was so scared of making it worse 5 days out from our race. I plan to rest the next couple of days, run on Thursday and go strong on Saturday. Our goal, we set today after the lame run by Kate, is to finish under an hour. Hope I can keep up with Shelly, there's no doubt she can do it!
Also, Chris is still prepping for the Country Music half at the end of the month. His training has been inhibited by injuries but he's still planning on competing strong...along with our buddies Stephen and Katy...who've been training hardcore!

Peanut Butter Honey and Banana Bagel - YUM!

This was yummy! A little background. I was on Spring Break last week...you know, that time when teachers realize the breaks are part of why we continue to do this job. Just kidding! I love my job! But, I got to spend some time with my buddies...I had a play date with Amber and Baker. We ran and walked from their house to Ugly Mugs for some great coffee and breakfast. While there, Amber ordered this fabulous bagel and so I felt that I needed to imitate it at home. I also had a delicious whole wheat bagel with spinach, roasted red pepper and melted mozzarella. Hot coffee and hot breakfast sandwiches may not have been the brightest idea after our run.

While my food photography could use some work I can't emphasize enough how yummy this was this morning!
I toasted a cinnamon raisin bagel, then spread peanut butter over each side, drizzled some honey across the peanut butter layer and then put my banana slices on top. It's a lot for breakfast...but I'm already planning another on my Good Friday off in two days!!

Ingredients:
cinnamon raisin bagel
peanut butter
honey
banana, sliced thin

I learn so much from my 6th grade material!

Shelly and I teach 6th grade girls Sunday School. I promise, I'm learning more than they are. Thank you Lord for the conviction that I get each week. I'm pretty sure Shelly agrees with me. Last week's material in particular for me. About how prayer is a conversation - how I'm supposed to be listening to have a real relationship with God.
I have trouble listening, like really shutting my mind up to hear what He wants me to. In my Experiencing God study I'm learning so much about how God is at work around me and that I have to join in that work and be obedient. One of those lessons also talked about prayer, about how if we're walking daily with God, then we'll be praying for what the Holy Spirit puts on our heart. And if we're praying for those things, then they will come about.
Today, I was humming/singing some of the lyrics below and they were very comforting to me, because I think what I am supposed to hear right now, is, wait. Enjoy the below! What a great song and what a great friend we have in Jesus!

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Day Off = FINALLY playing with my sewing machine

Wahoo! Perks of being a school teacher always include random days off. We get today, a Tuesday off, because of voting. Yes, first thing this morning I went to vote. Was in and out like a flash. Really enjoyed going...especially since I had to drive less than a mile to my church to vote.


I got a FABULOUS Singer Athena sewing machine from my grandmother for Christmas. I haven't really sewed since the summers of my youth (funny phrasing) with her but with the Pinterest movement I knew I wanted one.
Today I have officially tried it on this coaster tutorial from Sew Many Ways.

 Here's my first attempt! Not bad...my stitch around the edge was a little crazy and I actually didn't grab all the material the first path around. Whoops. Remember, beginner sewer trying to do more than she can. It was super fun though. I actually adding some backing to the bottom/underneath the whole circle (see tutorial and all I did was add it to the bottom of the stack before sewing and turning inside out). Did this for more cushion.

So, before I moved onto a bigger project, since I'm so obviously ready, I did another one! Check out my awesome machine. Coffee. And messy desk area. Happiness.

 Now, I was impressed with myself - I thought I did MUCH better on keeping a 1/4 inch around the edge on my second try...at least I went slower and thus think this means more accuracy. If this fabric looks familiar it's because it's  left over from our fabric flower wreath making in this post. Yep, girls I used up some of our stuff.

Here they are together. I think super cute. I will definitely make more in the future. Fun gift and I love the idea of having different colors for a small party gathering to i.d. who's drink is who's.

Look who thinks they're a professional. Hahaha.

Pinterest Party!!

Amber from Tales from the Blystone Cottage texted me one day and said we needed to get together for a Pinterest Party. Chris was hoping that meant that all us girls were going to be making recipes from Pinterest and getting together to eat it all! (Also a good idea).
But, we decided since we're not super-crafty with all the great craft resources built up that we would pick a project and share our resources. So we drafted the fabulous Ashley from The Tinch Trio and my buddy Shelly who would be a blogger addict if she'd get one together and we decided to a spring wreath.
Insert fun conversations, brunch food, hot glues guns, fabric swatches, and wa la....an AMAZING Saturday and great first Pinterest party!

Here's our table pre-crafting. Not a mess yet. We've got our grapevine wreaths, covered table, scissors, laptop with other people's great ideas, print-outs of fabric flower tutorials, etc.

We got fabric squares and cut them into strips.

Here's all our pretty choices....Shelly started making hers before some of us were done cutting. Haha. But, we convinced her to cancel her hair appointment to stay and finish her wreath!

We weren't planning on teaching anyone how to follow our example so I don't have any step-by-step instructions but Shelly came up with a great plan to keep our flower level...it's all about having a little stem and twisting the fabric so it stays flat. Our table is getting a little messier, but we were flower making machines!

Ashley finished first! We know Eric would be proud!

Here's Ashley's wreath up close. Isn't it so cute? She also did some layered felt flowers since Shelly had some felt and glued some buttons on...glad I had a bag full of those.

Then Amber finished (those mommies know how to work fast!) next. Super girly wreath to take home to her two men.

Amber's wreath up close. She adorned with some pearls that I had. She also came up with the big circular layered circle that I stole later on.

Shelly's wreath! Love her combo of colors and little accents!

Close up of Shelly's wreath!

And finally, slower mcslowerson (me) finished my wreath. Actually I just had to quit.. See the flowers in the upper right hand corner of this picture? I made SEVERAL that I didn't end up wanting to use.

Kate and her wreath.

Still not on my door yet...now that it's March I need to get on it!

Haiti Trip - Double Harvest

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2

     My trip to Haiti started prior to our February 4th departure. I had heard so much about Double Harvest's mission and how involved my previous church (Cedar Hill Baptist) is in sending groups to serve and my cousin Matthew has told me a lot . In December, I finally answered God's call to get out of my comfort zone and go see and serve His people in another country. I knew my friend Maria and some of her family were planning a trip to Haiti and I joined their group and am forever thankful that they allowed me to come with them.
     I quickly got my passport and booked the same flight as the group and sent out letters to friends and family seeking financial support and prayers. God provides. That's been evident to me in so many ways and He made the way for me to go through His people. I thank each of you for your prayers and support which allowed me to go, serve, experience and return safely with a renewed spirit.
     I am so thankful that Eric gave me a fabulous mission journal which came in handy while I was there so that I could remember everything we did.

Saturday, February 4th
     Chris drove me up to the gas station so that I could meet the group and ride with them to the airport. We had a really early flight to Miami and then a lengthy layover there before heading to Port-au-Prince. Once in Haiti, we rode to Double Harvest in Croix-des-Boquets. Our first night we had just enough time to unpack, and eat a meal of hot dogs with several boys from local villages. Bonnie led us in a devotional and then we had an amazing time singing Christian songs with some of the guys.

Sunday, February 5th
     On Sundays, the Haitian people don't work and truly observe the resting that takes place on the Sabbath. We were able to get up and have a nice breakfast made by Mrs. Nelle and then went to the service at the church there at Double Harvest. Of course it was in Creole...my little bit of French actually came in handy in picking up on some of the easier phrases. Tinome and Biken-love tried to teach me several phrases.
    After the service, we "toured" the Double Harvest facilities and then a taxi took us through Croix-des-Boquets and Port-au-Prince where we saw damage to the palace from the earthquake and we went up into the tent city where people that were displaced by the earthquake live. We really gained a great perspective of the lifestyle of the people of Haiti and the great needs of the people. It such a humbling experience and yet you come away knowing that these are God's people and that He loves them and that we must show love too.
     Once back at Double Harvest we went to the board house to put together bags of clothes to distribute over the next couple of days. While there, Mrs. Nelle was able to see some of the dresses that she made be fitted onto some girls from a Sunday School class from the village of Roche Blanche.
     Some of the guys that went with us on our tour (and helped us as translators) stayed and had dinner with us and then we called it a night.

Monday, February 6th
     We went to devotion at 6:40 am that is provided for the workers of Double Harvest. Again in Creole, but we were able to follow along with the hymns since we could see it written out.
     After breakfast we went to La Rochelle to hand out cereal to some of the young children and deliver boxes of food to the school. Their school has grown rapidly and I think now has around 500 students. We went over from there to Ashley's Orphans. Please check out this amazing story of how this mission is working to provide new living quarters and a school for the orphans. Right now about 12 boys share 1 room and 12 girls share another. We went back for lunch and then got to see the clinic in operation since it was a weekday. So many people come to receive medical care. DH really takes advantage of their time with the people, playing videos on hygiene and the gospel.
     During the afternoon we had a tie-dye session with a few teenagers from a local village. It was a lot of fun to watch them create something and then be able to take it with them. We then went over to the village of Coupon to see the homes of some of the boys we got to know during the week. It was really humbling to see their homes because we have so much that we take for granted and they are so proud of their space.

Tuesday, February 7th
     We got up and went to devotion again on Tuesday morning prior to breakfast. Jeanpy interpreted for us and the message was about how our true protection doesn't come from a secured house or weapons but our security is from God. We then went over helped load up one of the trucks so that we could go deliver food to the fishing village.
    The people of the fishing village are so sweet and Maryka was happy to see that the garden that was started by the group that visited back in November was growing rapidly. While there a little girl who burned her hand in a cooking fire was presented to Franzt so she and her father and another dehydrated girl and her mother rode with us back to DH so that they could go to the clinic.
     After lunch we met up with some guys who have a t-shirt business to help them earn income to help their families. Check out this link and get an awesome shirt to help Haiti! These guys are students at the Double Harvest school.
    We then helped pull out more boxes of food and each Double Harvest worker was able to come get a box after showing their badge at the end of their work day. It was amazing to see how happy they were to be able to take a box of food home to their families. These women are incredible to carry things on their heads the way they do.
    To bag up everything we had brought with us that hadn't been given out yet, we rushed over to the board house and put together bags of toys, cross necklaces and clothes and such to take to the village of Roche Blanche, home Jeanpy's family. We were hoping to hand things out but the children were so excited we were there that they were going to have to divvy out the items later.

Wednesday, February 8th - leaving day
     The trip went by so fast. We had one more devotion and then had our last breakfast together. After each meal we'd always hand out the leftovers to the guards, the boys from Gama, and people waiting to go in the clinic. Wednesday we cleared everything out since we were leaving. Afterwards we had the chance to go around the Double Harvest facility and learn a little more about what goes on, especially with the tilapia tanks and the lab and such which was great since we didn't have much time to see it all during the previous days.
    We had a late morning flight to Miami, another long layover and were back in Nashville a little before 10pm.

I hope you can enjoy the pictures below. There are lots of them and these are Bonnie's - her's were much better than mine!

Click here to view these pictures larger

I had a great time and really hope that above all God was seen through our work and that His love can be shown through me each and every day and that I will continue to listen to His plan for my life and how I can serve him each day. I know this is a long post, but if you want more details (which I have) I'll be happy to share anytime!

Out with 2011....and already out with January

So, apparently thinking about blogging is not the same as ACTUALLY blogging. This thing does not write itself when I get super busy. I think about blogging on my long commute to and from work and as I lay in bed at night, but not when I actually have a computer near which is more often than naught.
My goal allll through January was to get on here and sum up our 2011 and our hopes for 2012.

2011 Wrap-Up:
1) We were humbled through the loss of my job, the few months of unemployment and then the ultimate, perfect timing of my Awesome God in giving my teaching position that I started on Oct. 31st.
2) We felt the direction for Chris's career change and dealt with the changes to our lifestyle that that brought on.
3) We had a FABULOUS trip to Vegas in Jan. 2011 with my brothers, Craig and Reece and their (at the time) girlfriends.
4) Both of my brothers got engaged!
5) Both of Chris's brothers got engaged!
6) We had the opportunity to go to Colorado Springs to watch David graduate from the Air Force Academy in May which was amazing, if that doesn't give you a sense of pride in our nation, nothing will.
7) David and Chelsea got married in July. And we were both in that wedding.
8) Craig and Rebecca got married in September. And we were both able to be in that wedding.
9) Chris's travels took him all over, but I got to join him in Texas at the end of June/beginning of July where we met the best family example in the Edwards' family.
10) Babies were born, including the first of my friend's baby Baker, whom we are obsessed with!
11) I read the Bible through.
12) We lost Chris's grandfather this year (his mom's dad) but there is joy in that he is not in pain and he's joined our Savior and grandmama in heaven.
13) I ran in 2 half-marathons and 2 5 k's - whoop whoop. Improving my times at every race.
14)  We had great Christmases with all of our families
And more blessings that I can't begin to count or praise God enough for!!!!!

I was originally going to post our "plans" for 2012, but I'm currently in a study that is revealing to me that it's not about MY plans. It's about seeing where God's at work around me (us) and joining Him in his plans for us, which will help others.
WOW - sobering thought as I think of all the things I want to do, and on my timeline.

I will go ahead and say we have praises and blessings already this year. After several months of job search, Chris started his job at Jackson National this week!!!!! I leave to go to Haiti on Saturday for four/five days, my first mission trip and first out of the country. God has taken care of my finances through His people and I've had so much support and love poured out over me before I've even left!

We are so excited about 2012...and I hope I will document all the great things that happen throughout this year!

Highlights from Christmas 2011

We've had a fabulous Christmas season filled with times with family and friends and eating! But best of all we were able to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We worked hard to keep the focus on the true meaning of the season while enjoying this special time of year.
Here are some of our favorites!

Amber, Jake, and Baker in front of the tree at Opryland! It used to be an annual trip to see the lights, glad we could go with Baker for his first time.

Kate, Amber, Katy and Baker

Me and Chris!

We gave Baker his first Christmas present. He was not thrilled it was clothes.

The annual Barron Christmas party lived on. We missed some of our usuals this year - hope we see you guys next year! We did Dirty Santa $5 gifts with the theme of "Your Favorite." Above is our smoked turkey cheeseball courtesy of Greenberg Smoked Turkeys.

My veggie wreath via Pinterest. Click here for recipe.

The girls that were at the party!

My parents brought us this puzzle back from their trip to the northeast back in the fall. We really enjoyed putting this one together.

I LOVED making bows for my gifts this year. While this may not be overly impressive to you, I've never been able to make bows. Next year I'll try to step up my game.

Here's the cake that Reece, Chris, (Catherine and Kate) made for the Crawford Christmas party. That's right. It's cake. There's a dog sleeping in the corner.

Here's my buffalo chicken ring adapted from this recipe but I wanted it look Christmas(y) so I added the red pepper bow.

A view of Crawford Christmas.

Craig and Rebecca's AMAZING gingerbread house. You should have seen this in person!

Chris with Hadley.

My awesome present from Garrett. A very creative way to wrap a scarf.

Ah the stockings were hung by the chimney with care at my parents' house. Mom made two more stockings this year! Welcome to the family Rebecca and Catherine!!! I don't think anymore stockings will be able to fit so I see some people getting demoted here soon. haha.

Kate will all her goodies on Christmas morning from her amazing hubby!

Chris with his loot!

Christmas day at my parents after everyone went to church! We had lunch there with my grandparents and aunt.

And finally ending Christmas Day (night) at Chris's parents house after going out to his grandparents! What a wonderful day!! Look at how spoiled we all got! We are very thankful for the things but more importantly for our families! Merry Christmas!