Mmmm... Bread

So I've started baking my own bread. I decided to start with a simple basic white loaf recipe and wow, it is good!

I made a grilled cheese sandwich... I may never buy bread again.

Why do they only have crappy templates on here? This is the best I could come up with and I'm not so sure about it. I'm not techy enough to come up with my own. What's a girl to do? Perhaps I'll move over to wordpress...

80's Night

That Betty! What are we going to do with her? She and Ray hosted an 80's night. I must admit, I was a little unsure, seeing as I experienced most of the 80's through the lens of Sesame Street, but it was really a blast.
And even though I knew, like maybe 3 songs, I must say, I thought my outfit turned out pretty great! Too bad I didn't get a full shot of me or Amanda (who did live through and vividly remembers the 80's), but a head shot is better than nothing.

Hmmm... you can't really see my awesome bow.

You can see all the pix here if you want.

If I could've brought her home...

This is my friend Laura...

At the lunch we served, I was standing in the back waiting to see what still needed to be done and here she comes. She just toddled up to me and made the universal baby "pick me up" sign - arms outstreched high overhead. So, I picked her up. I mean, when have I ever refused to hold a little one? Well, that settled it, she was mine! I gave her away long enough to play La Simona Dice (Simon Says) and then she was back.

Later, one of the little boys was sick and crying, so I tried to hold him and she got very upset with me. We finally managed this arrangement and she seemed okay, unless I tried to move.

A couple days later, we went to Rahab's monthly service with the women. While the choir was singing, one of the workers came rushing upstairs to get help with the kids. Since I'm not in the choir, they sent me down. As soon as I got there, one of the interns turned around and handed me Laura!

Later, when we talked with the women in small groups, I was in the group with both of their mothers. It was beautiful to hear their stories and understand a little more about the lives of these precious babies. And of course wonderful to see my sweet Laura again!

More on the little guy in another post...

Costa Rica Pix

I have finally put my Costa Rica Pix in a web album. No captions or editing as of yet. That will come later... maybe.

My camera only made half the trip, but that still ended up being 181 pictures.

Anyway, you can go here to see them.

Cake Wrecks

Oh my goodness. This is the funniest blog I have looked at in a long time. Either that, or I'm in desperate need of some comic relief in my life. Eh, either way, it's pretty darn funny!

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Costa Rica

Love...

I have fallen in love. Not for the first time, mind you, but fallen in love again... in love with the Lord, with his word, his people, his call to go, all of it. It's easy in our comfortable society to become, well, comfortable. But the Lord has renewed my first love...

This week I returned from a trip to Costa Rica, where I spent a few days working with the Rahab Foundation, a ministry to prostitutes in San Jose. They help sex workers see that they are loved and worthy of love. They help them get education and vocational training and find jobs. The staff at Rahab live and work like Jesus did - in the darkness, with the "sinners", the fatherless, the widow, the oppressed.

It was beautiful, intense, heart-breaking... and I'm once again in deep love.

I quit!

So, if you haven't assumed by now, it's official... I quit. Not blogging completely, but the picture a day thing. It was too stressful! I made it 6 months, and it took my 2 months to finally confess that I'm quitting.

Maybe now that I don't have the stress of a picture every single day, I'll be more inclined to actually blog things... maybe, maybe not!

Hi. I just want to let the faithful few who are still brave enough to venture into my corner of the blogging world know that I have come to the conclusion that I am in fact the world's worst blogger! I have plenty of pictures, they just don't seem to make it onto the blog. Maybe I can post them without any descriptions and you can come up with your own captions. Hmmm... that could be fun...

Ok, let's see if I can get some pictures up before my parents get here this weekend. Yippee for parents!

FYI...

I got the video of Jonathan singing the Lion Song to work (May 3).

May 14

One of Amanda's coworkers let her borrow the documentary Born Into Brothels. I highly recommend this film. It's not at all what I was told it was, but much better.

Take some time to check out the website Kids With Cameras. You can also download and watch the film for free at FreeDocumentaries.org.

May 13

I had dinner with Diane tonight and I'll be switched if I didn't forget to take a picture again! I have yet to remember to take a picture when we get together.

May 12

I didn't do anything picture worthy today, nothing at all. So here's my dinner... quinoa, butternut squash and chicken, with honey and spices. Tasted better and looks better than the last dinner I posted.

May 11

Amanda's parents came to town for Mother's Day. I thought it was quite unfair that her parents came here and Ashley went home and I got to do neither!

After church we went to Pannenkoeken Cafe in Lincoln Square.

May 10

The Ladies' Concert of Praise was tonight. What a lovely time we had worshipping the Lord together. There was quite a turn-out; it looked like the sanctuary was pretty full. And I met some new people, several of whom have been attending the church for a while, but since I'm with the kids before and after every service, I often miss the new people. I should work on that. Hmm... maybe I should have used the opportunity for a little recruiting!

Jasmine, Pamela, and Kathy

May 9

Scary. That dude is way too high. And he's not on any sort of scaffolding. He's sitting on a board. A BOARD! What is he thinking? As Amanda would say... LIABILITY!

May 8

I love tulips.

May 7

I went to Pamela's new place Restoration Salon and who should come in while I'm sitting in her chair?

The newly engaged Jonathan and Maria-Elena!

Congratulations!!!

May 6

Yes, the highlight of my day was buying footies... sad, but true.

May 5

I thought I was getting one of those really terrible migraines that make my vision go all crazy and keep me in bed forever...

Nope just a stupid, jacked up car determined to drive me crazy all the way home. I was behind this monstrosity from the time I got off Lake Shore Drive all the way to Rockwell. What kind of sick person can tolerate such nonsense?