A Watermelon Radish? How does YOUR garden grow???

My love for a garden never ceases...even after summer is over...and I've complained about how "nothing" grew this year...my fantasy of having a real garden that we can really enjoy and cook from is always lurking in my brain! It's an outlet for me just as cooking is!! Of course...the weeding, planting, hard work, etc...that goes into having a wonderful garden is NOT on my brain and is NOT an outlet!!  I like the finished version!! Which is why so far this year....I've only planted watermelon radish seeds in "planter" boxes that I can roll into the bright sunshine or roll away from the rabbits...whichever is needed!!!
We recently ate dinner at Bottega with Jim's parents and that was my first intro into the watermelon radish!! who would've thought a radish could be so yummy!!! It was so yummy...that we went back to the cafe side the next night as the "nice" side was full and they still brought me that delightful salad!!!
So began my quest to grow my own watermelon radishes!!! I will definitely keep you posted!!! ( if you squint your eyes and look REALLY close you can see these beautiful sprouts coming up already!!!)

My life, now.....

As unattractive as a tool shed or a garden shed is...we try to make it beautiful! We put climbing roses on it, trailing jasmine...in fact we've even put a window box on the front of ours to try and make it charming and acceptable!  But what do we do to ourselves when we don't feel attractive or charming? We try to put on our "happy faces" or wear something cute...perhaps we even get a new hair cut or try the latest diet craze!! Shoot...I've done all of these and then some!
Why is it that we don't call a spade a spade? or a tool shed a tool shed? I know this sounds goofy...and I didn't start out to write this post...I was looking for beautiful flowers that I had photographed over the past week and when I saw this picture it just captured my heart! First of all because it was beautiful....secondly, it felt a bit nostalgic when I looked at it and lastly, I realized it was just my own garden/tool shed that we try to camoflauge into something that it isn't!! I realized then and there that I do this so often in my own life and that I don't want to do that anymore! I want to be beautiful from the inside out....not the outside in....
Yes.. sometimes I dream of plastic surgery, botox...etc...but what I really want is for my heart to be beautiful! If my heart and my "insides" aren't beautiful then what does it really matter? God looks at our hearts!
                                  1 Samuel 16:7
"But the Lord said to Samuel, do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things that man looks at! Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart~!"

Wow....very freeing!!!!

Chicken Tetrazzini

This is the dish that I made for my oldest child's high school graduation lunch...I will never forget it! I was already going to post this recipe tonight...but then I saw a friend talking about how hard it's going to be soon because her child is leaving for college this fall....

It brought back alot of memories...mostly good!!!!

What alot of people don't realize is that food is associated with memories...whether you like them or not!!! Good, bad or indifferent you can't tell me that a certain smell, flavor, even a "seating arrangement" LOL!!! doesn't stir up old memories!

so here goes...my tried and true recipe for Chicken Tetrazzini...courtesy of Southern Living!

1/2 C light butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 C all purpose flour

4 C whole milk ( I use 2 % )

1/2-3/4 C white wine

2 T chicken bouillon granules

1 t seasoned pepper

1 1/2 C parmesan cheese

4 C cooked, chopped chicken

12 ozs vermicelli, cooked

1 6 oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 C soft breadcrumbs

2 T melted light butter

melt butter and saute onion until tender...about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in flour until smooth...gradually add milk and wine..cook, whisk and stir constantly until smooth and thickened...add bouillon granules and seasoned pepper and 1 C cheese. Cook until cheese and bouillon granules melt and are well blended. Remove from heat and add chicken, mushrooms and vermicelli. Stir well and place in greased 13 x 9 baking dish...bake for 20 minutes at 350...toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over casserole and bake for 20 more minutes or until bubbly! Enjoy!

Of course this dish is more enjoyable when shared with others!! Invite them over for that graduation luncheon...make a memory! You won't regret it! It will be a Great Memory...and that's very important as our lives are constantly changing and there isn't enough time in a day to let the people we are closest to   know just how very much we love them!!! But you can always share a meal with them and make them feel special!!

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea

though it's waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the Lord,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress!

wonderful promises in times of stress all over our world!

God's handiwork!

 Psalm 8:3-4  "When I consider your heavens....

the work of your fingers.....

the moon and the stars which You have set in place,

 What is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"

 vs.9...."O Lord, our Lord.....

how magestic is YOUR name in ALL the earth!!!!

Surely he's out of his comfort zone by now!

Finally getting to sit down...and rest??? Is that possible in my world? I don't know!! LOL!! like my world is really all that hard! However...my stomach is upset...in fact, it's in knots just fretting over getting back to work and making Miller feel very welcomed when he arrives tomorrow night! So very wrong, I know..I'm not "stupid" or naive...I know very well...all TOO well that I do this to myself!!!! My blood pressure medicine was doubled the day before we left for the beach ( 1 week and 1 day ago! ) and boy can I tell!! It's Maavelous....as Billy Crystal says!!! Even though I am a bit lethargic...it hasn't stopped me for one bit!! I can't believe I didn't truly seek help sooner!! Why did I think I had to live like that?? I didn't realize how "miserable" or uncomfortable that I was...anyway....Life is Beautiful right now.....as I listen to Lee Dewyze sing on Idol for the 100th time!! Love this song and love the words!! If I wasn't so afraid of UTUBE and their comments, etc...I would post him singing this song... I truly love it! Holly had made me a CD of his for Christmas and we've been listening to it the whole way home today!! So good!!!
Anyway...yes, my blood pressure was way too high and I've been very fretful over my shop, my kids, etc...just like the rest of us all are but the day that we put Miller on the plane for this mission's trip to Nicaragua my heart was not at peace...I didn't like the fact that sweet, precious Emily Mile's wasn't able to go on this trip due to an illness...found out at the airport that one of my dearest friends was in the hospital having surgery for a collapsed lung...and then at 5:30 that morning as we are leaving the airport hear the news about the earthquake in Japan...my heart was grieving...my spirit was shaken and very scared!! In fact...when we finally got back to our street I told Jim to pass our driveway and go to the Mulvaney's house..."just let me see if there is anyone there to keep the girls and lets just sit and pray for them!" is what I remember saying to him! We sat...we stared at the Sunrise mind you...not the Sunset like we are used to and I remarked that good heavens it's beautiful this time of day and we sure could get alot done in a day if we were always up and about by 3:30 am!! Anyway... my heart was truly breaking for my dear friend in surgery, her husband that I knew was probably distraught....her precious girls ....and then the news of Japan...and selfishly wondering if Miller should really be on this trip at all......
Well...the updates we have received have been truly the most encouraging things ever!!! My son...my precious baby!!! ( he would kill me! ) chose to go on this mission's trip...was about the first in line when you had to sign up because it fills up so quickly and then you are chosen to go....one of his closest friends, Tom Muir-Taylor was going for the 2nd time and I know this was a huge influence on Miller's decision! I was so glad!!! Well...months go by...football is played...even State Championship playoffs...Basketball is played...and played...and then Lacrosse starts...and then the whining starts!!! Yes...you heard me ....the normal, fun, 17 year old American teenage boy....doesn't want to go anymore and whines a little bit...mind you...he is careful...I guess he's seen too much of me and my "ways" and didn't whine "that" much but I really felt his pain! I didn't want him to go either!! I didn't want to send him out of the country...I didn't want to not get to be with him over Spring Break....Shoot...even BYG ( our youth group ) threw us for a loop this year and went SKIING of all things!!! That's Miller's dream and sooo not mine!!! I would've loved for him to get this out of his system with THEM and not ME!!! But.....but.................."Not My will, Lord....but Thine!".........that's the only thing that kept me prodding him along all of those months of complaining...and mind you...it was just normal teenage or anyone complaining...not serious complaining...just doubts...just worries...just normal thoughts and even I as his mother had those exact same thoughts.....until we got to the airport....as "apprehensive" as I could tell he was the ENTIRE day before...even when Holly came over to tell him good bye...even when we loaded the car for the airport....even when he kept saying after every hug I gave him, " So, are ya'll leaving? Are ya'll really leaving? And I would shake my head and say NO~~~ just wanted to hug you one more time...and he didn't pull away!!! HE DIDN'T PULL AWAY!!!!!!!!! that doesn't happen often with a teenage boy! so you better believe we stayed...and stayed....even though we were in our Seaside shirts and the car was packed for Spring Break....we stayed....and after that ...we Prayed ......my heart was breaking....I don't do good-byes very well in case you haven't noticed! :)

Now, all that I'm really wondering is how well do I do "hello's?"...you see...after we " let" him go...after we've been getting the most wonderful updates from the Team there in Nicaragua...all I can really think is "how could we have NOT let him go?" I really do feel sorry for the friends that didn't go...I feel sorry for the people missing out on the blessings...I even told Jim at the airport that I could so see HIM going next year!!! ( LOL!! of course I didn't say ME!!! not saying miracles don't happen...I just don't want to get in the WAY of them! ) anyway...we've had numerous updates from Dr. Mossbacker and fun, funny updates from Tim Townes...need I say more??!!! but the best...the very best one of all was after several days at the beach, and Jim not answering strange calls and me nagging him that it might possibly be Miller calling  to tell Jim Happy Birthday...we MISSED several calls!!! in the meantime...I had been texting Peggy Townes who happened to mention that she missed David's call and that the number was very strange and only had 9 numbers! So....at Jim's birthday dinner..at quite a nice restaraunt in Destin....( oh...and I forgot to say that I was jealous everytime a number called all day and Jim answered or Holly answered and I remember saying a very selfish prayer ....Lord...I sure would like to be the one to hear that voice say, "Mama?"...) and I got to!!!!!! I know it was Jim's birthday...but it was every mother's dream!!!! The excitement and enthusiasm in his voice was like none I've heard in a very long time....in fact...it only reminds me of my true first love of Jesus..when I was a "camper" at Camp Briarwood and truly learned what it meant to be a Christian!! There are really certain tones in a child's voice, certain inflections that probably only a parent can distinguish....and certainly only a parent can appreciate and learn from and help guide that child to a full understanding of what it means to truly put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior! All I can say is that Miller's voice held nothing but Joy....joy from being satisfied that he was serving...and to think...that in all of my selfish ways, even I at times thought of not letting him or "making" him go on this missions' trip! If I had cost him this Joy...or this experience...I can't even imagine!! So....I know this has been a VERY long post...but it's really just a weeks worth of a mother's heart!!! WOW!! it could be SOOOO much longer but I'm sparing even myself!! However....Now we say hello!!!!! I can't wait to update you!!!! The reports we've been receiving have been amazing...a little slice of heaven....when you have an entire "village" or "school" line up for 50 yards in an area that has a washed out entrance...among many other things...and you are welcomed by that fan fare...that applause...like my dear friend Lisa Anne said....it really is what heaven will be like when we are welcomed by our Heavenly Father with open arms...and I'm sure alot of applause....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JIM!!!!!!

 Who could have known what a special day this truly was!!!This church holds such a special place in my heart!!There truly are not words to express how very much I love you....You are the best husband, father, grandfather and best friend a girl could ever ask or hope for~~

God blessed me with you almost 3 decades ago!!! WOW!!! that's a LONG time!!!! but I'm forever yours!

We have been blessed beyond measure with our precious family!

I am forever grateful to God for giving me you!!!! I hope your birthday is extra special!!!!

So glad you are my best friend!! and yes....I DO LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!!