Introducing....

Well, as you all know, I tend to keep my dating life fairly secretive on this blog.  I often date and don't update y'all and a couple times I have updated y'all but not used names. Most recently, I have actually dated someone and referred to him yet not identified him.....Ha, I am not HIDING anything, per se... I just try to keep my dating life fairly private -- for my sake and for the other party's sake.

But BF gave me the go ahead on revealing his identity. It's been over 6 mths so I felt it was time.
Introducing my sweet guy, Dave. So, you'll probably continue to hear me make mention of him from time to time - except I will use his name now....and actually post pics that include him.  However, as in the past, I will continue not to reveal EVERYTHING about our relationship.... you don't want to hear about every sweet thing he does (gag) and I am not a believer in publically discussing any issues we have... (also gag) But, now I will be a little more willing to share SOME things... starting with his name and a few pics.


My one cheesy moment: He's pretty stinkin' adorable isn't he?? :)

Family Beach trip

 Dallas Cowboys Stadium

 Ashley's Wedding

Charity Ball

 at the camp

Symphony

Pizza Casserole

This friday night, I made my favorite guy Pizza casserole.  Guys can be picky eaters and I find myself trying out recipes that are meant for kids.  I joke with him that when we want to cook, I google "family dinner recipes" or "dinners for kids"


This was very "child-like" but pretty good, and you could add veggies to make it better.


ALSO, I WOULLD LOVE ANY GOOD RECIPES Y'ALL HAVE.  I am trying to cook more often! PARTICULARLY "kid friendly" (aka picky eater friendly) recipes. :)

Ingredients:

1 bag of Egg Noodles

1 extra large can of Ragu sauce {or any tamato sauce you prefer}

3-ish cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or if you want, add ricotta cheese to)

1 1/2 lbs hamburger meat

1 package pepperonis

1. BOIL egg noodles and cook and drain meat
2. begin your layers! (1) tomato sauce (2) noodles (3) hamburger meat (4) sauce (5) noodles (6)  ricotta and mozzerella cheese (7) hamburger meat (8) sauce (9) mozzerella cheese (10)Top with pepperonis! 
3. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350
4. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes
5. let sit for 10-15 minutes -- to cool and to let the layers stick together
6. ENJOY!

I think it would be good if you added some spinach or mushrooms (if you eat mushrooms, I don't) -- I bet you could add almost any pizza topping! 

Reeses Pieces Peanut Butter Brownies and more

Several people in my life LOVE reeses pieces including my sister and my BF.  I have been recently researching recipes involving this candy. My latest recipe is reeses brownies!

Don't they look delicious?? My next goal is to learn to make them gluten free for my baby sis, Ansley.

Here is how you make them:

Ingredients:

• 1 box of your favorite brownie mix
• Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 16 oz container of vanilla frosting
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1-2 tsp milk
• 1 box Reese’s Pieces

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13 x 9″ baking pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2.Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread batter in pan and with a knife, swirl peanut butter through batter.

3.Bake 25-28 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.

4.In a medium bowl, mix frosting ingredients and spread frosting over brownies. Place Reese’s Pieces in a plastic Ziploc bag and lightly crush with a rolling pin, breaking candies up into pieces. (NOTE: I just poured my reeses on the top in whole pieces.)

5.Sprinkle Reese’s Pieces over brownies and serve.




Second order of business today: I saw this on a friends facebook and want to start doing this every day.  I work out most days, even if its only 20-30 minutes during lunch, but usually for longer.  However, there are those occasional days when life is hectic and I don't go. This would be a perfect mini workout at home...I bet it is about 15 minutes total.

Also, I love this funny picture I saw on facebook.  SO true!! Right Ashley???

Closed Doors

Recently, my family had a door close that seemed so much like the right door.  Doors slamming are so hard to deal with, especially when the doors were originally wide open, so certain and seemingly, so good.
With this closed door came the realization for me, atleast, that nothing in life is certain -- even things that are good and glorifying to God aren't for certain...not relationships, friendships, family, health, jobs, ministries, etc. (I know, I know, I, like most people, have been through MANY situations where I realize earthly relationships and things aren't certain, but how quickly I return to needing them)

This concept of a life of uncertainty was hard to swallow for a few days until I reminded myself of the one door that never closes, the one certainty that doesn't change. I'm 99 percent sure my family will always be by my side and vice versa, but even that is not certain.  Only my Savior is certain....and I am grateful for that and clinging even more to the certainty that is Jesus Christ.

The funny thing about closed doors is that often times the same doors are wide open until you get near. I think its a common misconception that always make is that other people are ALWAYS trying to make the closed doors work, assuming they were open. I remember after my engagement ended, people tried to tell me that I must have missed the signs, that I must have desired marriage so badly that I was working so hard to make it work (not true, as I had no desire originally to get married at a young age). I disagree -- I prayerfully sought the Lord's will in that relationship and would never have entered that engagement unless I believed I was called to that marriage. I told people I felt it was the Lord's will for me to engaged to the man, but obviously the door closed, so it was not God's will for me to marry him. It was an open door that became a closed door, but the door wasn't closed from the beginning. Just because a door is closed does not mean the person recklessly, sinfully pursued a closed door.

And, although there are plenty of times when I selfishly try to make clearly closed doors OPEN, I think I recently (and on multiple other occasions) have realized that the Lord works through closing doors after we already begin walking toward that same door opened.

Would it be easier if every closed door started that way? For sure.  I wish life was full of clear yeses and nos from the beginning.  I wish God didn't allow an open door to give you encouragement and hope, before He shuts it.

But, maybe He waits to close the door because He wants us to realize that our hope should be on Him, the opener and closer of doors, and not on the doors themselves.  Maybe He draws us to doors that suddenly close because through that process, we are shown the right door.  In some cases, maybe the door closes for a time then opens again.

All I know is that I serve a God who is certain in a world that is not.  He is an open door when other doors close.  He is the one that opens and closes doors in His timing and for His glory.  He is the One that uses dissapointments, broken dreams, heartaches to shape and grow us.  He is the one that redeems closed doors.

Sometimes, in my finite wisdom, I wish he would slam the door quicker (I sure have felt that way about boyfriends and breakups before as well as job opportunities), but the Lord shuts the doors at the right moment, for this I am grateful.

I pray my heart can be as excited about the opener of doors as I am about the doors when they finally open, and maybe it takes weeks, months and years of doors opening and closing for our hearts to finally cling to Him.

Thankful #126-135 and Happy Fourth

I hope everyone had a happy 4th. I sure did! I drove to BF's hometown last night after work to spend time with his family (his sister and brother in law are in town from Georgia). I only stayed until 1 or 2 today but enjoyed my time in the country biking, going to a fish fry and having a movie night.  I then returned to Jackson for a cookout with friends including red and blue margaritas, watermelon and shooting my first fireworks!

I hope we all took a moment to remember how great our country is, how fortunate it is that we live in America. With the recent Obamacare SCOTUS decision, many people are dissapointed with America...and though we may not like certain leaders and decisions in our country, the fact remains that even with its flaws, America has the best form of government the world has ever seen. Lets remember that, fight for it, and maintain it.

One of my favorite politicians, Ronald Reagan once said:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

Also, continuing with my 1000 gifts thankfulness list...Today I am thankful for....

126.  Fireworks, Friends and food
127. 6 weeks until my BF moves to JXN :)
127. bike ride in the country
128. Fish fry and brownies
129. my new bike
130. America and our founding fathers
131. computers
132. having my sister home in MS for the summer
133.  sleeping in
134. my friend Chris comes to town this weekend!
135. 2 months until college football

RIP Nora Ephron

This week, movie screenwriter Nora Ephron passed away. If you are a female, this is a sad day for you. Nora Ephron wrote two of the best chick flicks of our time (When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail)....I mean truly entertaining girls movies, not just the cheesy "boy and girl meet, overcome some obstacle and fall in love" movie with no humor, depth, etc.

I love a movie that lets you escape. I love happy movies....but I don't necessarilly love dumb movies.  She managed to give us a few GOOD movies that were entertaining, well written and light hearted.

Some of her best quotes.....

"Look, Annie... I love you. But let's leave that out of this. I don't want to be someone that you're settling for. I don't want to be someone that anyone settles for. Marriage is hard enough without bringing such low expectations into it, isn't it?" -- Walter (Sleepless in Seattle)

"You are the butter to my bread, you are the breath to my life." -- Paul Child to Julia (Julie and Julia)

“And then the dreams break into a million tiny pieces. The dream dies. Which leaves you with a choice: you can settle for reality, or you can go off, like a fool, and dream another dream.”  (Heartburn)

“Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together... and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home... only to no home I'd ever known... I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like... magic."

(Sleepless in Seattle)

“Well, I'm gonna get out of bed every morning... breathe in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breathe in and out... and, then after a while, I won't have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while. (Sleepless in Seattle)

People are always saying that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something you didn't want to happen at all... has happened. - Kathleen Kelly (You've Got Mail)

When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does. - Kathleen Kelly (You've Got Mail)


The BEST quote....

“I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” — Billy Crystal to Meg Ryan in “When Harry Met Sally”

(Come on, ladies, who wouldn't want your man to notice all the little things about you - the silly things, the inconsequential things, the daily aspects of your life -- and make these things seem special and unique?  And you know you notice those small things in your husband, boyfriend, crush, etc!!)

Dating/Relationship Series #7: Move

(This post is somewhat inspired by a girl I read about on Kellys Korner here. She felt like God wanted her to move so she did and immediately met the right man in her new location --after years of waiting! )

I am not joking, some people will think what I am saying is drastic....BUT maybe if you aren't meeting any men or women in your area, you should move.

Seriously, one of my good friends is about to move to a bigger city and meeting new men is one of the reasons why.  I admire her honest approach.  She didn't quit her job immediately, but her contract is up and she does not HAVE to renew it, so why not get another job in a different city. She has been here and dated some but feels that she is not meeting anyone new, so instead of whining about no men in Jackson, she is doing something about it.  I like that.

I have another friend who told me she is giving it a year.  If she still isn't dating someone, she may move her business to a bigger different city.

I am not moving, but I will share my own experiance with this idea of relocating yourself to meet men.
I had dated but not met the right man.  I was very frustrated...but at the same time, I was happy with my life. I love my community of friends, I love being close to my family, I like my job, I love where I live, I like my church.  I didn't WANT to leave Jackson, but felt like I had already met most of the men in my circles in Jackson -- and either (1) they were married; (2) we had already dated; or (3) one or both of us didn't want to date the other one.

I did not want to leave Jackson for all the above mentioned reasons but I didn't want to wake up in 10 years single because I stayed where I was comfortable. But certainly, leaving a very good life behind is not a decision you make too quickly

I was telling my sister my problem this fall, and her advice was simple: give yourself a moving timeline and pray you meet someone before then.  SIMPLE enough, and she was able to give such good advice because she wasn't in my spot and was able to look at the situation objectively. No drastic measures, bathed in prayer.

So I decided that if I did not meet a great man to date by summertime, I would start looking up jobs in DC and sending in apps (not necessarily move, but start making the steps to move and see which doors God opeend)  That gave me 9 mths to go on dates and try to meet people.  That gave me 9 months to pray. That gave me 9 mths to seek the Lord's will.  I prayed that I would not have to leave Jackson, but that if I needed to, I asked the Lord to make it clear.

And, in late december, I met the man I am currently dating.  I'm not saying I will never move to DC, but I am not moving now.  Had I not met him, I would currently be sending my resumes and applications to various think tanks and governmental agencies.  I am glad the Lord made it clear what I should do.  I'm extremely grateful that atleast for now, I get to stay in Jackson, but had He wanted me to move, I would be grateful that He made my path clear.

I know some people will disagree with my advice to consider moving, BUT I think that if you were unhappy with your job, had no friends, had no good churches to attend in your current location, you would consider moving, wouldn't you? You would pray daily about it and seek the Lord's will on where you should be located.  Why won't you do the same regarding dating and marriage????

So, here is my advice (take it or leave it) Maybe you live in a small town or the city you grew up in and feel like you already know everyone in. Maybe you live in a place that lacks many Christians.  It is possible that the best way to meet a spouse is to move to a place where you can meet more people.. however it is possible that the Lord has the perfect man for you in your small town of 10,000...or in a different city but you meet through friends.  So jumping into a move is not the best thing to do.

(1) give yourself a timeline (1 year, 9 months, etc) to pray and expand your circles in your current location and to seek the Lord's will

(2) give some thought to where you would move -- do you want to know a few people there already? or go somewhere completely new? Is there a good job market there? Is there a good church? Are there young people? Are there Christians? It does no good to move somewhere with the same limitations as where you currently live..a lot of sacrifice for no benefit.

(3) Pray. Pray you meet soemone and don't have to move.  Pray that the Lord makes it clear to move. Pray.

(4) Expand your circles in your current city. Is your church lacking a lot of people your age? Visit another church some, atleast for a Bible study, etc.  Go to different places/restaurants/parties. Join a club. Try online dating. Blind dates. Etc. Etc.  Maybe there are lots of eligible men in your city but you just got stuck hanging out with the same ones all the time.

(5) improve yourself.  You may be moving within the year, so you should drop those extra 10 pounds and move looking your best! Or maybe while you are losing the weight or dressing cuter, etc, you will meet someone in your current location.

(6) decide if its worth it.  Some people love where they live so much that they would stay there for awhile and risk not meeting anyone. Do you love your job, friends, church more than you want to meet someone? If so, great, you may not want to move.  I love my life, but I wanted to meet someone badly enough that it was worth moving if need be.

**As I said, this is a drastic measure, although less drastic when you are young and single, but its one you might consider.  You never know....