Exercising

I have never been one who enjoys working out.  I hate being out of breath and I hate sweating, two things that are bound to happen if you do any kind of worthwhile workout.  I guess I had pretty good metabolism growing up because I was never really overweight.  In fact, one year in high school I remember complaining to my parents that I was eating fast food and junk food like every day and losing weight.  My mom said "that's not a problem!!!" And now I can only wish I had that "problem".

After having 4 kids in 7 years, my body was wrecked.  I wasn't eating good, I got winded walking up the stairs and everything was loose and squishy.  I didn't really like how I looked, but I rationalized that if I could eat whatever I wanted to and be just a little overweight, that would be okay.  But then in the last year I noticed that I was headed down a slippery slope.  I could keep eating things I knew weren't good and keep watching my weight creep up or I could do something about it.  When I brought it up with Chris that I wold like to start running or something again, he suggested we do a workout program together.

We ordered some DVD's online and waited anxiously till they came and we could start working out.  We are in our 6th week right now and we've both seen some notable changes.  One being our weight, but more importantly than that is the energy, strength and general feeling of being healthy that we have now.  It's a great feeling and I don't want to go back.  I guess maybe I do like working out?  Well I think I don't really enjoy it during, but I enjoy seeing the results and I definitely like how I feel.  Although I know to stay motivated I need a schedule (who's suprised???), a plan, a goal and a workout partner!

Even after our 9 weeks are done with this workout regimen, we have both said we want to keep working out together (I'm not doing all this work just to get lazy and flabby again).  We might go back and do this again or we might do something different for a month and then come back to it.  Either way, we have learned that we enjoy working out together and it's a good way to spend some time together at nights without just laying on the couch till we both fall asleep.

Waiting

When we got the word that our dossier was approved and we were officially on the wait list, our agency talked to us a little about constructive waiting.  That basically means not wasting this waiting period in anticipation of what's to come, but making the most of it, knowing that it is a season that God purposed in our lives. 

So I've been thinking about it some, trying to come up with some ideas and goals that I can focus on or that Chris and I can focus on together.  I do much better when I have short-term goals and something in the immediate to focus on instead of longing for something that is 2 years away. 

• One of the resources we received from our agency was a journal with a read-the-Bible-in-a-year plan inside with room to journal.  The idea is that you do that while you're waiting and then one day give it to your adopted child as a gift.  We thought that was a really cool idea and Chris and I will be starting that in January. 
• Get in really good shape and learn to eat healthier as a lifestyle not as a diet
• Study Ethiopia and adopt some customs/traditions
• Seek out a personal friendship with at least one other local adoptive family, preferrably from Ethiopia
• Learn to cook some African food (my first attempt was not so good)
• Learn to trust God more fully and serve Him more intentionally

This song has been so much encouragement to me in the last few weeks.  I know that God's timing is perfect in all of this, so whether we have to wait 2 years or 2 months for our daughter, I know that God is in control.  I want Him to get the glory even in this limbo period.
 

Home alone

It's been so weird with just Ashten at home during the days while the boys are at school.  It's very quiet.  I can tell Ashten misses them a ton.  The first week she was acting out a little bit, I guess because she was upset they left her.  The second week she was feeling a little sick, so we did a lot of watching Tangled, playing the iPad and reading books. 

 

I also watch another boy 2 days a week, which has been really good for Ashten to have someone to play with and to get used to not being the baby and having to share mommy a little for when her little sister comes home.  She has kind of reverted back to a little babyish-ness herself though too, which I hope will pass when she realizes that her position as baby of the family isn't not over.  Yet, at least!!

 

It's been fun to have some one-on-one time with her as we haven't ever really gotten that yet and she's finally old enough to have a little personality and interact beyond me just meeting her basic needs.  She is very sweet, but very bossy, so we've been working on saying please and using words.

 

Funny story: one day we were playing hide-and-seek (which means that I find a place to sit with a blanket on my head while she counts and then she comes to find me).  I told her, "okay, Ashten, I can't play anymore, I need to go get dinner ready." "Okay mommy, I'll just play by myself!".  Which she proceeded to do for the next 5 minutes by counting to 10 and then running back to her bedroom or another room and yelling "I found you!".  Apparently you don't need 2 people to play hide-and-seek?

 

I'm sure it's a big adjustment for her to go from having 3 older brothers at home all summer to play with to being alone all day now.  She's doing pretty good though and we are enjoying our time to bond alone!

No more excuses!

 

I was reading in my devotions the other day in Exodus 4 when God calls Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and Moses keeps coming up with reasons why he doesn't think that will work.  It reminded me of when we started this adoption process and we had a list of reasons, just like Moses, why this was too hard to commit to.  Excuses like: we don't have enough bedrooms, we don't have enough chairs at our kitchen table, we don't have enough money, what will people think about us having 5 kids?, what if we commit and then have to go into debt to pay for it?, etc.  But then there was this quote in my devotional book:

By the time God's will is made clear to the heart of an obedient child such as Moses, the outcome has already taken place in the heavenly realm. God's timing then unfolds it here on the earth.                 -Judy Rossi (Enhancing Your Marriage)
 

So cool, huh?  And I can definitely say that that has been true in the last six months in our lives.  It's just amazing to see all the things God has lined up way in advance to work out for us.  We don't have answers for all the "excuses", but we do for some of them and it's been neat to see how God has revealed His will to us over time. 

When I focus on the expenses we still have left to pay or the daunting task of applying for grants or the updates we want to do to our house before bringing her home or the furniture we are going to have to buy, it's so overwhelming.  But when I focus on God and the ways He has already come through for us, I know I have no reason to worry.  Just like God provided for Moses every step of the way, God will provide us with what we need to complete this process because He called us to it in the first.  And just like God worked His will to free the Israelites in spite of Moses' weaknesses, I know He will work His will to provide a family for our daughter despite our weaknesses.

Cooking with Pinterest

I had been stuck in a cooking rut for a long time; we'd have spaghetti, tacos and some sort of sandwich every week.  I was tired of cooking it and I'm pretty sure my family was tired of eating it.  But lately, with Pinterest, I've been able to make fun and interesting and new recipes easily and healthily.

Here are a few of the recipes I have made in the last month or so for my family!  These have all been tried and approved by my family.  (These are not my original recipes, I have added a link to the original source below each picture. If I made any changes to the recipe, I noted those below each recipe.)

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches
Verdict: These were delicious!  Tasted like a restaurant au jus!
Substitutions: I used dijon mustard instead of Creole mustard



Barbeque Turkey Burgers
Verdict: The flavor on these was really good. But the patties were too
wet and didn't stick together well.
Substitutions: I used 1.5 lbs ground turkey instead of 1 lb. Next time I make these I will only use
2 T BBQ sauce and will make sure the meat is really dry before mixing with other ingredients.

Ground Turkey Stroganoff
Verdict: Chris liked this more than me, but it was really good.
Substitutions: I only used 1 lb of ground turkey instead of 1.25 lbs.  I didn't have
red pepper, so I didn't add it, but I'm sure it would taste really good with this sauce.



Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Verdict: Yum, yum!
Substitutions: I only used 1/2 cup mayonnaise.

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
Verdict: This was really good, full of flavor.
Substitutions: You could probably cut the dressing recipe in half
and still have enough, I thought it made way too much.

Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas
Verdict: Yummy, maybe a little too spicy for the kids.
Substitutions: I just used regular chili powder in place of the dry adoba seasoning.

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese
Verdict: Spaghetti without the mess of 2 pots at the table.
Substitutions: I didn't add the green peppers, onions or french fried onions. I
would think it would taste too crunchy with that stuff added.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Verdict: These were yummy, the kids complained that they were too spicy.
Substitutions: I cut the butter in half and added less wing sauce at the end.

Crockpot Sante Fe Chicken
Verdict: These were so good in burritos topped with cilantro and avocado.
Substitutions: None!

This might have to become more of a regular post because I keep finding more recipes that I want to try.  I love Pinterest, I am officially addicted!