30 for My Man

If you know Jeremiah, you know I married up.  He is the best man I know.  Tomorrow is his 30th birthday.  I met him right before his 23rd birthday.  I have seen Jeremiah grow from an unsure college student to the most supportive husband and daddy.

Easter 2011

In honor of you, Jeremiah, here's 30 reasons why you make my heart go pitter-patter.

1.   You tell me your favorite time EVER to be with me is first thing in the morning, right after I wake up.  Now that's love.
2.  You're going after your dream of earning an MBA.  You're giving it all you've got.  This little family of yours really appreciates that.
3.  You cook the best breakfast I've ever had.  Your gravy rocks!
4.  You let me follow my motherly-intuition even if it sounds crazy.
5.  You work just as hard outside as you do behind a desk.
6.  You're the toughest man I know and the most sensitive man I know.
7.  You give me the best and yummiest bite. :)  Always.
8.  In the past, you rocked the most beautiful spiral curls...prettier than I've ever seen on any girl. ;)
9.  You were my rock during labor with Emery.
10.  You can carry all of the groceries in at one time.  No joke.  That's talent.
11.  Whatever career or calling you have, your goal is always to help people.
12.  You change diapers and help me at feeding and bath time without complaining.
13.  You love the Lord.
14.  You don't bring to my attention every time I do something wrong or do something that frustrates you.
15.  You're slow to anger.
16.  You're passionate about life and the things you enjoy.
17.  You care about what my opinion is and always consider what I have to say about the direction our family takes.
18.  You'd give up your hockey tickets in a heart beat just to spend time with your family.
19.  You'll stay up late to talk with me even when you're dog tired.
20.  You always thank me for whatever I cook for you, even if it doesn't taste the best.
21.  You can read people like a book, but still love them if you don't like what you 'read'.
22.  You're good to your momma and to my momma.
23.  You dance with me in the kitchen, and tell me I really do dance like ursher.
24.  You'll watch chick flicks with me even if you don't want to.
25.  You sacrifice everyday to make a better life for us.
26.  You try to save as much hot water in the shower as possible for me.
27.  You make up songs...all the time. :)
28.  You fold socks.
29.  You're my 'list'....the best husband and daddy ever.
30.  I get to spend the next 30 years with you by my side.

Happy birthday. I love you.

Learning to Love People

How did I get so blessed?  Oh, I know.  I'm loved.  I'm loved.  I'm loved.  Sometimes I have to remind myself how loved I am.  I forget.  I can tell when I've forgotten because I'm not loving towards myself or others.  I'm learning that when I believe I'm something, I act like I am what I believe.  Loved --> Loving.    Merely Tolerated --> Aggravated.  Happy --> Light-hearted.  My actions are never the root of a problem, they are the fruit of what I believe about myself.  My feelings toward others are not a result of what they've done to me; they are the fruit of what I believe about myself.  I'm learning this.  I'm learning.


In the middle of controversy, anger, drama, issues, etc.  I can remain loving and peaceful because I know God loves me and is my peace. Recently, I felt betrayed and hurt.  The Lord revealed all of this to me before I could react in anger and bitterness.  While I was in the middle of complaining about people to him, he simply started talking about his love for me.  I could no longer dwell on "what they did to ME!", the focus went back on him.  He's good.  In the middle of moments where the hurt still feels raw and like it happened yesterday, I think on what a friend said (I'm paraphrasing) 'that when you've gone through something so intimately painful, there will come a day when you can look back, and, while you remember it happened, you remember as if it happened to someone else.  It doesn't have the same affect on you anymore.'  I'm getting there.  Slowly but surely.  Thanks to the Lord who's revealed His love for me so much so that I can love, REALLY love, the people I've felt betrayed by.

Envy

I admit, I get blog envy.  I read so many great blogs from so many talented people and I find myself thinking, "I wish I could have, be, do, etc., etc. just like them!"  Since I've recognized this, I'm learning to read other's blogs and just enjoy them.  That's what they're there for anyway.  And, in the meantime, I want to make my blog the best it can be for the effort I'm willing and able to put into it.

On that note, I want to share my top 8 blogs.  I NEVER skip a post they put up, and I feel like a kid on Christmas morning when I see a new one on my feed! (These are in no particular order).

1.  Fly Through Our Window by Darby
2.  The Pioneer Woman by Ree
3.  Young House Love by John and Sherry
4.  Urban Grace Interiors by Erika
5.  Life in Grace by Edie
6.  Nesting Place by The Nester
7.  Today's Letters by Em & Tim
8.  Old School Parenting from a New School Mama by Jill

I read tons more and love tons more.  These are just the top ones that I can hardly wait for!

What are your favorite blogs?  I wanna know!

Image Source: http://selfevidenthotdogs.com/91/keep-calm

Today at Miller Manor

My baby will be 4 months old tomorrow.  My goodness has the time flown by so fast. 

This morning I had some cleaning to do, so I put Emery in her swing and covered her with a blanket.  When I came back in the room, this is what I found...

 Are those not the most precious little feet ever?  She loves for them to stick out. :)

And, this afternoon I got to hang out with on of my best friends growing up, Melissa, and her sweet little girl, Lucy.  I have a feeling that Emery and Lucy will be big buddies.

Have you ever tried my E-Z Cookies?  If not, you need to!  I make these cookies about once a week.  

Ingredients:

1 Box Cake Mix
2 Eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 T. water
1 c. chocolate chips, nuts, M&Ms or something like that

Preheat the oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients.  Spoon onto cookie sheet (I always use my baking stones).  Bake from 10-14 minutes (depending on if you like them gooey or crispy).  Yields about 2 dozen cookies. Tonight was my first night using a strawberry cake mix.  I matched it with white chocolate chips.  It was SO good. 

Did I tell you I made a German Chocolate Cake....?

And it was DELICIOUS! :)  I don't think it was as pretty as it could have been (but really, how pretty can you make a German Chocolate Cake?).   

Here she be....

 

And, here is the recipe I used. I followed the cake and icing recipe.  I also roasted the pecans in the oven (the recipe says to do it in the microwave, but I thought, "If I'm making this all from scratch, I'm gonna do the pecans right!"

Food...of course

Last night, our wonderful friends, Jacob and Brittany, came over and taught us how to make stuffed French toast.  It was uh-maz-ing!  So yummy :)  Not so healthy.  But, oh well!  We also had pepper bacon.  I. love. bacon. 

And tonight, I made Lazy Baked Greek Chicken and smashed potatoes.  It was really good.  I think next time I will add more garlic though.  I didn't have Panko bread crumbs, so I processed saltines for the crust instead.  I will be making this again :)

Oreo Truffles