not in part but the whole

I'm blown away by how loving, awesome, powerful and personal our God is. The cup of wrath which was mine to drink was drained by Jesus Christ. Every bitter drop.


And He blesses us still more. This spring, I've discovered gardening and I couldn't be more obsessed. I love learning new skills, and so many great minds have been coaching me this season. My birthday present was 2 adirondack chairs, and we have coffee in them most every morning. I love things that grow, and I love having a place to sit and take it in. We've also decided that our back yard is the perfect place for an Easter egg hunt (for our future/Lord willing/sometime children).

To top it all off, I get to spend my life with this guy - he finds time to be wonderful even while juggling 60+  hour work weeks and his MBA at Chicago Booth. Plus, he is a big dork with me :)


My sin (oh the bliss of this glorious thought!)
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord O my soul.


B

love these girls

(at an incredible production of 'Aida' at Chicago's Lyric)

nothing quite like a real book

I won't deny the convenience of a Kindle. Particularly when traveling..

But I'm a romantic at heart, and I'm in love with real books. Kindles can't beat the real thing - the way paper warps as it ages, dust covers, the smell, the texture of excellent binding, the sound books make when you slam them shut, etc



Reading (good) books makes us human.
And real books can be shared with our children, and our children's children; a tool of hope for future generations. And that is why real books always win.

At least in my book :)

B

purple closet

We're converting one of our bedrooms into a library. We're then converting said bedroom's closet into a study (where the computer, office supplies, stationary, etc lives). I love that we can just close the closet doors when we don't need to be on the computer - out of sight, out of mind. Which really is a wonderful thing because I am too distracted by technology.

Because of my flair for the dramatic, we're painting the closet deep purple.... Lavender Suede, to be precise (doesn't that sound perfect?). And my dear, sweet sister Marge is helping me paint. She is the best!

The color is much more rich and dark in person. We're only one coat in and already I can see places where the paint is showing true to color. 

Paint makes me so happy.

B

disgustingly delicious

When I was younger, my little brothers and I had a favorite phrase: ‘disgustingly delicious’. We would say it really loud and be SUPER awkward about it, usually when something tasty but mushy was served for dinner. Or when we made our own crazy concoctions in the kitchen (think peanut butter, butter, bacon and cheese sandwiches). “Mmmmm, this is DISGUSTINGLY delicious” or “Hey look how disgustingly delicious this looks!”  Please, don’t judge – we also wore black dress socks with sneakers and threw tantrums because we weren’t allowed to watch Power Rangers.

Yeah…..that’s not helping our case now, is it?

Anyways, I haven’t thought about that phrase for years but last night it sprang uninvited to my mind. Why? Because I made macaroni and cheese for a company pot-luck lunch. And why did that particular childhood phrase seem so appropriate? Because I used 3 sticks of butter, 3 cups of half & half, ¼ gallon of whole milk and 4lbs of cheese.  

And it was  – truly – disgustingly delicious. It was the most creamy, decadent and tasty thing I’ve eaten all year.  It also made me feel very conflicted: did I want to dress up and eat it off of fine china or put on sweat pants and eat from a bowl with a giant spoon?

We’re typically very healthy eaters, so I like to think that indulging every so often is ok. No joke, I would live off of celery year-round if it allowed me to splurge like this. And I know this is a heavily biased post, but I work with food scientists and flavorists and they also highly approved. This dish leaves you feeling fat, dumb and happy.

I’m kind of a mac n’ cheese genius. Then again, everything's delicious with enough butter and cheese. 

B

my big little brother

This is my big little brother. He's tied for 1st place in the coolest little brother contest, and he's a Marine.

He's twice as big as me, which is why he's my big little brother.  And he drives a really big armored vehicle.

In the deserts of Afghanistan.

He shoots one of these:

And while he stays very busy, he still finds time to ponder the good things in life.

So while the "99%" are busy having sex on sidewalks:

and crapping on cop cars:

my big little brother got himself a job. And works hard for his paycheck. And sacrifices everything on a daily basis. He's a self-made man, just like the rest of his group:

So blessed to have a family that labors sacrificially for the good, as best as they are able and of their own volition. 

Virtue over folly.

B

disgusting day

Today's forecast has a high of 60 F. Cloudy. Chance of rain. 'Unseasonably cool' the weather report says.

I'd be in a better mood if today were only a fluke. But it's not, because we live in Chicagoland. It's only downhill from here - a straight nosedive into 6 months of winter. Grey slushy snow, fingers that never warm up, cloudy skies, icy sidewalks....Grrr I might just move to Australia.

So in an attempt to put a positive spin on this situation, I'm wearing my favorite corduroy pants (in stable brown). And I'm planning a fabulous menu: Roasted Garlic Soup with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. Think 50 cloves of garlic, onions, thyme, a splash of heavy cream and a touch of fresh lemon.

Give garlic a try. How could anything this lovely not be incredibly delish?

Beautiful potatoes

We'll cozy ourselves away and feast. We'll pull out the quilts and invite the cats to cuddle. And we'll rest in the quiet that comes with early sundowns.

Perhaps I shall survive the cold.

B

families are the best

Got to spend time with some of these fabulous people last weekend. Missing: one brother by name of Miles Eugene.

Tom hasn't quite mastered the art of fitting in (seriously - who stays in the exact same pose for a silly picture?!?). But we like him just the same.

Happy Monday.

B

for our children

A lot of things have me thinking about our future children.  I'm not one to moon over the topic of popping out babies, but my husband has rubbed off on me; I find myself wanting to be prepared and not just flying by the seat of my pants as I'm typically prone.

(I should clarify when saying I don't 'moon over popping out babies'.   I can't wait to have children and raise them with my godly husband.  It's today's sentimentality over 'having the perfect baby in the perfect hospital room with the perfect little going-home outfit while the perfect mini-van holds our perfect car seat that safely carries our perfect baby all the way to our perfect little house in the suburbs' that makes me nauseous. Buuuuut, this is a subject for another time.  Back to the topic at hand.)

While life will always have new lessons, where truth and philosophy are ever more reconciled, I'm learning as much as possible.  Right here, right now.

So, to quickly recap what's brought our future children to my mind:

*The afore 'blogged about' Climacus Conference.  Wonderful speakers and topics.  Also, I really enjoyed the attending families who brought their children.  There's a sweetness in listening to a lecture entitled "Inheriting Twentieth-Century Christian Humanism" while watching small children amuse themselves while wandering about.

*Louisville, KY.  My hometown hosted the conference.  It was a delight to travel down south.  I've never yet found a city with the same mix of delightful southerness, quirky small businesses, west-coast cool, family friendly vibe and beautiful neighborhoods (including downtown lofts, historic houses and country estates).  Throw in a strong pinch of local art and music and you have my favorite city.  We could raise a family there...

*Eighth Day Books -my new favorite book supplier- had a marvelous selection at the conference.  I snatched this book up the moment I saw it (and then waited patiently in line to purchase it, because I am a good citizen).

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child

The book is both beautiful and frightening, funny and deadly serious.  It addresses many issues that have gripped the mid-west suburbs.

*And finally, Touchstone Magazine.  I received my first paper-copy of the magazine at the conference and will officially subscribe to it this week.  I've been keeping up with their online publications for a while, but now  need to start collecting hard copies.  I like the feel of paper in my hands.

*Oh and also, read this article:'The Romance of Domesticity".  The author, Nathan Schlueter, is a beloved professor at Hillsdale College. 

Here's to raising our future generation in the fear of the Lord with the determination to lead the 'Good Life'.

B

picture perfect

I cannot stop stalking WildFlowers photography blog.  She's been on my favorites for a while and never disappoints.  It's impossible to be in a bad mood when looking at her pictures.  

Check out her website archives (especially her work with newborns and children).  It makes me want to move to sunny CA, have lots of barefoot babies and dress in flea market finds.

And check out her engagement shoot, done in Pixar's UP style.

Perfect.


B