I'm better than lucky

Since Buddy and I got married back in 2003, we have had several major decisions that we had to make.

Moving away from the town we called home to a town where we knew no one, but the job opportunity seemed like the right thing.

Buying our first home.

Deciding to start a family.

Deciding to try for a second child.

New job opportunities for Buddy.

EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.....that a decision had to be made, we prayed and prayed and talked and prayed some more. Because every single one of these decisions was life-altering in many ways. Above all, we wanted to make sure we were making a decision based on God's will for our life, and not a split-second, after thought.

I have always had a knack for finding four-leaf clovers.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been able to find them, and fairly easily too.  When I was a little girl, I just thought I was lucky...that's what 4-leaf clovers are all about.

Now that I'm older, it's still pretty easy for me to find them, but I don't view myself as lucky anymore.  Now I see them as a sign that God is going to answer my prayer.

When we made the decision to move from SC, Buddy and I had been walking through the yard of our apartment complex. We were talking about the job opportunity and how it had been brought his way by a friend who "out of the blue" called us after months without seeing him.  We stopped and prayed that God would help us make the right choice. My head was bowed and when Buddy finished his prayer, I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was a four leaf clover! I still have it, pressed and in one of my Bibles.

We prayed about the decision to purchase a home, and later I took our dog Tillman for a walk.  While I was outside I found a four leaf clover.

And on and on and on.

Sometimes we prayed about decisions and found four leaf clovers and God's answer was YES.
Sometimes we prayed about decisions and found four leaf clovers and God's answer was NO.
Sometimes we prayed about decisions and found four leaf clovers and God's answer was JUST WAIT.



I found this one today. It's been a rough week at work as we found out there will be two teachers who will have to leave my school due to low numbers. On my drive home today, I was thinking about this and  praying about my job. I love my school and the sweet children I get to work with every day.  This job was another answer to prayer when we first moved to NC. I know that God will provide a new school for me to love, if that is the case, but I know He knows how much this school and these kids mean to me.  When I got out of the car to pick up Jacob, I just happened to look down and saw the clover. I paused by my car to thank God for hearing my prayer and making a way for me. I don't know the outcome yet, but He does!

I no longer see four leaf clovers as a sign of Good Luck.


I no longer consider myself "lucky" when I find one.

When I find a four leaf clover, I see it as a tangible sign of God's work in my life.

I'm not LUCKY....I am BLESSED!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Today my parents celebrate 37 years of marriage!

I am so happy to know that my parents have not let the ups and downs of life cause them to ever consider giving up on each other.  In this day and age, it is all too common and all too convenient.  Times get tough and people give up, for whatever the reason. Hollywood makes it seem glamorous and the "in-thing" to go all out for a million dollar wedding and it to last less than 5 years, or less than 1 year, or only 72 days.

God even told us that tough times will come, but we should count it all joy!  (James 1:2)  So I am glad that through the many times of my dad working out of town, health issues, and other things, my parents never once gave up. I am so blessed that I had 2 people who loved me totally and unconditionally! They have been supportive of every. single. thing. that I have wanted to do in my life.....even when it meant me moving 3 hours away from home so I could be supportive of my own husband.  And now, it is a joy to see them be grandparents to my boys!

When I was a little girl, Mom told me the details of her wedding. It was as perfect as a picture, except for one thing. There was a song popular that year (1976) called "Time in a Bottle". She and Daddy liked the song and she wanted to use it in their ceremony, but she couldn't find the music for it.  That's always been the thing she said she would fix if she could have.  Here are some of the lyrics.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!  I hope you have 37 more!!

This is Buddy's most favorite meal that I make....

....and I'm not sure why.

I know his momma made a version of this when he was growing up. But I make other meals that she made and he likes them just as much. So I'm not sure why this is his favorite.  (Maybe I should ask him.)

What is this meal of which I speak?  Chicken (or Turkey) Tetrazini

I made it today with a turkey breast that I froze from my Thanksgiving turkey. I took a picture and posted it on my Instagram account. A few people asked for the recipe so here it is.   (You don't follow me on Instagram? You're missing out on my life....and the rest of the details!)

So here's the recipe and a picture before it went in the oven.  It is adapted from a recipe I found in a Southern Living magazine in 2003, not long after we got married.

Chicken (or Turkey) Tetrazini

3 and a half cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped or diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup of milk
1 (16oz) jar of Alfredo sauce
12 ounces thin spaghetti noodles, cooked
1 (10-12 oz pack) of frozen peas
1 small can of mushrooms; chopped
1-1/2 cups of shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crushed garlic/cheese flavored croutons

Directions:

1.) Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.) Whisk together the soup and milk in a LARGE mixing bowl. Whisk in Alfredo Sauce.

3.) Add in the chicken or turkey and stir into the sauce.

4.) Add the noodles, peas, and mushrooms; toss with the sauce.

5.) Add all the Swiss and half the Parmesan cheese.

6.) Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 or bigger baking dish.

7.) Mix the crushed croutons and the rest of the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top.

8.) Bake for 30 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

This tastes even better the next day!  And as a bonus, if you need to, it freezes well. Stop at step 6 and separate what you want to freeze. It can be frozen up to a month. Thaw overnight; bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

And this is what it looks like just before it goes in the oven.  (Imagine it golden brown and bubbly on top when finished!)

(Buddy just walked by and saw the picture...asked when we were having this again!)

(And in case your wondering why he likes the meal so much.....

His answer, "Because I just do.")    Well, there you go!

Re-Creating a Memory

I grew up in my Great-Grandparents house.They lived next door to my Grandma Margaret. PaPa and Grandma Belue both died by the time I was and we moved into their house, Even though I was young when they passed, I have two distinct memories of them.

I explicitly remember walking through the yards one day to get PaPa so he could eat lunch with us. I remember going to the back door and then holding his hand as we walked. I remember he swung our arms back and forth. I remember he walked pretty slowly but I still had to take quick steps to keep up with him.

My one memory of my Great-Grandma is standing in her kitchen at the sink and asking for a cracker. She handed me a small square Saltine out of the long white sleeve, the kind you might crumble to put in soups. From that day on square Saltines became "Great-Grandma Belue crackers".

Fast forward from the mid 1980s to 2013.

Quinn wanted a snack today. He wanted crackers, he said.

I had only one kind of cracker.  Keebler TownHouse crackers, in a brown sleeve.

I opened them up and gave Quinn a few. 

He ate one and said how yummy it was.  He asked me what kind of cracker this was.  I said the only thing that came to mind.

"Other-Grandma Crackers". 

My grandma Margaret is Quinn's Great-Grandma. He calls her the "other Grandma" since my mom is his "Grandma".

Now he has a Great-Grandma Cracker memory too!

I married a grill master!

The weather continues to be unseasonably warm.  All that means is that we get to fire up the grill a few weeks sooner! Buddy is our resident grill master, and these are our first steaks of the season.

It's a full house

I tucked Quinn into bed tonight, and this is what I saw.


From left to right we have:
Blue, Giraffe, Elephant, Fuzzy Buddy, Monkey, Big Patty (Penguin), Little Patty (Penguin), Red Dog, and Quinn.

The gang's all here!

The one where Jacob writes a post

Hi everyone...this is Jacob.  I decided to take a moment of my busy day to explain the best way to help Mommy do chores. I will even include a picture at the end just so you make sure to do it right.

Step 1: Crawl around and smile sweetly. Mommy will think you are cute and will leave you alone for a few minutes.

Step 2: When Mommy steps out of the room, head straight to the plastic container cabinet.

Step 3: Open cabinet. Strategically place plastic containers all over the kitchen. This will help Mommy with her reflexes because if she isn't careful, she will trip on these obstacles.

Step 4: While Mommy is cleaning up the kitchen floor (and grumbling under her breath about how she will NEVER let you near that cabinet again), go into the living room where she is folding laundry.

Step 5: Pull up to the couch. Grab all the hangers and pull them to the floor. Scatter around as you please. Bonus points if you manage to pull down some already-folded laundry as well!

Step 6: Sit up and put on that sweet smile again....Mommy will think you are cute and will grab her camera or phone.

Step 7: Pose for the picture. At the absolute last second, turn and crawl away.....head straight to the plastic cabinet.

Step 8: Repeat steps 1-7....again.....and again.....and again!