Oatmeal Molasses Bread

I really missed my nana and mom the other day. I really can't remember my Nana making this bread, but I know she did. However, I do remember my mom making this ALL the time growing up.

My Nana was the kind of woman who made EVERYTHING from scratch. I mean everything. She had to because she was a farmers wife and didn't have the money to buy things. So she made donuts and bread and cookies and pies and. and. and. and. The list goes on. She passed down her recipes to my mom and now my mom has passed them on to me.

This is the Oatmeal Molasses Bread. it was SO delish! I can't post the recipe because then I'd be killed. BUT, I suppose if you Emailed me I could probably give it to you, if you so desire.

mmmmmm I can still smell it
Thats all for now
-j

her wife life.

One of my best friends is getting married this summer. She was my maid of honor. She's been with me through my changes and she's been the force that has kicked my butt. She is moving in 4 weeks back to Florida. (She's the one in the middle)

Last tuesday night a bunch of girls (minus one special one) went to a Greek restaurant in D.C. These are the pictures. Enjoy. Because I know we did.

best french toast i've EVER had





I am really going to miss her. Pray for her wife life. She's moving, not going to have a whole lot of friends around her and she'll be trying to finish school.

Oh and I highly recommend this restaurant
http://cavamezze.com/

theres a train coming

I heard somebody once say life comes in the forms of two trains. One, you can't see. It hits you out of know where. The other, comes at a slow steady pace that you see coming from a mile away.

My new life is coming at a pace (maybe not slow). I can see it, it's almost here. And I'm only seconds from peeing my pants.

Brian received a job offer at a church about a half an hour away.

It's a wonderful opportunity and we are so blessed.

However, It's bitter sweet. I feel like I'm graduating High School all over again. I'm leaving my friends, I'm leaving a great church, I WILL be graduating in December with my BA. I'm going into uncharted territory. Never mind moving again and changing church families. I will be the pastors wife... Yeah I know scary thought. I am SO not cut out for this. But as always Jesus knows what he's doing.

I'm so not read for this. I'm not ready for all this change means.

God just keeps reminding me that he knows what he's doing. He literally handed Brian this job. He's not going to leave me at the door of the college waving his hand saying good luck. He's going to be walking beside me holding my hand.

I am the one that has to make the decision to let him hang on.

Alright Jesus, It's go time.

thats all for now
-j

I've been caught in a Crossfire

It's been almost four years since I moved to Maryland. Upon moving I knew that I needed to find a church so a few friends started traveling around the area and 'church hopping'. We hopped to a place called Belcroft.

Belcroft has been my second family since the fall of 2007.
This last Sunday, Brian and I said goodbye.

If I was to list all of the things that I learned because of the people at belcroft it'd take a while... but lets do a few of them just for funsies.

I learned:
-How to be a leader
-The ability to discern the difference between good and bad preachers (schuppe is amazing)
-Sardines with 15 year olds= bad idea. with 12 year olds= good idea.

-That I could teach kids

-That I could play guitar

-That I could (try) and lead worship

-what a Godly marriage looked like (i've learned this other places to tho)
-the importances of a church community

-that I love beth moore

So many people in that small community have touched my life and have shown me things they probably didn't think they did. I wish I had pictures of all of them, but I don't. So many people came along side me and helped put my feet on sturdy ground.They taught me so much and made me into the person I am. They equipped me for this new journey that B, and I are about to embark in.

Two people of all did this the most. They were with me in the beginning and they said goodbye to me when I left. They were with me in the really hard times, and god to be apart of the really good times. I will never forget what a blessing they were, and in ways they don't even know.

Below are pictures of people two helped in a different way. These are (SOME) of the youth kids that I've come in contact with in the last four years. They have changed and grown since these pictures. I will miss them and for the ones who have already grown up, I do miss them. But thats what this ministry is all about; trying to make the biggest impact with no time in the hardest years of life. To God be the Glory if anything good has come out of it.

when i grow up....

I've had to face come harsh realities about my life in the last... well, 24 hours. I will share some of them with you
1. I will never have money, (I'm going into ministry)
2. I will do a lot of work I will never get paid for ( a wife)

3. I will probably end up having children (no matter how hard I pray against it)
4. I will have to find some other way to make money (too many jokes here)

Last night B asked me what I wanted to do with my life and other than youth ministry I could think of anything. This was followed by tears and choruses of "I suck at life" and "I'm not good at anything"

Jesus is so funny sometimes

A couple of days ago a friend asked me to create something for her. She's having a graduation party and she wanted little invitations that looked like Graduation Caps.

This is what they look like.

Yes. I created this. Yes, I'm awesome.

Jesus reminded me that I am pretty crafty. I love making things and being one of "those" ladies. I will be the old lady that starts the crafting community at church....And I think I'm ok with that. (It's better than being the crazy cat lady.)

So, I've decided I'm going to start selling these. Among other things my brain decides to create. For any of you who have somebody graduating this year pass the word a long.

It's $1 for the first 50 invitations and $1.5 every invitation after that. They can be made in any color combination suited for your school.

So the moral of this story Is that Jesus is going to provide for us no matter what. And maybe in a few years after I get out of this vortex called WBC, I'll be able to start doing crafty things as a full time gig.

thats all for now
-j

2 months

Sorry For those of you who care. It's been almost 2 months since my last post.
You can blame it on my school work. I'd take a picture of my apartment so you'd see the explosion but I thought this would get the point across better:


Yep thats my collamore apartment at the moment. Thats my wife life, eating nothing but frozen food and or 30- minute meals.We weren't even able to go grocery shopping this week. Which is in a way a blessing because now my freezer will be cleaned out.

Although I did open the refrigerator this morning and something had died... I quickly shut the door and walked away. It was one of those "oh gosh!" moments. The kind that scare you. I'm pretty sure it's left over potato soup that stinks. It's gotta be at least two weeks old. No judgments.

I expect to live in this nuclear explosion until it's time for us to move in June. Move you say? Yeah, Thats a whole other post.

thats all for now
-j

Cinnamon Explosion pt. 2

SNOOWWW DAAAYYY

Maryland has had tons of snow days this winter. WBC has only had 1. (Dont get me started)

However on that glorious Thursday morning I woke with the urge to cook.

My other awesome sister in law got me a cook book for Christmas. It's "The Pioneer Woman" Cookbook. (AH-MAZING)

In it, there was a french muffin recipe I was DYING to try. Well what better opportunity was there than a snow day. These aren't ordinary muffins. These are muffins rolled in butter and then rolled in cinnamon and sugar.

CALORIE COMA!

But they are SOO worth it.

Brian and I had some of our friends over and I made them breakfast and then I got started on these muffins. They were wicked easy.

They came out of the oven BEAUTIFULY.

If you'd like to try this recipe, you can find it here http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/french_breakfast_puffs/
I highly recommend it. However, they go fast and in number. I think one of our (guy) friends had 4.

Thats all for now
-j