Happy Birthday to me!!!

Is that rude to wish myself a happy birthday? It's actually the day after my birthday and I just wanted to comment on it. It was a nice, quiet day. Hubby had his first day back at work since his return from the desert. People felt bad for me that he went back on my birthday, but really, it's fine. We had a great time with him off, he got a lot done, and it was nice to be able to finally get back to a normal routine of waking up while it's still dark, having coffee and breakfast with my Beloved, sending him off and then spending time reading the Bible. Actually, because we haven't been in a routine, I had LOST my Bible!!!! Yesterday I was nearly frantic trying to find it and my journal. I had other Bibles, but wanted mine that I had notes in and my journal to jot down in!! So last night I checked in the car and thankfully (oh so very thankfully) there it was!!! So this morning was even better than yesterday! Anyway, back to my birthday......nothing earth shattering happened, I did lots of baking, homeschooled the kids and got some cleaning done. I even managed to get in a snuggle nap with my youngest son!! (don'cha love those moments???) My Pink Princess even helped me bake a carrot cake without realizing it was my birthday cake! Hee hee!! It was 4:30 in the afternoon before they figured out it was my birthday....fine by me, I was enjoying the quiet! We had a nice dinner of Chickpea Stuffed Shells and broccoli, and then we had a DELICIOUS carrot cake made by my little girl and decorated by my oldest! My Sweetie bought me sweets! Yum!!!! And then, after the kids were in bed, he and I played a game together (which I LOVE to do!!). So, all in all it was a very nice day! The kinda day I like, not too much fuss, but just enough so I know I'm loved! :) What a blessing!! Amazes me how very well God really does know me! :)

Count your blessings!

My guy likes to keep busy

Here's his latest project.....fixing the shower stall in the boys' (downstairs) bathroom!!

Make a slide show, scrapbook or ecard

Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

This is a recipe that I got a while back from my friend Ally. She posted one of my recipes on her blog, and since we just had this last night and it was (again) a big hit, I thought I would post it. It's fairly quick and simple.

Old Fashion Chicken Potpie

1-1/2 cups fresh mushroom *
1 cup fresh carrots *
1 small onion *
1/3 cup butter
1/3 all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken Broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups cooked chicken breast
1 cup frozen peas *
1t salt
*Just a note....I use whatever vegetables I have on hand. Last night we had onions, julienned carrots, broccoli and green beans in it. That's what I had, so that's what we used!

In a large saucepan,saute the mushrooms,carrots and onions in butter until tender; sprinkle with flour.Graduallly stir in broth and milk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 mintues or until thickened. Add chicken, peas, corn and salt; heat through. Pour into a greased shallow 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Set aside.

Biscuit topping
2 c all- purpose flour
4 t baking powder
2 t sugar
1/2t salt
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/2 c cold butter
2/3 c milk

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tatar. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs; stir in milk just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Pat or roll out to 1/2 in thickness; cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place biscuits over chicken mixture. Bake uncovered at 400 for 15-20 mins or until biscuits are golden.

If you want extra biscuits to eat double to biscuit mix.

Ripple Effect

Still feeling the ripple effect of all that took place while hubby was TDY. He has long talked about forgiveness, and the importance of it, but to me, it always felt more like head knowledge than heart knowledge. Okay, I might as well say it, I felt like his forgiveness was for everybody EXCEPT me (note I'm talking about hubby's forgiveness of me, not God's).

Well, that has changed. I keep telling hubby that he just seems softer now.....and not in a wimpy, unmanly way; believe me, this guy is a man's man!.....but there's something tender in him now. He has feelings, a whole spectrum of feelings. Yes, he still gets mad about stuff, but he also gets over it and you KNOW he's gotten over it.

I did not do well at all with our finances while DH was gone. I am so disappointed and ashamed, but that's water under the bridge, nothing I can do to change that now. I didn't tell hubby about the struggles as I wanted him to not have to be worrying and trying to fix things while in a war zone. So I've had to face the music now that he's home. He has seen all the mess ups, he's gotten upset about it (rightly so!), and then he's said that it will be okay, we will manage. A lot of his plans and dreams got pushed back because of my mistakes, but he's moving on. I am thankful beyond words!!! And he never really said the words, "I forgive you." I used to wish that he would say that sometimes, but now I realize it's not the words, it's the heart. He's forgiven me, that stuff is past us now. I simply stand here awed and amazed and humbled!

What could have changed that? God. And how did it happen? God pulled out all the hidden hurts and pains in hubby's heart, and they dealt with them. God helped DH experience and acknowledge those feelings. And because DH was doing that, God was able to work that in my life as well. It is amazing! One little pebble dropped in a pond, and the ripples are amazing!! Makes "open heart surgery" (in God's hands) all worth it!!

Praising Him more and more every day of this rollercoaster ride!!!

Adjusting

Well, things are going well here, but there is still some adjusting that is needed. We've all changed somewhat in the 7 months apart, and while it's good changes for the most part, it still requires some adjusting. I had been warned about the "adjustment time" but I think, until you actually experience it, you don't know what to expect. God is good though, in that we can always trust!!

So just wanted to update you on life here! Hope to be back to posting more regularly soon!
Blessings!