Fun Stories

On Saturday, I went to Trader Joe's and while I was checking out, I kept hearing "Cheese! Cheese!" I looked over and saw two young kids getting their picture taken from multiple people with a VERY large pumpkin. I asked the cashier what was going on, and she said they just won the huge pumpkin. People guessed the weight, and whoever was closest, would get the pumpkin. It was one hundred and seventy something pounds! The people had two vehicles! One for humans and one for another human and a human-sized pumpkin! The cashier finishes ringing me up, says the total, and then says "Oh wait, is this tote yours as well?" To which I answer yes, and she says my new total and then...

"And that makes you a winner!" She starts ringing a bell VERY LOUDLY!!!! "Go pick out a gourd!!!!!!"

I'm just staring at her confused, and to be honest, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, please don't send me home with a huge pumpkin! My car isn't very big! She points to a small sign that says "If your total is between (I can't remember the exact numbers) you win a prize!" and so I picked a gourd that had a prize written on it, and it was a tote.

The second story I have to share happened right before the Celebration tea. I have been wanting a church cookbook for literally, a year. Ever since last years tea. But I could never remember to bring the money to buy one. I decided that I WAS going to buy one this year. I had to practice my song for the tea early, so I took my money then. I saw our church secretary setting up her table, so I asked if she knew anything about the cookbooks. Our pastors wife happened to be walking by, and she said she was sorry, but she had just given the last one away. If she had known I had wanted one... Then she looks at the church secretay, and says they've done two printings of the cookbook, and it's been about 10 years since it was done. I think she's going to suggest another printing, but I wasn't expecting the next words to come out of her mouth! "It's probably time to do another cookbook. We just need someone to head up the project. Elizabeth, would you do that?" Huh? I just wanted a cookbook! However, I actually feel more equipped to do that then set up a tea table, so I eventually agreed. I just think it's humorous that I went from wanting to purchase a cookbook, to putting one together!

My story of Celebration Tea

Last Saturday was my crazy event number two for October. Last year, I had Apple at the beginning of October and my life changed COMPLETELY!!! For several days (or weeks!) I only put on normal clothes when I knew people were coming over or I had to take her to the doctors, stuff like that. I never fixed my hair or put on make-up. Then, at the end of October, it was time for my church's Celebration Tea. I had never gone before because it always happens the exact time of a high school choir event that I was required to be in attendance. But, last year, I was on maternity leave, so I took my chance to attend. I put my hair in rollers, put on real clothes, put on some makeup, and left my daughter for the first time. (Don't worry, I did take the rollers out of my hair, too!) It was amazing. The tables were incredibly beautiful! The food was fantastic! I had actual conversation! The speaker reminded me (indirectly) that there is more to life than breastfeeding and changing dirty diapers! Everthing about this event was elegant and made to transport women to a different mind-set than the everyday. I was also intimidated. I knew that while I loved this event, I would never really be able to help out with one, because I have no talent for decorating. Fast forward to early this fall. I have promised myself that while I KNEW I would be attending the tea, if I was asked to host a table I would say no. It was beyond my ability. They asked. Somehow the word yes came out of my mouth. Shoot. What do I do now? I'm convinced that I will have the "hobo" table. Everyone will walk around admiring the beauty of the tables, until they come to mine. Their eyebrows will scrunch together, their lips will show confusion, and their head will tilt. "I wonder who came up with this table?" They will silently ask. And then I had an idea. I will taken the handmade table cloth from my husband's country and the vases that I have bought there and design a table around that. It was stressful. For me and my husband. But it came together. And the truth is, it looked quite nice. I don't think one person thought it was a "hobo" table. Here are some pictures of the finished product.

I was also afraid that I had built the tea up in my mind, way better than it really is. But I had not. All the tables were again, SO beautiful. The food was great (especially the Oreo with chocolate mousse, coated in chocolate!!!!!) The music was beyond amazing! (Just kidding, I sang) and the speaker was great. She talked about God's faithfulness. People sat at my table and I think we had good conversation. It was an amazing event, and I'm so glad that God allowed me to help serve, and especially helped me to make the table nice. God is faithful indeed!

I Love the Fall

It's true. The fall has a certain magical feeling. The air is crisp. Leaves change from a lively green to deep, shimmering hues. I especially love when they dance. And it is like a dance when the wind blows the fallen leaves and they swirl in a circle. You get to wear sweaters in the fall and snuggle with blankets and cocoa. I miss buying school supplies. Full notebooks without a single mark. Unused pencils. New bookbags. New clothes. I even loved art supplies, even though I never liked art. Football games, marching band, homecoming, parades.

Most of the great things in my life have happened in the fall., School always started in the fall (a little more fun as a student than a teacher!) I started dating George in the fall. I got married in the fall. I had Apple in the fall.

The fall is a time of new beginnings. I do love the fall!

Singing away!

Well, I have finished one big project that I undertook for October. George and I sang for a banquet at our church for the 55 and older crowd. Now, while I taught music and am not a stranger to performing, I have never been overly fond of it. My husband however LOVES it. He sings, but I don't think either one of us would call him a singer. He is, however, a FANTASTIC saxophone player. When we were in college, as a freshman, I wouldn't even try out for the top band, but George not only tried out, he was featured in one of the songs in their first concert! By the way, I did try out the next year (I play flute) and made the 5th and last chair. Eventually, I was able to work myself up to second chair.

Anyway, we sang for the Celebration banquet. We made a list of songs we thought we could do, then realized that it was about 2 hours, and they wanted about 45 minutes, so we got to cut stuff. That was a GOOD thing!!!! Here's a list of what we sang and how it went.

Testify to Love -- honestly, complete disaster!!!!!
The Power of Your Love -- it went well, but it wasn't anything special
Savior, Please -- George sang this and played guitar He has an unpolished tone, so it worked really well.
We Shall Behold Him -- I didn't sing the version that goes up to a high D, as I can only hit a high C about every other week, so I sang in the key that goes to an A. It actually went really well. Unfortunately, the sound system had problems at the end, when it gets really high, so it was JUST my voice. Thankfully, I was able to hold it together.

Then George gave his testimony.

Born Again -- George played guitar. Went very well.

Before the next song, we had some more technical difficulties. To help cover it I said the following: "I wish I had a joke to you guys! Oh wait! If you're an American in the living room, what are you in the bathroom? European!" That's right. I said that joke in our
church! I still can't believe it! Thankfully, they laughed for awhile!

Go Light Your Candle -- George played it on saxophone. Went well.
If You Want Me to -- went well, I'll be singing it again on Saturday
Wedding Song -- George wrote a song for our wedding, and he sang it. The crowd loved it!!! But the main line is "God uses miracles to show us what is real and what is true. Baby, my miracle was you." Except, the piano was facing the wrong way (he was playing piano) so it kinda seemed like he was singing to an older man! :)
The Word -- George played guitar, I sang. It was a BIG hit!
There is a Fountain -- HUGE hit!
Great is Thy Faithfulness -- Another HUGE hit!

If you're thinking, "Huh. That's a lot!" Why, yes. Yes it was! And it was hard to put together, and then to actually do, but I think God used it to stretch us. It will be interesting to see what he was stretching us for!

Tuesday evening I took Apple to the gym. While getting her out of the car in our garage, I decided to tell her how much I love her. I was going to say, "Baby girl, I love you SO much! If you were a puppy in a puppy store, I would choose you everytime!" (George and I had recently watched Marley and Me)

However, the actual conversation went like this:

Me: "Baby girl, I love you SO much! If you were a puppy,"

Apple: "Ruff, ruff!"

Apple's Birthday

Apple's birthday was this last week, and we had her first birthday party. We tried to keep the numbers of guests down, because I thought it would be easier. Really, I guess it was, but I still went bezerko. Anyone who knows me shouldn't be even a little bit suprised by this! I originally thought for Halloween, I would like her to be a cupcake, but then I remembered that I don't REALLY know how to sew, and I don't thin kI could find that costume for a price I would be willing to pay, so instead, I decided to have her party theme be cupcakes. A huge thanks goes out to our good friend B for all of her help. B cleaned, iced cupcakes, helped prepare food (renamed some of it!), decorated, and just plain did whatever was needed. Thanks so much! B has that rare gift where she knows what needs to be done, and then does it. I'm good at helping, but I spend a lot of time looking around wondering what I should contribute. Here are some photos!


A family picture. We also have a picture that looks very similar from the day that we brought Apple home.

Apple really like playing with her balloons! She also liked them the next day, and the day after that!

Our cupcake princess. I was really hoping for one smile with her crown, but it just didn't happen!

This is Apple and me in her church clothes. It's now one of my favorite outfits. Look how nice the weather is!

The cake was a cupcake cake mold. It was cherry vanilla. The pink frosted cupcakes were raspberry lemon and the purple frosted ones were strawberry chocolate. They all tasted great! I was pleased and so was Apple!

So, the food. We grilled burgers and marinated pork. We also had salad, root vegetable chips (George insisted on potato chips, this was my compromise!), fruit salad, rasols (kind of like potato salad with pork, and some other stuff), and veggies. It was pretty good!

Elastic stretch pants

Here is a quote that I found interesting from a book that I recently read. The woman has been talking about the Israelites receiving manna.

Another characteristic of the manna spoke beautifully of God's mercy: It would always be given in perfect supply for the need. God's measure of mercy is offered according to the need. That is why we often say the words, "I could never endure it if that happened to me." In the moment we say those words, our ratio of mercy matches our present need. True, on that exact amount of mercy, we could not survive. But when the time arises and the need escalates, so does the grace required for us to make it!

I thought this was interesting, because I have recently decided that stress works kind of the same way. I know people (and may occassionally be one of them!) who look at someone else who says that they are stressed out, and think, that is not stressed out!!!!! You should be doing all the stuff that I'm doing, and then you'll know what stress is!!! However, I think the amount of stress we can handle is like stretch pants. They can be tight on all sorts of sizes.

Speaking of stress levels, mine could be better. Actually, it was fantastic. After being a working mom for 5 months, the ease of staying at home will probably last awhile. Working and being a mom was VERY difficult for me. I felt like I was running on a treadmill that was 5.9 mph when my capacity is only 5.95 mph. However, I agreed to do some stuff for our church, one thing in particular that I PROMISED myself that I would NOT agree to do, if asked. And somehow, the word yes came out of my mouth.

A close friend, who George and I used to make fun of for being on the church's "sucker's" list, informed me that since I had promised myself to say no, and they church did indeed ask, that not only put me firmly on the sucker's list, but it also means that I am indeed a sucker. Sad thing is, I agree!!!!

I probably should have warned you that this post would have lots of !!!!!! Oh well! If I can survive to November, my stress level will go way down. Unfortunately, so will the stretch pants!



Also, here is a list of the books that I read this week. This is probably more for me that you, so maybe I can keep track.

Mending Place by Denise Hunter not my favorite.
Piece de Resistance by Sandra Byrd final book in series, didn't like how series ended
A Time to Mend by Sally John and Gary Smalley actually enjoyed it
3 Weddings and a bar mitzvah by Melody Carlson ok, final book in series