what a gift.

my friend, lessa, donated her kidney last week and made it on the news! she claims she was on morphine with she showed her incision to the camera and wishes she could have been a little more eloquent. :)

celebrating the little things.

in finishing up my study of esther, yesterday's verses not only peaked my interest but fed into something i've recently become passionate about; celebrating the little things.

the jews have been made victorious in a two-day battle defeating their enemies in the citadel of susa. after these battles, they took the next day to rest and they celebrated the joy of finding themselves still standing on the day after what could have been their execution.

i don't know about you, but i can definitely testify to times when the enemy has come seeking my slaughter, yet to God's glory, he was defeated and i celebrated joyfully the fact that i was still standing.

"that is why they had a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other." esther 9:9

note that the day was set aside for joy. what could be more healing to our weary, war-torn souls than setting aside a "day of joy"? because christ has overcome sin and the grave, any day can be a day of joy. (beth moore)

the thing that i love about this was that they were deliberate about it. celebrating was intentional. feasting was the way they commemorated their victory. feasting! isn't it great that God shows celebration in the bible by way of good food and drink? some of my favorite memories in life have been being surrounded by great friends sitting around a dinner table.

doesn't all this make you want to organize a picnic or dinner party? i absolutely love celebrating the big and little things in life. from job promotions to a new hair cut, celebrating a season's end of going from night shift to day shift or something as simple as a beautiful summer night. i think God enjoys our celebrations and feasting on behalf of the blessings he's given us.

in recognizing that life is short and that we should make the most of it, i have a friend with whom i share enthusiasm in using cloth napkins and eating on china and that it's not just for special occasions.

what little things will you celebrate this week?

from a few weeks back.

my amazing sister-in-law shot some photos a couple weeks ago. here's a couple that she's edited thus far. she's talented, eh? (these were at 32 weeks)

one mile.

chris swam in a one-mile race this morning at deep eddy. he called it self-inflicted torture. but i think he did a great job.

34 weeks.

the baby is still measuring about 3 weeks big at this point, meaning no earlier due date, just big baby. joy. the good side of it is that we get to have another ultrasound at the super-nice office in a few weeks. they will then determine exactly how much she weighs and that will help if/when we have to make a decision about induction. i'm excited i get to see her again at a more 'complete' stage in the womb.

park.

an ode to mrs. o

looking great in canary.
i remember trying this dress on at target. the belt is a nice touch.

she does it best.

aside from everything political...she does it best, what can i say? despite what your political views may or may not be, i think you'd agree that our first lady is one of the classiest, most beautiful fashonistas that has sat in the oval office. she is just a beauty. if i could look like that after having a kid...sheesh, make that two kids, then i'd be a lucky lady. she's got it going on from head to toe. i enjoy reading up on this blog and seeing what she has in her wardrobe. i love it that she sports some of the top designers AND a few pieces from more humble retailers like target.

brown sugar walnut pound cake with maple peach topping.

one of the things i look forward to most about having a large family someday is cooking for a crowd. and baking for many mouths. sometimes it's quite boring cooking for just two people. it's easy on the budget, and luckily my local grocer supplies many products in 'as needed' quantities and not in bulk, so that's helpful in not overbuying on ingredients. but sometimes i just get in a mood where i need to cook. or bake. it's the production that is satisfying. but then we end up with an entire cake or pie or strudel or what have you (i've always wanted to use "what have you" in a sentence) and it's not necessarily the eating part that is most appealing. just the process of making it. but with a team to feed, lots of sets of feets running barefoot around the house, different voices and colors of eyes and skin colors and curly hair, straight hair, no haired little people sound fun to feed. and the baked product would disappear quickly, allowing me to start over again the next day and make something brand new. yes, that does sound exciting.

yet i will praise.

(lyrics by andy park)

I will praise You Lord my God,
Even in my brokenness
I will praise
You Lord

I will praise You Lord my God,
Even in my desperation
I will praise
You Lord

And I can understand all that
You allow I just can see the reason

But my life is in Your hands and though
I cannot see, I choose to
trust You

CHORUS

Even when my heart is torn
I will praise (trust) You Lord

Even when I feel deserted I will praise You Lord
Even in the darkest valley I will praise You Lord
When my world is shattered and it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will praise You Lord

I will trust You Lord my God,
Even in my loneliness
I will trust
You Lord

I will trust You Lord my God,
Even when I cannot hear you
I will trust You Lord

And I will not forget that you hung on a cross
Lord you bled and
died for me

And if I have to suffer
I know that you'e been there
And I know that you'e here now

leftovers = bruschetta

as you know, in our household, we eat until our fridge is naked inside. by friday, we usually have an array of condiments in the door and then a few odds and ends from the week's leftover meals. i love restocking the fridge at the beginning of each week almost as much as i love the challenge of using up the perishable items. the leftovers today included an assortment of fresh herbs, a boatload of grated mozzarella, tomatoes, and a bag of bread from last night's dinner with friends. so an obvious answer and an easy dinner tonight was bruschetta. but i have to admit that it's been on my mind since last weekend when i saw "julie & julia" and watched the on-screen couple, chris messina and amy adams, eat their bruschetta with such gusto. i'm sure i was salivating in the theater. i blame the movie.

i loves petite things.

it was impossible to pass up this adorable lil butter dish at anthropologie this weekend. perfect size to hold a half stick of creamy deliciousness and lovely for the table, too.

summer days.

32 weeks.

that's 8 months pregnant. 8 weeks until arrival. probably 9 until eviction.

my friend had her baby today.

and she came a whole week early! what's crazy is i saw my friend last friday. she came into town from waco and we spent the afternoon together. how quick a baby can enter this world.

fun times.

a few things i've enjoyed in life lately:

continuing monthly dinners with neighbors on our street
brunching with friends
continuing/nearing the end of studying esther
walking at lady bird lake & in my neighborhood
taking marlow swimming
laying out & swimming
singing at church
finding our new favorite italian eatery: * taverna
sparkling water with lime
less work & more play time
reading "the shack" together with chris
journaling
putting finishing touches on the baby's room

* if you go, order fiocchi al gorgonzola e pera--gorgonzola & pear filled pasta with walnuts, arugula & dolce latte cream sauce. aaaamazing!!! it's like eating dessert for dinner. so delicious!