Recent Cooking Ventures

Well, it's nothing spectacular, but it's definitely fun. I made carrot cake which came out well, I thought! I mistakenly sent a bunch of carrot heads and peelings through the garbage disposal... They didn't get ground finely enough and ended up accumulating in the pipe below, which made the sink drain back up.... Jeff had to take it apart to get the gunk out. Yuck! No more carrot peelings down OUR drain. But I think the cake was worth it. :)Here I am making homemake pizza dough, which came out great! I was excited. So excited that I forgot to take a picture of the final product before it was devoured. (Oops.)


And this is what I often see as I am preparing dinner. I think Allie must want to learn to cook. (Either that or she likes the bits of food I throw her way in the process. Yes, I spoil her. But look at her face and tell me you wouldn't do the same thing!)
Jeff and I are doing well, although we are going through a bit of a difficult time regarding a health concern; but it's drawing us closer together, and in the midst of it there are many reasons to be thankful. Please pray for strength and grace for us.

Other than that, we're off to a good start at the beginning of the school year. Kiff has begun her senior year, and on top of that she's got a part-time job, piano lessons, and soccer. Busy busy! Phil is also busy with a full-time job on top of a few courses at the local community college.

And we are getting settled in our new church, which is such a relief to me! Two Sundays ago was the first of the new Sunday School classes that just started up, and I went to one for women called "Becoming a Titus 2 Woman." (We're going through the Martha Peace book by the same name.) WHAT a refreshing time this was for me!! It seems like forever since I've been able to build relationships with other godly women, and I'm finally in a group of women among whom I feel at home. They remind me a bit of the ladies at the VMI Chapel - just wonderful, sweet women of God, of all ages, devoted to learning and growing and supporting each other in the process. I am thrilled to be a part of this class! Afterward several ladies engaged me in conversation and made me feel so welcome and at home; I love them already!

Also, word got out that I used to be involved in music ministry... The worship leader got a hold of me and is bringing me on board in October! I'm so thrilled!! I wasn't expecting to have the opportunity to serve in their ministry so quickly! I'm especially excited because I greatly appreciate this worship leader's spirit. He's genuine and humble and loves to truly worship instead of put on a show. He's the kind of leader I can respect. One thing I especially like about the way he does things is that he chooses two hymns or so to sing every Sunday, mixing them in with the more contemporary songs. He also often explains a bit about the hymns - their origin and meaning and such. I LOVE hymns... They are so rich, and I think it's a shame how they've fallen by the wayside in many churches today. Modern music has its place, I suppose, but let's not forget the songs of the saints who have gone before us!

Oh, and can you believe Federer lost??!? Wow, Del Potro!! Excited for him, and for Kim Clijsters too!