We're having a curious junxtaposition here in Brea of Thanksgiving coming and the fires burning across the hills. The hot topic is what you would "save" if you had to load up your car to evacuate-- I'd for sure grab my two books of collected recipes. How would I locate those 35 years of good food again?! And it makes you look around your house and see all the material things you value. I'm suddenly more thankful for our dining table, for the momentos of trips taken, for books I loved reading to my kids. And that leads to thoughts of thankfulness for my children, whom I adore, for darling Jodi and the 2 grand-girls, for our parents still healthy and nearby. I'm thankful we have so many very dear friends we love and can truly respect, people we share our lives with. In spite of the first year with no "Thankful Heart Chart" on the fridge (Where are you Laurel?), I find myself with a overflowing thankful heart. God is good.
And to also celebrate good eating at Thanksgiving, I have to add my new yumtious recipe:
PUMPKIN TIRAMISU
1 1/2 cups whipped cream
3/4 cup sugar
8 oz. marscapone (or cream) cheese
15 oz. can of pumpkin
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
6 oz. box of ladyfingers
2 tab of amaretto
2 oz. crushed amaretto cookies
Whip the cream well. In another bowl, mix the sugar, cheese, pumpkin & spice. Fold it all together. In a 9" springform or cake pan layer 1/2 of the ladyfingers. Sprinkle with amaretto. top with pumpkin filling. Repeat. Sift pumpkin pie spice on top for color and top it all with the crushed cookies. Refrigerate overnight.
This is super delicious--how could you go wrong with all that whipped cream! gobble. gobble. gobble.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Alabanza
Maybe it was because of the early morning call last week from Esperanza, a extra lovable friend from Seville, or maybe because friends who came for dinner on Saturday were asking about our years in Spain and looked at pictures of Seville with us, but Sunday morning when I was up early making cakes for Helen's birthday lunch, I put on an old cassette tape of the church in Utrera singing their church songs. As I mixed up cakes, I sang along, clapped to the stacatto beat and danced around the kitchen. A wonderful, worshipful, joyful morning-- better than hymns in church. "Dios me ha llenado con alegria."
God is good.
God is good.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Being a Mom
I'm celebrating today. Yahool!! It's Micah's 30th birthday-- Jodi wrote me that in China turning 30 is saying good-bye to being young! (Sorry Micah). He has had a full and, I think, interesting first 30 years. It will be great to watch the next 30 unfold... I'm so deeply thankful he was born and is the kind, loyal, responsible, intelligent, loving person he's become... (besides turning out to be the best husband and dad!).
And I'm celebrating another milestone for me too. 30 years of being a mom! I'd always wanted that job and have to say it's been my most important vocation. My job desciption has changed quite a bit over the years. For a while, I was constantly pregnant, nursing, giving baths and changing diapers-- 4 children in just under 6 years. But they were marvelous, miraculous years of new lives and meeting these little people I would love so much. All the firsts were great fun-- first steps, first words, first bedtime prayers, first days of school... Watching Aaron build with his blocks, Micah drag a book over to ask me to read, Ani and Laurel arranging and rearranging their doll houses...
And school-- I have to confess, it made me proud to watch those kids shine. I loved teaching them to read in English and watching them tackle Spanish schooling. Reading at bedtime, days at Parque Maria Luisa, birthday parties, Christmas advent times together, trapsing through museums on traveling vacations -- I could list 100's of favorite parts of being a Mom. I think the college years were a bigger adjustment for me than for them. It's tough to let go of a job you loved so well, feeling suddenly "obsolete." But getting to share their college days, even long distance opened up new, exciting places and ideas for me too! I loved the parents weekends in Wheaton, the stories of crazy, hard days at caltech, driving up to Berkeley to see Aaron, or trying out new ethnic foods with Ani on visits to the "Hill." A friend had told me that you really learn how to pray when your children start in to college, I found that it was so true!
Now I'm launching into a new mothering phase--it's called mother-in-lawing and grandmothering! More people to love! It was surprising to me how precious Jodi became to me so quickly. --and those adorable girls. I am hoping for chances to make some small, but significant contributions to the lives of Charlotte and Maryann as they learn and live... I hope they know that there is someone who always adores them. Just like I hope my own kids know that well...
A couple of summers ago I went through a mothering "crisis". I couldn't figure out how to be the mom of all these grown children! A lot of walking and talking with mom-friends, a lot of praying , thinking and some crying distilled it for me. I made a list of 3 things to do to be a mom of grown children. I keep it on a 3x5 card by my bed--to remember how to do it well. I know sometimes I mess it up, but I'm still trying to do my best, with God's help.
All that to say, I've loved 30 years of being a mom and thank God for the most wonderful gift of the children who passed through our home.
And I'm celebrating another milestone for me too. 30 years of being a mom! I'd always wanted that job and have to say it's been my most important vocation. My job desciption has changed quite a bit over the years. For a while, I was constantly pregnant, nursing, giving baths and changing diapers-- 4 children in just under 6 years. But they were marvelous, miraculous years of new lives and meeting these little people I would love so much. All the firsts were great fun-- first steps, first words, first bedtime prayers, first days of school... Watching Aaron build with his blocks, Micah drag a book over to ask me to read, Ani and Laurel arranging and rearranging their doll houses...
And school-- I have to confess, it made me proud to watch those kids shine. I loved teaching them to read in English and watching them tackle Spanish schooling. Reading at bedtime, days at Parque Maria Luisa, birthday parties, Christmas advent times together, trapsing through museums on traveling vacations -- I could list 100's of favorite parts of being a Mom. I think the college years were a bigger adjustment for me than for them. It's tough to let go of a job you loved so well, feeling suddenly "obsolete." But getting to share their college days, even long distance opened up new, exciting places and ideas for me too! I loved the parents weekends in Wheaton, the stories of crazy, hard days at caltech, driving up to Berkeley to see Aaron, or trying out new ethnic foods with Ani on visits to the "Hill." A friend had told me that you really learn how to pray when your children start in to college, I found that it was so true!
Now I'm launching into a new mothering phase--it's called mother-in-lawing and grandmothering! More people to love! It was surprising to me how precious Jodi became to me so quickly. --and those adorable girls. I am hoping for chances to make some small, but significant contributions to the lives of Charlotte and Maryann as they learn and live... I hope they know that there is someone who always adores them. Just like I hope my own kids know that well...
A couple of summers ago I went through a mothering "crisis". I couldn't figure out how to be the mom of all these grown children! A lot of walking and talking with mom-friends, a lot of praying , thinking and some crying distilled it for me. I made a list of 3 things to do to be a mom of grown children. I keep it on a 3x5 card by my bed--to remember how to do it well. I know sometimes I mess it up, but I'm still trying to do my best, with God's help.
All that to say, I've loved 30 years of being a mom and thank God for the most wonderful gift of the children who passed through our home.
SF Top Ten
We love our DK Top Ten travel guides. So in the spirit of the top ten, I'd like to suggest the top ten events of our weekend trip to San Francisco to see Ani & Brian and Aaron & Jessica...
#1. Lunch with Aaron at facebook. Cool space, innovative food, clever presentation and best of all, eating with AA! (a close 2nd best was the pumpkin/hominy/tortilla soup. yummm)
#2. Afternoon in SF with Ani and Brian. Great fun to meet Ani's office friends and I recommend the palatial Williams Sonoma store on Union Square. Inspirational!
#3. Ani found the perfect tapa restaurant for the 6 of us. Sangria, paella, pinchitos, croquetas, tortilla, trucha. What's not to like?! I'm always happy around a table of good food with my kids.
#4. I'm still trying to decide if the Cal game was a top ten or a bottom ten! We were awash in a downpour, but Cal did win big 26-16! And I'd forgotten about all those fun cheers and claps. And of course, sitting with Ani and super Cal fan Brian in the young alumni section is great fun! Add to that the sweet nostalga of being back in Berkeley--great walk across the campus. good times!
#5. Then home and snug in Ani's apartment for another top ten-- her spicy glazed pork chops, with tofu-mushrooms, brocoli, rice, hearty home made bread and apple crisp! Now that's a perfectly yummcious rainy day meal! She's quite a cook! and made us feel so at home.
#6. The Chinese First Baptist church is always a top ten for me. The service was in the historic sanctuary, Ian (Brian's brother) leading the worship, Pastor Lauren's concise and clear message, communion and, of course, those ushers-- Ani and Brian! Good worship with peope who love God.
#7. Milk tea and a little shopping in Chinatown after church-- big fun and a warm up for our impending trip to China!!
#8. Touring Aaron and Jessica's new apartment-- very stylish! The space is well designed (for two designers!) and it was great fun to hear about how they had pulled it all together. Ready for a spread in "Dwell" magazine.
#9. Lunch at Serpentine, a short walk towards the Bay from the apartment. Imaginative brunch dishes and good conversation. I especially liked hearing Jessica's work plans..
#10. And last, but not least two lovely, long converstions on the phone with Laurel as we tootled down the Central Valley on our trip home. Fun to hear about work, pot roasts and her "trick of vote" adventures! What a girl!
#1. Lunch with Aaron at facebook. Cool space, innovative food, clever presentation and best of all, eating with AA! (a close 2nd best was the pumpkin/hominy/tortilla soup. yummm)
#2. Afternoon in SF with Ani and Brian. Great fun to meet Ani's office friends and I recommend the palatial Williams Sonoma store on Union Square. Inspirational!
#3. Ani found the perfect tapa restaurant for the 6 of us. Sangria, paella, pinchitos, croquetas, tortilla, trucha. What's not to like?! I'm always happy around a table of good food with my kids.
#4. I'm still trying to decide if the Cal game was a top ten or a bottom ten! We were awash in a downpour, but Cal did win big 26-16! And I'd forgotten about all those fun cheers and claps. And of course, sitting with Ani and super Cal fan Brian in the young alumni section is great fun! Add to that the sweet nostalga of being back in Berkeley--great walk across the campus. good times!
#5. Then home and snug in Ani's apartment for another top ten-- her spicy glazed pork chops, with tofu-mushrooms, brocoli, rice, hearty home made bread and apple crisp! Now that's a perfectly yummcious rainy day meal! She's quite a cook! and made us feel so at home.
#6. The Chinese First Baptist church is always a top ten for me. The service was in the historic sanctuary, Ian (Brian's brother) leading the worship, Pastor Lauren's concise and clear message, communion and, of course, those ushers-- Ani and Brian! Good worship with peope who love God.
#7. Milk tea and a little shopping in Chinatown after church-- big fun and a warm up for our impending trip to China!!
#8. Touring Aaron and Jessica's new apartment-- very stylish! The space is well designed (for two designers!) and it was great fun to hear about how they had pulled it all together. Ready for a spread in "Dwell" magazine.
#9. Lunch at Serpentine, a short walk towards the Bay from the apartment. Imaginative brunch dishes and good conversation. I especially liked hearing Jessica's work plans..
#10. And last, but not least two lovely, long converstions on the phone with Laurel as we tootled down the Central Valley on our trip home. Fun to hear about work, pot roasts and her "trick of vote" adventures! What a girl!
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