Chismville

The air I breathe in bountifully, happy aromas representing the season, music I love, cheery sunlight that warms me and brightens my world, my babies cries that show they have needs I can meet, my husband’s cologne, the commotion and clamor of a happy, healthy family—I have so many rich things to be grateful for! Then the intractable foe comes sauntering into my head, eyes, world. How quickly the beauties I lavishly enjoy fade even becoming odious! My aspirations flee replaced only by desire to survive. My brain can hardly handle a thought of caring for my little ones….only the hideous monster on his chain or lurking just around my periphery. Was the Apostle Paul’s mysterious thorn in the flesh a migraine? He said that when he is weak he is strong. I fear I am too unsanctified to glory in this infernal weakness. However when my monster has finally truly left me in peace, I ponder the things I so often take for granted! I ponder and rejoice! God has given me so much to richly enjoy! There are some who struggle through each day in pain. I don’t know how they do it. God has given me life and health and strength and surrounded me with beauty and purpose! Oh how grateful I am!

This might not be of broad usefulness, but I thought I’d post it nonetheless just in case anyone else has ever wanted to quickly replicate gluten free graham cracker crumbs.
2 leftover gluten free waffle squares (we have waffles at least once a week at our house! )
1/4-1/3 cup almonds
1 T. brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
Blend into crumbs in the blender or vitamix.

What next? Here’s the ooey, gooey yummy bar recipe I used this for the other day:

Melt 1/3 to 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil in a 9×13 pan.
Sprinkle “graham cracker crumbs” and stir. Press firmly into pan as a crust.
Pour 1 can of sweet & condensed milk over crust OR (if you don’t have it on hand and it’s easier substitute from stuff you have on hand) in saucepan bring to boil and boil for 1 minute:
1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 2 T. butter or coconut oil, 1/2 t. vanilla
Sprinkle with:
3/4-1 Cup of oats
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup un-sweetened coconut
1 cup peanuts or walnuts
Press down evenly and Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and cut into 24 squares. Enjoy!

I always get in a pensive mood when my baby is gone. David took Joel on a father son camping trip. Amazing to think we’ve been married long enough to have a little son old enough to be thrilled to go camping with his daddy! Pandora is playing my Michael Buble station and my golden dining room is dimly lit and a chocolate pup to keep me company and remind me that it’s past my bedtime! Speaking of bedtimes, when will my kids get the memo that summer sunlight doesn’t mean they get to stay up the entire evening? I remember lying awake as a kid on many hot summer nights thinking I’d never fall asleep and sheep never helped! I need to find a deeper reserve of energy to continue parenting these extra hours of the day. I question my mothering skills and stamina so much these days. I guess it’s good because it forces me to look to God and I always need Him whether I’m thinking about it or not. Joel believes I’m a good mother. He told a friend that I’m a very nice mommy because I gave him a really good hooker. Yes, a very good hooker indeed! My little feller has a deep-seated love of connecting things like water bottles to other things like puppies or railings or trees or chairs. My pink metal hooker was just the thing to do the job!
July has brought good things. Is it really possible that my baby sister Kirstie has turned the bold age of 18 today?! She has become such a dear friend and a beautiful talented young woman. July also gave me my favorite twin sister friends, Jen and Amy. My own daddy was born the day before we celebrate America’s freedom, and lovelies Eden and Emily also were born in this happy summer month. I’m glad that our move to Frederick has not dominated the entire summer. We’ve been in our new home just over a week and are already enjoying a more settled-in feel. We were surprised to find that our pictures “just happen” to perfectly match some of the wall colors we selected for our home. Hmm. wonder how that happened! Our neighborhood is fun to run with Grisham and our park is such a nice extension of our backyard to give the kids some exercise and a diversion. Our neighbors are all so nice and neighborly. My backroads drive to the lake is so much shorter than before. And Frederick library ranks in my kids’ eyes because of its parking garage elevator! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to walk through that library without shivering in recollection of Joel’s 3-year-old action of pulling the smoke alarm system and the additional librarian who made it her duty to assure I felt sufficiently humbled by the offense! Anyway, Aria finds the nearby river-walk fish fascinating almost as much as Hailey enjoys sampling the cigarette butts on the sidewalk.