Reminders

Too often I can let words penetrate. Words that are harsh, or critical, not life-giving or edifying. Words that I know are not true, but slowly I let eat away at me until I start to believe they are true. Lies.

I left a conversation the other day, determined to keep my armour intact, to not let any cracks from through which the words could seep. But seep and creep and worm their way in they did...

So, you JUST stay at home??

How can you feel fulfilled?

What do you do all day?

Don't you miss the challenge?

Questions leading to questions, leading to doubt...

What DO I do all day?

Am I fulfilled?

But then I am reminded...

when we've read Big Red Barn for the 20th time this week and mooed and meowed and cock-a-doodle-doed ourselves silly... when Wesley proclaims "AMEN!" before digging into his lunch... when "M" triumpantly stands for "MAMA!" and "W" for "WES-LEEEE!"... when we tuck Mr. Monkey into bed and tip-toe and shush so not to wake him... when his eyes light up at the prospect of "helping" mom makes cookies... when the baby in my belly gets peppered with kisses all day... when I see his future laid out before me, already imagined and realized... when the weight of it all, my responsibility to train up this child, is all so real...

... when my day us full of all this and more and I fall into bed exhausted with time only to say "Thank you Lord" before sleeps comes...

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." Colossians 3:23, 24

Lunch Woes & Quinoa Pizza Bites

Lunch is probably my least favourite meal of the day... although right now, at 18 weeks pregnant, most meals are very warmly welcomed! :)

I don't always enjoy lunch because it's a hairy time around our house with Wesley on the verge of a 'I-need-a-nap-right-now' meltdown... so I want something simple and easy that doesn't take any time to prepare. Leftovers are great for this so I usually make extra for dinner for this purpose... but that can get old. We really try to stay away from processed, convenience foods, but this can be tricky with a whiny toddler clawing at your legs! Soup and grilled cheese, scrambled eggs and toast... my lunch repertoire is in serious need of an upgrade, so I'm on the hunt for ideas!

I recently tried this recipe for Quinoa Pizza Bites and they were a big hit with both Wesley and I! Very yummy and healthy and quick to pull together if you do some of the leg work (like making the quinoa) ahead of time. The recipe makes a lot, so I just popped them in the oven for a few minutes the next day (I think they would get mushy in the microwave) and we were good to go.

Quinoa Pizza Bites

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 eggs

1 chopped onion

1 cup shredded mozarella cheese

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup chopped, cooked turkey bacon or turkey pepperoni

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

pizza sauce, for dipping

*You could also sub chopped cherry tomatoes for the bacon to make them meatless.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (1 heaping Tbs each), and press down gently to compact.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

5. Serve with warm pizza sauce on the side.

Confessions

I'm reading the book Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman which is about letting go of the "try-hard life" (as she calls it) - or the quest to always be "good" and perfect - that woman often fall into the trap of. As a recovering perfectionist - and someone who, although she can admit is not perfect, still often struggles with wanting to project that image - I can really, really relate to this book. 

In the spirit of being vulnerable and finding strength in weakness, here are some true confessions to illustrate just how un-perfect I am... granted, these fall on the silly end of the spectrum and maybe some day soon I'll work up the courage to lay down some of the really nitty-gritty stuff...

1. Until about a month ago I didn't know you couldn't put aluminium foal in the microwave
2. I have this beautiful top that I've only worn once because it needs to be ironed and I just don't do that!
3. I know kids aren't supposed to watch TV until at least the age of 2, but my son often watches The Wiggles at 4:00 pm so I can start dinner (or "close my eyes for a few minutes")
4. We don't eat 100% organic
5. I love The Bachelor/Bachelorette
6. I frequent celebrity gossip websites
7. I can often be heard saying "it's yucky" when my son wonders what the unhealthy treat is that mommy is munching on
8. I never tighten the lids on jars... this drives my husband crazy!
9. I will put the empty milk jug back in the fridge so someone else (see above) will have to change the bag
10. Clean, folded laundry often sits in the basket for days... weeks... 

The gifts keep on coming...

I shamefully have not been keeping up with Multitudes on Mondays... but I 've still been recording my One Thousand Gifts in my handy-dandy notebook...

Here are a few... (skipping forward a bit)...

350. Wesley's response to any question... "yep!"

351. Cuddling with friends' babies

352. Feeling little baby "flutters" 

353. Long overdue phone chats

354. Fuzzy socks

355. Maternity pants

356. Turning the fireplace on for the first time this year

357. Freshly laundered sheets

358. Massages

359. Homemade hummus and pita chips

360. The pumpkin patch

361. Sleepy cuddles after naptime

362. A night out with myself

363. Shopping trip with a wonderful  friend

364. Baby's heartbeat

Adelle's 31 for 21 Challenge

This is my incredible friend Adelle. She is one of my favourite people in the world and also happens to be one of the strongest, kindest and funniest people I know. Adelle always approaches life with a positive attitude -which is something that I have always found so inspiring. I learn a lot from her. 

Adelle has a gorgeous daughter named Ariel who is 16 months old. She is also pregnant with her second daughter, due in Novemeber. She and her husband found out at their 20 week ultrasound that their unborn baby girl has Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21. Adelle has handled this unexpected and often overwhelming news in typical, inspiring Adelle-style. Since then they have learned some other scary things about their baby's health, but she had remained endlessly positive and upbeat through everything. 

October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and in honour of her baby girl, and, to raise awareness for fairness and inclusion, Adelle is participating in the 31 for 21 Challenge where she will be blogging for all 31 days of this month. I would love it if you would check out her blog here. I think that, like me, you will be amazed and inspired by wonderful friend.