Yummy recipe, photos, and news.

Good Afternoon!

This week I made a delicious recipe that we made a bunch last year and it was a definite family favorite. The warm, creamy, peanuty sauce mixed with chicken, veggies, pasta, and cilantro... How can you go wrong? So, I decided to share it and I honestly have no idea where I found it... If this is your recipe - please let me know and I can give your website credit! :) One last little tid bit, I ALWAYS double this. If you don't it doesn't make much. Use a whole pound of pasta and double everything else! 

Thai chicken fettuccine

Ingredients

• 1 cup salsa (I use a mango or peach salsa - but spicier salsa kicks it up a notch!)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
• 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (I only used one breast for a double recipe, we love meat but are cutting costs and cutting meat, I cut the pieces super small and it was still so filling and hearty!)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1/2-1 sweet onion, diced (or cut super small so your kids don't know they are eating it!)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions

• For sauce, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Set aside.
• Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Add red pepper and onion; cook and stir until tender. 
• Drain fettuccine; top with chicken mixture and sauce. Stir together. Sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

A few photos from the last week:

Siena, sitting near Eleanor's house. She loves to "smell" the flowers while actually blowing air out of her nose. But she's getting there :). 

She said, "I want to smell the flowers. Bye Mama!" So, I left and peeked around the corner to see what she was doing. Right after that photo she ran around the corner and burst into a million giggles. She loved having a moment "alone".

This is my daughter today. Doesn't she look so grown up?? I'm in love. 

This is at Mission Bay. A really fun spot to go when it's say 95 degrees at your house with no air conditioning. You can jump in the water in a much cooler temp of 85!

BIG NEWS! (Some of you already saw this on facebook) 

My blog is being redesigned. I've wanted to buy a domain for awhile so it is easier for people to get to my blog. I'm really excited about the look, purpose, and renewed vision! It will launch in about two and a half weeks and there will be a really fun giveaway with some of my favorite products and some great friends!

With all that said - I'm off to do a little clean up and a little reading. 

Have a wonderful day!

~Meg

We are

This week Chris and our pastor Jake went on campus to pray, meet up with some students, and plan the next few weeks. When they got back Jake asked how I was doing and I shared a few things going on in my life. Jake then piece by piece shared with me this diagram. 

He told me that all humans are interpreters of our circumstances and the things that are happening around us. We can either believe the truth about God and us (information that we learn from God's word) or we can believe lies about God and us (that the world, the devil, or that we tell ourselves). The middle part of the diagram shows that all humans are worshippers. If we believe the truth about God and us then we will worship and love God. But if we believe lies about God and us then we worship idols (fake God such as food, our bodies, alcohol, drugs, anything in life). We are also responders to what we interpret and worship. If we worship God then we will have godly behavior and godly emotions. If we worship false gods then we will have negative behavior and negative emotions. What he told me at the end was that circumstances don't determine Christians behavior and joy. Christ determines our behavior and our joy. What are we believing in each circumstance? 

I had a moment to learn directly about what I would believe this weekend on a drive back from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Through Siena's infancy I struggled with having severe anxiety and anger when she would cry non stop. My child is a fighter. For the first year she would cry for an hour in the car without stopping. Add to the list sleep training, trying not to nap, and refusing to fall asleep at night - this little lady will cry a lot. What's funny is she is actually and always has been a great sleeper- we've just had to teach her, train her, and remind her who knows what's best for her. And that she needs sleep... Lots of it!

I think I've thought I'm over the whole anxious, angry attitude toward her. But what I was taught is that when I hear her cry it frustrates me that I can't control her or stop her from crying; even now. I now see this whole thing as Gods grace on my life. I realize now that I was believing lies about God and about us. That God wasn't good if he didn't stop her from crying. That God wasn't in control so I needed to be. That I couldn't have peace in all circumstances. That I didn't love Siena if she continued to cry. That I couldn't possibly be a loving mama to a crying baby. ALL LIES!

In the midst of her screaming today, I thought why am I getting so frustrated? What is the truth about God? He loves Siena, Chris, and I so much- even if Siena doesn't stop- his love wont fail me. Who is in control? God is! I'm not. Trying to control her in my anxious state while saying a million short prayers hoping she'll sleep.. Won't stop her from crying. God may want to teach me something through her unending crying.

These are some things I think I am really learning today:
1. Circumstance doesn't dictate my joy.
2. God is in control.
3. Anger and anxiety are both bad gods/idolas. They won't satisfy me. But Jesus will.


God has been teaching me so much about my relationship with him through my relationship with Siena lately. I have to be taught, trained, and reminded by him constantly; just as Siena has to be taught, trained, and reminded by us. This in turn has given me more patience and grace with her and more patience and grace when I sin as well.

I decided in the midst of her crying that I wouldn't choose to believe lies if she continued to cry. Instead I said, I will praise you Jesus either way. This time, he blessed me by having her stop, which also enabled me to write this post on my iPhone.

Will you fight along with me to believe the truth about God and us? Truth that the bible teaches? I hope you will and I'm excited to worship him with you and stand in awe as our actions look more and more like his because of him!

What are you doing?

Who will say to him,

"What are you doing?"

Job 8:12

We moved to San Diego almost five months ago. The Lord has been so gracious in teaching us abundantly about himself, our family, and our sin among so many other things during this short amount of time. He has provided a home in the location and price range we needed, reliable community who loves us already, and money to eat, pay our bills, and have a little fun. 

After two miscarriages in a span of six months we were asking God for direction, because like Proverbs says, we have many plans but ultimately he directs our steps. After seeing our friends practically live out the call to take care of orphans our hearts were softened and we discussed what it would look like for our family to do it as well. Through the second miscarriage and reading an incredible book, Adopted for Life, I now see every child as God's not mine. Biological, adopted, foster. These are all terms we put on a life, and a term that doesn't belong. They are a child - not a label. They are given to you by God to steward - no matter if you had a part in actually creating their body or not. This was so sweet to me and led Chris and I to talk more about practically starting the Foster/Adoption process and to also allow for others to speak into our lives about this certain area.

After having conversations with a few close couples and discussing what it would look like for us, Chris and I decided to start the process and attended the orientation. At that time we both knew that it was the way that God was telling us to go and felt very sure of the whole process. We signed all the initial paperwork, signed up for six weeks of classes, and had our finger prints done. A week later we had more paperwork in our mailbox, phone calls with a social worker, and a meeting for an initial home inspection two weeks later. 

During a conversation with a friend I had a quick and sobering realization. Siena would be two in October and so because of a law that requires two year olds to have a room away from parents... the process had to cease. For now. 

We don't have a big enough home. Job laid out the fact that we can't question what God's doing. So I am not going to. God can get us out of this house, find a family to take over our lease, find us a new home, give Siena a bigger room with a crib that is big enough for her, and find us a new place to live. Along with this process, we have also been brought to the place of allowing ourselves to get pregnant again. Our idols of control, comfort, and money have been broken down. We won't stop God's plan because we are scared of what it can bring. 

Obviously my one year old doesn't know my heart or what's going on behind the scenes of book reading, coloring, and playing with her blocks. But this conversation that we just had in the midst of writing this post shows me that God is sweet enough to give her to me and love me well through her words. 

S: Brother,
M: Brother? (Did I hear her correctly?)
M: Do you want a brother?
S: I want a baby.
M: I want a baby too.
S: I want a baby brother.

I have never talked to her about having a brother. But I want her to have one too.

Everything is possible with God. 

I'm not going to doubt it.

Are you?