Friday, February 24, 2012

Firetrucks and Strange Man

Ok, so yesterday I had an experience not like any other I have ever experienced before. I believe it is worth telling you all because if this situation ever presents itself to you just remember:
Always wear pants



Yesterday afternoon I had decided to scrub out our bathtub from head to toe. This in turn made me want to take a long relaxing shower/bath in our newly clean tub in the later afternoon time. I was just finishing up drying my hair and putting my t-shirt on when Jake comes home from work. He told me he was having to go help Harold (an older man who Jake works with who has tremors, dips 24/7, and cusses like a sailor) change his tires in his old truck. I was like ok and was going to go finish dressing. About 2 min. after Jake closes the door, he runs back upstairs asking me where a wire hanger is, "I don't know," I said to him. He finds one (suprisingly fast and I don't know where he pulled that thing out from) and I ask him if he locked the keys in the truck knowing we had another pair in my purse. He mumbles something about our neighbors. I have yet to meet these people. I said, "Oh, they locked their keys in their car?" Jake says, "No, they locked the baby in the house!"
Well, you know that's probley not the best thing to do. So he runs back downstairs to attempt to pry open their garage with a wire hanger. Yes, it makes just as much sense today and it did yesterday. I carefully walk to the front room windows making sure if anyone outside would only see my top half of my body. There are police man all in her front yard and 2 cop cars in front of our house.
By this time I look off and a man is walking up to the house. Jake runs back upstairs to climb through our frontroom window to get on top of the roof to try to open the neighbors window. 2 months ago, we had people come put in Security locks on our windows so people like Jake would not be able to pry the window open. I told everyone this (from the security of behind my brown curtain) about 3 times before Jake says, "Wait, they just put safety locks on these windows....-rolling my eyes-. At this time, the strange man who I will refer to as Dwight because he exactly like Dwight from The Office runs up to the mom. She says, "Oh, go through our neighbors upstairs room and climb through their window and onto the back of the roof to get to our bedroom window!" The door is still open where Jake leaves it and Dwight yells up at me asking if he could come up while already running to the door. I was put on the spot. I knew there was a baby in that house what could I say? "YEAH COME ON UP".

Oh wait. I'm standing in my underwear in the front room while Dwight runs through our open door. I ran as fast as my short hobbit legs would take me up two flights of stairs and into my room thinking I would be safe. Uh no. Dwight decides to take 3 stairs at a time. I knew what he must have seen running up the stairs after me and it was SO EMBARRASING. I immediatly find safety in my closet while Dwight decides to move our nightstand and say something like, "I'm going to have to take off the blinds, curtains, rods, and move your 1000 lb bed. I'm still locked in the closet. I grab some shorts. I bravely walk out and look at him. He has sweat pouring off his face because HE WAS ON A MISSION. All I could think of was that this strange man saw my white behind covered with the most beautiful pair of white underwear (not) running ridicuously up stairs away from him. I said, "um, its locked. there are safety locks on those windows." He still pushes the bed away like it would move. Jake appears out of no where and says the same thing I said so this makes Dwight even more angry and a choice word came out while he fled back downstairs never to be seen by me again. I hope. By this time the fire truck shows up along with every child on the street.
I am still mortified.
The fireman saved the day and rescued the locked in baby.

I am just going to tell you it took a couple of hours for my heart rate to return to normal.
So remember to always put pants on after every shower because you never know when Dwight will decide to rush into your bedroom!


Thursday, February 23, 2012

New Season

Today I read something that calmed my spirit so much. I was at kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com and ran across something she wrote about this new year:

"But He doesn’t need me to be ready for this season because He is ready. He just needs me to be clinging to His feet"

Jake and I have been presented some options in our life. We thought for so long to choose one option because it was 'safe' and 'secure'. God may tell us at the last second that "yes, you need to go here". We are scared, unsure, uncomfortable, and nervous about our choice. But as of right now we aren't. We are walking into a world full of 'what if's.'
Is this wrong?
For the past week it has been a whirlwind. I have cried, been sick, angry, confused, doubtful, at peace one second and then so scared the next.

This past year has been so hard. I see God in everything here. The beauty is unbelievable. The provisions He continually bestows on us just blows my mind. He has protected our marraige in everyway as a military couple and made life seem so 'easy' at times. I know I have taken it for granted. I know. I also know I spent the better part of last year huddled up in a corner of the house wiping tears from my face because it was 'too hard.' This life is different from everything I knew.

There are constants in a military life. One being -your husband will leave you- the other -you will always be moving- and another -is my husband safe today?-

I have made friends here that I love. I have experienced life here that could not be done anywhere else. I have a beautiful husband that actually cherishes me. All because God blessed me. I don't ever want to look at these past years of my life and just feel hatred and bitterness. There has been so much good.

But a new season is approaching and I am not ready.

That is when I ran across what Katie said in her post. God wants us to follow Him with everything in our being. With all my heart I wish that a hand would appear in front of my face and write on the wall in front of me the exact place He wants Jake and I to go.
But I have faith in Him to guide us in this new life. It is so funny how you want something so bad for the past 2 years only to find when it is presented to you, you want to go run upstairs and hide in the closet. This may be because I don't like change.
You may find that hard to believe considering the place that I live and what all I have changed in our lives to be here. And the fact that we are in the military.
For far too long I have missed that ever present quickening inside my Spirit. Instead I have daily laid hurt, bitterness, anger, and resentment on top of it.
I miss the feeling I get when I play my heart out to God while my fingers glide over 12 guitar strings. I miss that accountability you get with christian sisters while pouring over God's Word. I miss learning about God's Word.

I know this is my own fault because I chose to be apart from this pagan island. I chose to believe that I could manage by myself.  I don't need to use the gift God gave me for this season in my life to help me grow. I don't need to gather with much older women to help me learn.

I WAS SO WRONG. I have missed out so much this year because I was too scared. Too uncomfortable. Too stuck in my ways to change.

Now, when God is leading us gently into this new season, I want to cling to His feet. I am not ready. I still want to run upstairs and hide but today I felt a flutter in my spirit. God is ready to use me. He has always been ready to use me but I have pushed Him aside far too long.

I hope people will understand what Jake and I choose. But more importantly, I hope Jake and I are faithful enough to go where God chooses for us.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

A Day at the Farmers Market

Yesterday I had asked if one of my friends and her little girl would like to go to the Kaneohe's Farmers Market with me. I had never been before and wanted to see the price differnce and freshness of the local food compared to what is sold in the commisary.
We get there and immediatly see tons of booths set up with loads of fresh fruits, vegetables, hot plates, breads, jams, honeys, butter, vinegars, syrups, coffee, tea, and I'm sure tons of other stuff!

I LOVED taste testing everything! I swear, yesterday I ate some of the best honey, peanut butter, and jams I have ever eaten.
The first place we stopped at was to taste some local honey that is made up on the North Shore. They had Christmas Berry, Rainbow Blend, and I think Macdamia Nut. OMYWORD. So fresh and I love how you know exactly what is in the honey. It was a tad too expensive for us both so we went ahead to the other booths. We then went to this booth where the men make their own peanut butter. Ughh....so good. He had coconut peanut butter, Mango, banana spread, and papaya I believe. I bought the Macadamia nut peanut butter and want to eat this on everything! Next was some more honey's. We looked through all the fresh herbs, veges, and fruits. I got some little bananas, I never realized how little they are compared to the monsters that are sold in the store. They were about 9c more expensive so not bad. I loved smelling the fresh rosemary, basil, and tyme. I bought a little bag of assorted bell peppers and some of the best butter ever! It is guava butter and a lady in Kailua makes all of her butter herself. My friend bought some Lilikulani Syrup...I regret not buying that which I will next time. She made her butters out of fresh flowers found around the island. One butter is made out of a flower that is gathered only once every 15 years that grows near the volcanoes.
I then got some fresh honey.
We had such a great day!

I can't wait to go back!

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Kaneohe Farmer's Market

Monday, February 13, 2012

Beauitful mornings

This morning I took a walk around our base. Each morning here feels like spring while the afternoons feel like summer. I love seeing all the kids riding their bikes to school and see all the beautiful dogs beings walked or the new moms pushing their babies around in strollers.
This morning I had a lot on my mind so I put in my ipod and just went for it. While I was walking up this hill that over looks the ocean, beaches, and helicoptor hangers, I was just so overwhelmed by how much God has truly blessed me.
So many times I place bitter seeds in my heart for being here so far away from home but I hardly embrace the beauty this place has to offer. I was listening to August's Rhapsody and just felt like God was reaching down to hold my hand and walk with me the rest of the way.
Sometimes You can truly feel His precence all around you and other times it feels as if you so alone you could cry. But we are never alone.
God will take Jake and I to higher heights any where we go because God's plans are for the best of us.
Some days are harder than others but today is a day to embrace and be thankful that I had such a view to look down at.

It really is beautiful here.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Happy Anniversary!

This weekend was so wonderful! In fact, Jake mentioned this morning that this week has been so great. I asked him what made this week stand out so much and he simply said, "Because you laughed everyday." It made me realize a lot.
I had been so down before this year and did not realize how if affected the both of us. I partially blame it on my birth control that I was taking and seriously believed it changed much of my personality. I also know that I let situations determine my attitude and how ugly that must have made me appear.

Friday I spent the afternoon up at the Pantlings talking about legos and Mario Brothers with the four boys and drank tea with Veronica while jake was climbing all over me and completely embarrasing me because he was not being obediant whatsoever. I made a banana nut bread made out of my homemade applesauce, agave, bananas, and eggs. No sugar, oil, or butter and it was soooooo sweet and good!
Saturday Jake took me shopping for Valentines Day at the Executive Chef! We got some jams and 4 beautiful coffee cups! We went to Elvins Bakery and had turkey sandwhiches with avacodo and just walked around Kailua and window shopped. It was perfect.
Saturday night we went to the Lt. Dan Band's concert held here on base and it was SO FUN!


us sitting with a thousand other marines and their families-perfection-


Gary Sinise getting his groove on in the middle
They played all these cover songs and we just stood and sang with them! The place was packed! We were right up front with all the crazy people and dancing  and singing like no one cared! When the alcohol started flowing freely and people started dancing all up on Jake we decided to leave haha. Gary Sinise was so awesome! He played that base like no other and danced with everyone. Nothing like I imagined him to be.
The guys behind us kept yelling ou icecream at him ALL NIGHT and kept asking why his legs came back...I couldn't stop laughing.
We came back and stayed up till 12 oclock and danced in the kitchen for a little bit to welcome our anniversary :) Jake is so wonderful.
This morning we decided to go to brunch at our favorite island resturant (Haliewa Joes) and enjoyed a luxury and huge breakfast! -thanks again Robert and Jacque!-


this view never gets old

It was so wondeful. We got some beautiful cards from my family and have relaxed the rest of the day. We are waiting to finish this perfect day off with Once Upon a Time :)

I found a cute idea on pinterest for a picture to take on each anniversary so we started that today.

I think it will be super cute. I think I need a haircut tho... it keeps getting longer and longer! We are holding a picture that was taken on our dinner cruise last year on our anniversary so next year we will hold this picture in a picture frame and keep going.
Jake wanted the pic. in the back of his truck... of course haha
Hope everyone had as great as a weekend as we did!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Little changes

What are some changes that you have been doing since the new year?
Well mine have mainly revolved around a more healthy lifestyle.
Not dramatic changes but changes nonetheless that have made me feel better emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

At least 3 times a week I work out. Before Jan. I never left the house. #1 Hermit. I really believed I was spiraling down to some type of depression. I would wake up each day and say goodbye to Jake and sit on the couch and look out the window. I would not even turn on the tv. I would just sit and wait. Maybe call a family member, maybe read a book, but mainly just sat and felt sorry for myself. It was only for a couple of months but it left a major impact on me and what I felt like then.
Now I journal, go to the beach, walk, go to the gym, or strength exercise. Nothing huge. But more than I used to this past fall. I will joyfully look up healthy meals to cook for and am excited to see what I can substitute for other things in our meals.

We have only drank water so far. I drank gatorade for awhile but didn't want to buy it anymore. I drink more green tea than coffee and use agave instead of artificial sweetner.

Jake and I love this new cheerios that came out (well here anywase) called banana nut and it has almost 75 less calories than Kellogs Fiber cereal I had been buying. I made my own salad dressing and apple sauce so far this year in making baby steps toward lesser amounts of sugar intakes.

I love bananas, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries and have decided the extra money is worth it rather than snacking on peanut butter.
well I am still trying to convince myself the extra money is worth it...

Jake and I have gone out more and seen the island. We really just stay put because each weekend would add up to a lot of money that would not have to be spent if we would just stay home. Instead, I find it kind of a game to stay under our entertainment budget each month.

I'm growing closer to the Holy Spirit and am amazed at His comforting presence during these times in our life.  I'm suprisingly learning that it is so much easier when I know that God's plans are much better than mine! haha. But seriously. Little changes are coming around.

I love learning to sew and that brought about a new hobby. Thanks momma.

When grocery shopping, I have made it habit to buy whole grains instead of white bread. Now I don't even think about it. Wheat not White. Plain no mayo (or avacodo...yum!). Lemon in water (VERY GOOD FOR YOU and lessens the appearance of redness in one's face). WATER WATER AND MORE WATER. No diet coke...diet coke is from the devil, diet coke is so completley bad for you it makes me sick thinking about what it does to your body...I read to much (only take when your really sick and diet coke makes you feel like your home on the couch sitting next to your momma watching Antiques Roadshow). 2% cheese instead of whole. Salad instead of juicy cheeseburger...almost there. Black beans, Navy beans, and pinto beans are included more into the diet. Red meat isn't a must to complete a meal. Chicken. Tuna in water NOT oil. Low sodium chicken broth or even better homemade chicken broth.

Just little changes. I feel better. Nothing else if anything needs to change does it? I love my husband more and more each day. Yes, the future is unclear in our eyes. For all I know God will take us to Montana and I will humbly and gratefully know that is His Will.
Sitting and waiting has become a constant. Patience is a fruit of the spirit that keeps coming to me head on but seeing as how I have such a calm life right now, it is most welcome.

If you can please pray for Jake and my hearts to be open to His presence; that we will rest in the shadow of His wings and not want or grow weary. That we can bast in His glory and know each day that His ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our's.

We are a moment,
You are forever.
Lord of the ages
God before time

We are a vapor,
You are Eternal
Love everlasting
Reigning on high

Lord you are holy, holy
Lord God Almighty
So worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Let the highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name

We are the broken
You are the Healer
Jesus, Redeemer,
Mighty to save
You are the love song
We'll sing forever
Bowing before You
Blessing Your name.

For you are holy, holy
Lord God Almighty
So worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Let the highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name

Holy, holy Lord God Almighty
So worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Let the highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Blood Oranges




Has anyone ever had a blood orange? Yesterday I went to the store and saw that they had just stocked up on a lot of fresh fruits. Some were from around the island. When I saw these little guys I was not very drawn to their name but the description got me. They were pretty expensive compared to regular oranges here (these were about $3.42 a lb) but I wanted to try one.
When I got home I cut one open and tasted it. OMYWORD. If you thought a reg. orange was good these are 10x better. I wish they made sugar out of these. They are so fresh, juicy, and SWEET.

Maybe next week I'll venture into another type of fruit I had never tasted. They have a few that look a little different but I'm here, so I should try.

I just finished my Heat Therapy sacks! I love my sewing machine. I made them for Mrs. Pantling and am going over to her house for tea on Friday. I hope she likes them. I heated one up in the microwave to test it out and it smelled up my kitchen in spicy perfumes and felt very nice all warm and soft. It would be the perfect gift for anyone with any pains or who gets headaches often. And it was SUPER easy!


They come with a little poem also :)
I found the link on pinterst but the tutorial and blog can be found here: http://creativeoutletdesigns.blogspot.com/2007/12/diy-wheat-sacks-tutorials.html



Jake and I will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary this Sunday! So far we are planning on going to the Lt. Dan Band this Saturday on base. It is a free concert led my Gary Sneese's band. They come each year for the military and give a free concert. We will then head over to Haliewa Joes and chow down! I'm so excited and blessed. This year really felt like our first year of marraige seeing as how we were together for most of it. Year 1 counted, but we were only together for about 3.5 months of it.
I love Jake so much and am loving him more and more each day that passes.

I will hopefully take lots of pictures this weekend for everyone!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Bananas

I am LOVING bananas this week.
I have made two AMAZING meals that involved them and the thought of only having two left in the kitchen makes me a little upset.

First recipe I want to share is the baked oatmeal from Skinnytaste.



http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/01/baked-oatmeal-with-blueberries-and.html

I LOVE the taste of the quick oats, the fresh bursts of blueberries, and the warm bananas that all just seem to melt perfectly together.
I am saving the two bananas for this meal for this weekend :)

I also love the banana smoothie seen on Pinterest that is made with quick oats, almonds, honey greek yogurt, and bananas

quick Chiquita Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Recipes/Banana-Oatmeal-Smoothie-recipe.aspx

So I ate this after my circuit workout yesterday and was so satisfied! It makes two servings and each serving is 5 WW points (which still trying to figure that out) so I saved the other half for Jake's lunch and he LOVED it! I could eat this everday.
Seriously.

When doing weight watchers, I never ate bananas because they were so high in points but they are just so darn good!

I was looking up health benefits of bananas and found some interesting posts found here.
Just thought I'd share that with you.
But it still doesn't change the WW point value :(
Oh well.

I found some other recipes for bananas that looked so amazing. I love banana bread but I hate adding the oil, butter, and sugars to it because I know that makes it even less amazing....well you know what I mean.
I found a recipe that subsitutes the sugar with honey (which I may use Agave) and oil with unsweetened apple sauce (which I just made a a crock pot full of sweet smelling fresh apple sauce!).

yummo!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour ( I LOVE King Arthur flour!)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 mashed overripe bananas

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. 


 
Still trying to have healthy meals in the gordon house. I do want to make some valentine cookies for Jake's co-workers next week because I got the cutest set of Valentine cut outs for Christmas that I just HAVE to use. 

We sold our car! We actually sold it to the same couple that canceled on us that first night but we both felt that they deserved the car after getting to know them. I miss it. Jake had to drive me to my study Monday because I am too big of a chicken to drive that truck all the way to Ford Island but he got some yummy cookies out of it and a good snuggle with our jake :) (Jake the gorgeous lab that is supposed to come live with us forever in our imaginery world.)

Stupid Super Bowl has totally ruined by Sunday night this week.....apparently it is such a big deal, ABC is waiting a WHOLE week to show the next episode of Once Upon a Time.

Lame.

We are still waiting to see where God takes us. I am trying to have an open heart and mind to anywhere. Maybe He will move us to Ireland. That I would be totally ok with :)

Speaking of Ireland.....Jake and I are seriously considering taking our first vacation there soon! He should be getting 2-4 weeks of paid leave coming up and we would LOVE to go spend a few days in Cork and look at all the museums, pubs, scenery, and people.
Ugh, I would just die if I got to go there. It is suprisingly only an 8 hour trip from Chicago to Cork and cost less than the amount of money we spent to go home for Christmas this year. That includes food, airfare, and 2 weeks at the Rattissan.
Hawaii is totally overrated. haha

Oh well we can dream can't we :)
Maybe we can bring back an Irish baby!!!! ;)