Life is Good

- because God is good.

{just a note, this is a very long post}

Lately, I have been learning to be joyful in everything.  My joy shouldn't come only from knowing everything will work out.  I shouldn't be happy only when everything is fine and dandy.  I should be joyful in everything.  Even when life is a little rough, I can find joy in the fact that my Saviour is using this time for His glory... whether I understand right then, later, or maybe never.  I shouldn't be waiting for something joyous to happen, I should just be joyful.

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
{Psalm 32:11}

All that to say, I have joy.  Joy in my Saviour.  Joy in my family.  Joy in my friends.  Joy in the hard days and joy in the extraordinary days.  When I look at every new day as a gift from God, a lesson from God, it makes me super happy and very thankful.

Recent blessings...

Ben's Jiu Jitsu Tournament
Last Friday, we (our church) attended Ben's Jiu Jitsu tournament in place of our usual church Friday fellowship.


Waiting outside with pizza :)


Providence


Berakah


Bethany


Leah, Me, Gabby


Provy and Luke... two peas in a pod.


(After looking back over these pictures when I got home, I realized how the kids got so dirty out on a slab of concrete)


I had never seen Jiu Jitsu before, and it was quite interesting. Almost like controlled wrestling mixed with an intense game of mercy. But... much more than that I'm sure. That's just a little what it looked like from the sidelines :)




Ben's opponent told him to smile for the camera... it was perfect!


Sweet Brooke :) We were both new to the whole thing and trying to figure it out. We had a few good laughs, mainly because we had no idea what was going on sometimes and who won and lost... I think we understood it well enough by the end of the night though... maybe.


*cheers*
(more pictures)
(and I put another one on Six Angles today)

Mother's Day


A Mother's Day ride for Amanda with her husband :)






Sweet baby Ashlynn, a precious gift showered with much love and many prayers.






Ashlynn with her Grandmother

(a video from the day - I have to give Amanda kudos at the end there... I don't think I would've tried it :)

Babysitting
Wednesday, I was able to babysit for a good majority of the day... one of my favorite things to do!


Laney!


Sweet baby Campbell


Tru is so funny :)


Baby feet are the best




This cat adopted them... he's so sweet!

When I came home from babysitting, I found my Uncle and Dad rototilling our yard! We are officially in the process of redoing our yard... I'm so excited! Friends from church own an organic landscaping business, and they are being a tremendous help.




(Remember this? There are our peat pots ready for planting!)




There was dirt everywhere.


My poor Uncle was covered!


Here's Luna's silhouette watching the guys work... she was afraid of the tiller, but too curious to run away.

That night for dinner I made parmesan crusted pork chops. Yum! I love pork and mustard, and I simply love cheese (especially parm), so these have quickly become a favorite of mine.
[I'll post the recipe below]








I absolutely love my apron that my sweet friend Jenna made for me for my birthday this year!
I also love my polka dot skirt :)


So good!




Gardening
We were finally able to completely plant our Spring garden yesterday! We are really at the end of being able to plant everything that we planted, but we're praying everything will grow wonderfully.
We started everything in peat pots, so they've been growing for a little while. But we weren't able to get compost and rototill the garden and have everything prepared until just yesterday.
So, we spent quite some time out in the garden figuring the layout and putting the peat pots in the ground.  It was blazing hot, but it just feels good to work outside.

We don't have the space at our house to have the garden we want (especially while redoing the yard), but my Grandparents do.  So they are gracious and let us plant in their backyard!


My Grandma makes THE BEST grilled cheese sandwich you will EVER have in your life.  I kid you not.
I think she'll be making them until the day she dies.


What goes into them?


Love...


Work...


Bread...


Lots of butter...


and lots of cheese...
Great.  Now I want one again.


These little guys were ready for some more soil!


Potatoes we had planted a little earlier.


Peppers from friends




Dirt.


I've decided that clean doesn't exist in a garden.










A beautiful way to end the day.  I am so excited and cannot wait to see how everything does!

Crochet
I've also been working on a baby blanket for my brother's wife's sister's baby (I wish I could see your face trying to follow that ;)





It's a super easy pattern.
Here:

Square (make 9: 5 with A and 4 with B)
Ch 29.
Row 1: (Sc, 2 dc) in 2nd ch from hook, *sk next 2 ch, (sc, 2 dc) in next ch; rep from * 7 more times, sk next 2 ch,
sc in last ch – 28 sts.
Rows 2–19: Ch 1, turn, (sc, 2 dc) in first sc, *sk next 2 sts, (sc, 2 dc) in next st; rep from * 7 more times, sk next 2
sts, sc in last st. Fasten off.
Finish
Arrange Squares in 3 rows of 3 Squares each, as follows:
Row 1: A, B, A.
Row 2: B, A, B.
Row 3: A, B, A.
Sew Squares together. Weave in ends.

And for the pork chop recipe...

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
*see my notes below

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs
3 Tablespoons Flat-leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Four 1 inch thick Boneless Pork Loin Chops
3 Tablespoons Grainy Mustard (any kind of mustard will do)

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place a greased rack on a foil lined baking sheet. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Stir in parsley and cheese.

Brush pork with the mustard and coat with breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on the rack and bake until juicy, 20-25 minutes.

*When I make them, I eyeball everything.  I crumble my own bread and grate way more cheese than 2 tablespoons.  I pretty much keep adding until it looks like enough.  And I simply put them on a foil lined baking sheet.  I think this is a very flexible recipe and you can do it however you please :)

Thank you so much, Jan, for sharing this recipe!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So as you can see, I am hugely blessed.  I pray that you have a blessed week even more than mine was!
♥ Em