My (Not So) Secret Talent

Filling the calendar. Obnoxiously so.

My mom says I come by it honestly; seems it's her not-so-secret talent, too.

Apparently Thanksgiving weekend just wasn't busy enough for my liking b/c I jam-packed my schedule this first week back.

MONDAY
I have some ever-so-lovely girlfriends from church that I'm so thankful for. I love my med-student-wife friends (okay, enough already with the three-word hook-ups!) and (not "but"!) I'm so grateful to have friends that are in the same time of life as me, but not in the same situation. I've talked about Emily, Rachel and Jenny before, and it was, once again, our every-other-week (there I go again!) get-together. Emily graciously had us over to her home and we enjoyed FANCY hot chocolate...that means not a Swiss Miss packet, folks! So delicious. And wonderful conversation. I look forward to those Monday evenings!

TUESDAY
I went to the dentist and got a cavity filled. Aren't cavities for elementary school kids? They were pretty darn efficient. Which was good b/c my jaw (aka tmj) was threatening to give out on me! The best part was when the hygienist complimented my hair (which was just down and straight). Who doesn't love a nice hair compliment?

WEDNESDAY
I work onsite at the client's office on Wednesdays, which means I work from home for the last hour (b/c the office is an hour from home, so my boss lets me leave early to beat the rush-hour traffic, since I'm already spending so much time in the car). So, because I was home earlier, I got to make mom's renowned Texas Skillet for Jordan's dinner. Talk about a happy man. (So happy, that I made it for him again tonight, bwaha.)

THURSDAY
Gospel Community Group tonight! We discussed the sermon, which I listened to Wednesday evening since we were in SD on Sunday. Since we're in the advent season, we're pausing with our journey through 1 Corinthians and heard a sermon on Jeremiah 23:1-6. A good question that we discussed: What do you live for? Whatever it is, that's your king (aka, idol). That king gives you purpose, meaning, self-worth...that king is often a good thing, but when we set our hope on anything but God, it becomes a bad king.

FRIDAY
After work, I went over to Audrey's for some delicious homemade pizza with her & Josh and Larry & Leah, then us ladies headed over to The Wine Bar for a Private Wine Tasting Party - $5 each! Thanks, Groupon! A group of 8 med student wives went, and my dear friend Liane wrote a great post about it (and my phone was dead, so I got no photos, lol) so, I'll let you take a gander at our evening over on her blog.

I know. You're wondering how much I can pack into a weekend. A lot. I'm very talented.


SATURDAY

We got up early to take my car to the shop - the check engine light was on and we suspected the catalytic converter. Long (boring) story short: not the converter, okay to drive with the light on, cost $45 instead of $325+. YAY! 

Then I went grocery shopping to pick up ingredients for my treats for a cookie exchange party.

Then I raked leaves with my Community Group at a neighbor's house. She's a single mom with 4 kids and was super grateful!  It was also a lot of leaves. A LOT. I built a lot of character, too, dad. ;)

Then I hurried home and ate lunch and made Easy Baklava Cups for the cookie exchange. And I wouldn't let Jordan eat any before we got there. In fairness, I didn't eat any either. 

Then we went up to the school - Jordan to study, me for the Cookie Party - and I enjoyed a variety of delicious treats...and some of the ladies shared their recipes! Snickerdoodles (my fav cookies growing up, probably b/c they're a close cousin of the sugar cookie, my other fav cookie)....Gooey Cookies & Cream Chocolate Cake Bars (this one was sinfully delicious. You should probably make it immediately.)...Chinese New Years Cookies (easy and delicious!)...and many more!

THEN (I know! When does it stop!?) Jordan and I joined the rest of our "group" at Cole & Maggie's for a tasty lasagna supper and fellowship. 

The ladies: Leah, Maggie, Liane, me, Audrey.

The men: Matt, Larry, Josh, Jordan, Cole. They see each other at school every day and still sit 4 to a couch.
That's friendship.

SUNDAY

After church in the AM, I made us the standard basted eggs, toast and sausage patties for lunch. After cleaning up, I diced and chopped and put a chicken and veggie soup in the crockpot. Then I headed out to help set up Lazarus Ministries - Women's Shelter with a few other med student wives. We set up cots, sorted linens, put together toiletry baggies and helped with some other general clean-up and organization. Afterwards, I went to the grocery store (milk, fruit...the normal things...), came home to do laundry and organize things for the week and at 7pm the doctor (aka hubby) declared that I was looking completely wiped out and ordered me to bed. I did get to bed at 8:45 and slept till 6:45...guess I was exhausted!

Hope you found time to glorify God and experience His glory this week!