Love Dare: Day 2 Love is Kind...

Today's Dare

In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness.

  So, today I decided to make him a favorite breakfast item of our family (Egg Salsa Muffins) and give it to him when he dropped off  our son this morning. He smiled and said thank you and actually gave ME a hug goodbye! This made me feel really good as I have always been initiating a hug in the past. I also gave him a question on a piece of paper for my Day 5 Dare and told him to just write down his answer and give it back to me sometime in the next couple days. I'm not looking forward to receiving it as the question is,
 "what are 3 things that I have done that make you uncomfortable or irritated with me?" 
 That should be interesting and painful...haha!
Well, day 2 is done! I spent time to make him something I know he likes and will enjoy. 
Ok, not so hard! Right?

  I also had an hour and a half long conversation with someone this morning that I trust, look up to tremendously and respect very highly. They are blunt, honest and love us both very much. The conversation was really helpful and has made me reflect on some very serious questions and also reflect on myself as an individual. It's amazing how sometimes we don't see the very obvious things about ourselves and our character. How did we become molded into the people we are today? A lot of it has to do with our upbringing. It was a pretty heavy, deep conversation for 8am! 
  One question & I guess one of the most important was..."Why do you want your marriage to work?"  Well, the obvious answer would be that I love him and I want our family to be together. But I said, "Because he is the best thing that has happened to me in my life. He has grounded me, I love him and 
I love what he has shown me as how a family should be. He is a beautiful person and an amazing, loving father. He has taught me how to love and help me grow in my relationship with God." 
Of course, there are many other reasons, but that was just came to me right then...but it made me think more about it and why I'm fighting for us. 

   Another perspective that was pointed out to me was that through their eyes I have always adapted to whatever my surrounding is. Whoever I'm around, that's what I become and try to adapt to. At first, I was a little confused and didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But once we started talking more about it, they pointed out that what I am is a survivor. A person that has had no other choice than to adapt, to just survive. I have had a very rough upbringing and had to grow up really fast, going through things that no child should have to and I've just wanted to belong. To survive 

   I've had the great fortune to travel the world and wear a lot of different hats in my lifetime. I have had many different roles and created different versions of myself to wherever I was at the time I my life. It's a part of finding out who we are as Individuals and I think we all have done that in different ways. But the thing is, what is it that I REALLY want for myself? What does ANGEY want? Not, what should I do because I think it's the right thing or to please others, but where is God leading me and what does He want for just ME in this life? Right away I knew....
  The best and most important role I have been blessed with is the role of a Wife and Mom. No matter what problems I have had in my marriage, I have never been more happy, content and fulfilled as I have been since the day I married my husband. My heart was filled more than I could have ever imagined or had received in my life. I felt complete. I knew I finally had a purpose.

   So, this is my constant reminder why I'm fighting. Why I won't let my heart harden and do whatever I can to learn how to love sacrificially.

http://www.klove.com/blog/post/2010/01/07/The-Love-Dare-Day-2.aspx

Love Dare- Day 1 Love is Patient....

  What you are about to read is very personal, but I feel like I need to share it as it's reality and has happened to millions of other couples, but not everyone talks about the bad when their in the thick of it, in the trenches fighting for their life. Some reasons may be they are scared, embarrassed, and worried of judgement from others or feel like they failed. We are made to believe that marriage is a fairy tale and no one ever fights, disagrees and is just perfect in every way for one another. That is far from reality. Marriage is hard. Period. It's constant hard work! Constant sacrifice of putting another person above yourself. And when you don't work at it, the anxiety, panic attacks, sleepless nights, loss of appetite are all side effects of this... Broken marriages.

  As some of you may know, I'm in a broken marriage. We are separated. We did not stay united in things, had a lack of love shown to one another in the way we wanted and we grew apart. This is not what I ever imagined for my life, family or my marriage. I love my husband. We are on the brink of divorce. I'm absolutely devastated and heart broken. I'm a broken girl crying and praying to God on a daily basis to heal our hearts, desperate for a miracle. This is not what I want and have told him many times that I want to fight for us, so this is my last saving grace to show him through actions that I want to save our marriage.
My main reason to start this journey is to save my marriage. My husband is worth the fight and I'm not willing to give up, we are worth the fight....
Some that have done the Love Dare know that this is a selfish reason in the beginning, but I also know I desperately need a better relationship with God more than anything in my life right now. I go to church, I teach Sunday school, read my bible, pray with my children, but still feel such a yearning to know Him more and surrender myself completely to Him, which is something I have never done. I am selfish. I am angry. I am bitter. I am broken.

  My hope is that while you are following in my journey, that you don't feel alone. That you find something relatable and know that there is always support. I know this is such a personal journey, but I feel the importance to share with others is a very important step in coping. To know that it's ok to be broken. It's ok to cry and feel like you are falling apart and you don't have to have it all together all the time. That is something I have struggled with deeply my whole life. I have major control issues and am just recently in the last couple years learning how to let go and Let God have control.

  I need forgiveness and I need my savior. I need to feel unconditional love. I need to learn how to love unconditionally and selflessly, expecting nothing in return. Only then will I know how God wants us to live not of worldly emotions and things, but of His world, to learn to love others like Christ loves us. We are always denying Him and He still loves us unconditionally, even when we don't deserve it.

                                                      This is my journey. 40 days.....

Day 1:
I have told my husband that I am starting this journey via text and asked him to have patience with
me for things I may ask or do for him. He just said ok.
No negative words are spoken from my mouth today....so far, so good.

 If you have never seen the movie Fireproof, I HIGHLY suggest it for any couples, whether you are having major problems or not. This is what the movie is about and the husband does the Love Dare for his wife.
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/redirect.html

http://www.klove.com/blog/post/2010/01/06/Day-1-of-The-Love-Dare.aspx

Tomato Basil Parmesan Bisque

I usually make meals that I know are super kid friendly, but unfortunately my son wasn't loving this one. That's ok, Momma's gotta have something special for herself once in awhile. As a foodie, this is one of my fave soups I've made because it has tons of flavor and texture, especially with a side of baguette bread! (Let's be honest, anything is better with bread!). I love that you can throw every ingredient in the crock pot and dinner is done!

 INGREDIENTS  
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery  
1 cup finely diced carrots  
1 cup finely diced onions  
1 tsp dried oregano 
1 Tsp fresh oregano  
1 Tsp dried basil 
1/4 cup fresh basil  
4 cups chicken broth  
½ bay leaf  
½ cup flour  
1 cup Parmesan cheese  
½ cup butter
11/2 C. Half &Half
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Add everything in Crock Pot and cook on high for 3-4 hrs or low 5-6hrs. 

*Serve with baguette 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Fudge

With a 3yr. old son that has Type 1 Diabetes and loves sweets, it's really tough to find a chocolate snack that is good for him without having to give him an extra shot of insulin. So, after searching all over for a high protein, low carb snack that actually taste good, I came across this. It's super yummy, REALLY taste like fudge (no chalky taste) and my son devours it! Yay, that makes a Mommy so happy!! Best part is that it's a great protein pick me up in the middle of the day....Enjoy!
-A

Ingredients

-2 Scoops Chocolate Whey Protein

-6 tbsp Peanut Butter (3 creamy/3 chunky)

-4 tbsp. Coconut Oil

-2 tbsp. Honey

-2 packets Stevia (2 tsp)

-1tsp. Vanilla Extract

-1/2 tsp. Light Maple Syrup

Put honey, peanut butter and coconut oil in bowl and heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Add in all the rest of the ingredients together in bowl until it's a pasty/crumbly texture, then press into mini muffin pan (don't spray). Place in freezer for about an hour until solid, then remove and place in freezer bag. Keep in freezer and take out each one 5 minutes prior to eating. Makes 12. 

1pc of fudge= 7g carbs/  6g protein 

Pesto & Goat Cheese Pizza

This is one of my favorite recipes and a lunch favorite! It's so light, with all fresh ingredients that will make you feel good and guilt free, even if you eat half the pizza! I love goat cheese and the taste blends great with these ingredients, but you can also use mozzarella or feta. You can also save the remaining pesto sauce for any of your favorite pasta dishes! This takes about 30-45min prep time and having a food processor definitely helps with the accurate consistency. This specific recipe makes enough dough for a small pizza for 2 people.  Get all your ingredients out and get ready for a delish slice!


Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Prep this first. As it is rising, you can make the pesto. This is the best and easiest pizza dough recipe I have used!

-1 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Flour
-1 small single pkg Quick Rising Yeast
-3/4tsp Salt
-1/4 tsp Sugar
-1c. Hot Water (estimated)
-2tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In the food processor combine flour, yeast, salt & sugar on pulse. Add in oil and water as it is mixing. If it is too dry, add more water. If it's too wet, add a pinch more flour. Mix until it forms a sticky round ball inside the processor. Then process for and additional minute to knead the dough.
Next, transfer dough to floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place dough and wrap in plastic wrap with the oil side touching the dough. Let sit and rise for about 10-20min before rolling.

Now make pesto sauce.....
Preheat oven to 500- When dough is ready, unwrap and take a rolling pin and roll into pizza shape on pan. Roll until it's on the thinner side, because it will rise in the oven. Add a thick layer of pesto sauce, fresh sliced tomatoes and cheese. Put baking sheet on lowest rack and bake 8-10min... Enjoy!!!!!



Pesto Sauce
Makes about 3 Cups

-3C. Fresh Basil
-1C. Fresh Parsley (dried works too)
-3 Garlic cloves or 1tblsp chopped garlic
-3/4C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-2/3C. Pine Nuts (toast lightly in sauce pan on low beforehand w/ no oil, careful they don't burn)
-2tblsp Lemon Juice
-2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese (grated works fine, but fresh is always better)

In the food processor, mix the basil, parsley, nuts, garlic, olive oil & lemon until pasty. Add a pinch of salt and more lemon to taste. Then pour into mixing bowl and fold in cheese.
(Add more lemon if needed, more salt shouldn't be needed as the cheese will be salty as well.)

Cranberry Lemon Yogurt Bread

If you're anything like me, you LOVE bread! I could eat bread and cheese all day/everyday if I could! I took a recipe I found off Pinterest and changed a few things and this dessert bread came out amazing! It reminds me of something you would get at a Cafe or Starbucks. What I personally changed for MY recipe was whole wheat flour, lemon juice out of the bottle, dried cran-cherries and Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt. It's came out really moist and lemony, but not too sweet. Click on the link below for the full directions I followed, but here our my personal pics from my kitchen today. My son was even super excited about this one, haha! Hope you enjoy!
-A

http://unsophisticook.com/lemon-bread-recipe/

God understands...

Hey Everyone!
Sorry I have been MIA on here for awhile, I have been going through some major family stuff from all angles and chose to not blog till the dust settled a little bit. I just wanted to share something I read this morning that I thought might help some of you out there.
  I find myself  letting my emotions take control and not thinking before I speak and act. I don't let God guide my heart and I'm guilty of being very quick to respond in frustration, anger and just plain being upset. We desire to follow God faithfully, but find ourselves wondering off the path fast. We don't seem to understand ourselves either. We have conflicted emotions of how we feel and act and how we know we SHOULD be. This dilemma is nothing new, as that's why God tells us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. (James 1:19). It's a refreshing feeling to know that God understands our feelings and motives, and our misunderstandings, even when we don't understand ourselves. He understands us completely, I mean HE MADE US! He is here to help us when we stop to ask and listen. And again, the lesson of being quiet and still...no wonder so many people love meditation, yoga and other things that make us take a "time out" in our crazy, hectic lives. God is always speaking to us in many ways, most obvious is in His word. Other ways are through prayer, through other believers and through our circumstances. As I write this, I know God knows where my heart is & knows what I'm needing, even though I may not communicate it directly or correctly. Today I pray that I can allow the healing in my heart to begin, so I can be a better Mom, friend, and woman. To find peace in myself and think before I speak and not respond negatively.
  God brings us through hardships for a reason, He has a plan for you. Trust and be still. He hears you.