Pretty Teal Toile

 

On Friday night, I re-covered our eight dining room chairs, literally!  I had found some pretty teal toile at a quilt and antique shop, and after checking online and in a couple other fabric stores, I realized that this was a good discovery.  Teal toile seemed hard to find, and even though this is only a thin cotton, it was a decent price [$4 a yard, if I recall, and covering chairs does not take many yards :-)].

I've been wanting to redo my dining room in a light teal and beige color scheme.  The chairs were a truly encouraging first step for me!  

 

 

 

I also picked up some paint chips last week, just after I had decided that the "light teal" I've been describing is probably "robin's egg blue."  And then I realized that robin's egg blue is almost exactly the color of our biggest rival in basketball.  Ahem.  I'm wondering if I should ask my husband what he thinks of the colors now, while his team is at the top of the conference, or if no time would be a good time . . . 

For now, I've left the paint chips out in the open, and perhaps he'll discover them on his own . . .

Valentine's Day

"It's Valentine's Day, so I suppose you would like to hear how I met my wife."  So began Dr. Voltz in class my junior year of college, and certainly none of us objected.  :-)  Dr. Voltz was also my advisor, and when I expressed interest in obtaining NY teaching certification at one of our early meetings together, he sort of brushed me off.  "Oh, you never know who you're going to meet and where you're going to end up."  He seemed to have love on his mind a lot.  When I think back on that conversation, I feel a little bit triumphant.  I DID end up teaching in NY after all!  Still, I am glad that he encouraged us toward marriage both directly and by his own example.  I'll be the first one to say that marriage is a wonderfully good thing!

 In the past, I've heard others criticize or downplay Valentine's Day as a mere commercial opportunity seized upon by local businesses.  I don't know; I make my valentines every year (I love making valentines!) so the commercialism doesn't affect me very much.  We ought to express love for each other often, and it seems that a holiday dedicated to such expressions can't be bad.  It may even serve as a timely reminder to those apt to forget.

Valentine's Day 2008

Valentine's Day also holds special memories for me now.  On February 14, 2008 the secretary at the school where I was teaching walked into my classroom with a vase of red roses--while I was teaching!  They were from John, and though he had already gotten the "go ahead" from my dad to get to know me, that night marked the official inception of our relationship.  I will always remember the awkwardness of the first pictures his parents took of us together and the general excitement that marked the whole day.

 

Valentine's Day 2009

On Valentine's Day the next year, we were engaged!  John brought me more red roses and also brought me to hear the Dublin Philharmonic orchestra!  That was a real treat and another evening of special memories.  And I think I can say with a measure of certainty that our first Valentine's Day as a married couple will be the best yet.  :-)

Thankfulness in Sorrow

 

My new calendar

 I "needed" a new calendar.  By that statement, I mean that I could have adjusted and used the calendar on my phone this year, but I like to keep myself organized with a wall calendar.  Plus, there was going to be a big empty space on my kitchen bulletin board once I took down the 2009 Ireland calendar I loved so well.

This was the cutest one I found in the American Greetings store where they were all 75% off.  :-)  I asked John if he liked it, and he said he did, then added playfully, "And, if we had children, it would be normal!"

Well, I like Olivia the pig, so it doesn't particularly bother me if having a calendar of her isn't "normal."  But his comment, like so many other things these days, served to remind me again of the baby we lost. 

It is true, though, that even in the darkest moments, I found that I had reasons to be thankful.  I was thankful for good health care, and cried out in pity for those in third world countries whose lives might be threatened by experiences similar to mine.  I was thankful that God preserved my life.  I was thankful that He took our baby away and not John.  I was thankful, as my sweet cousin reminded me then, that I was able to get pregnant in the first place.

I can't say that I quite echo the sentiments of this woman quoted in Empty Arms by Pam Vredevelt.  I'm more rebuked by them than anything else. 

I'll never be tempted to question the goodness of God in giving us a baby we never held.  How could anyone be less than bursting with parental pride over a baby who brings you this much joy and expectation?  I can't! . . . My baby's life was not long enough to have any pictures to carry in my billfold, but was long enough to fill my heart with wonderful memories.  I was never hurt by my child's rebellion, was never embarrassed by my child's actions, and I never had to discipline him.  This was my child who brought me only joy all the days of his life.  Thank you, God, for that kind of child; it was a gift only you could give.  [p. 153-154]

Still, while there is much I don't understand, I can pray for eyes to see our baby's life as God sees it and I can pray for a heart ready to praise Him as this woman's was.

Grandma Smith's Chocolate Cake

On Friday night, John was coming home from a week in Minneapolis.  I surely am glad that he doesn't have to travel often.  I made him a special welcome-home dinner with some help from my mom, who was here for a visit.

 

The dinner table ready

For dessert, we made a chocolate cake using my Great-Grandma Smith's recipe.  I never met her, but I hear marvelous things about her.  Her name was Flossie and, naturally, she was my Grandma Smith's mother-in-law.  I know what it is to be blessed with a great mother-in-law.  

I love moist cakes, and this one is very moist, very easy, and very chocolaty.  

 

Deep Black Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 c. flour 

2 c. sugar

1 c. cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder  

1 tsp. salt

2/3 c. shortening (I used 1 stick of softened butter)

2 eggs

2 c. boiling water

Method

Mix all ingredients and add boiling water.  Bake in greased [and floured] pan at 350F for 25-30 minutes. 

I chose to frost it with Rich Chocolate Buttercream from my Southern Living cookbook, which, after I'd made some substitutions, also had an entire cup of cocoa in it!  Rich, chocolaty, yummy . . .

Our table after dinner and dessert

One thing I did learn was that it's not the best idea to serve a hungry man spicy Indian food and deep black chocolate cake around midnight and right before bed.  My poor husband had reflux for over a day!

2 Inches of Snow

 

And it shut down life here for at least 2 days . . .