soup success

Couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks, pinterest. Husband is sick and the kisses are minimum. He doesn't want to get me sick. Though I'm learning that if I stomp the floor and pout my lips, I can muster a smooch or two outa' him. The crafty wife part, though... eh. I don't know. But I can make a mean cheddar broccoli soup. A discovery I made tonight. 

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups broccoli cut into very small pieces (you want them to fit on a spoon)

2 cups chicken stock 

2 cups milk

1/2 cup flour

1 cup grated cheddar cheese (I did marry cheese man, so I used a little more)

Salt and pepper

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, add onions and celery plus a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until soft. Add garlic, cook for another minute. Add broccoli, cook for one minute, then add the chicken stock and cover. Allow the broth to come to a boil, and cook until the broccoli is soft.

Whisk together flour and milk until combined. Add this mixture to the pot, stirring gently. The soup will thicken and once it's thick and creamy looking, add the grated cheddar. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Made some yummy homemade breadsticks to go with, which I would recommend. At least toast. It was delicious for dipping! I have yet to make a recipe I hate, but I also had yet to make a recipe that I instantly wanted to make again. This was that recipe. Super creamy and warm... perfect for a night inside, in sweatpants, with a sick husband. 

pearls for the girls

I wear your standard white button up at least two days a week to work. (That might have been a slight exaggeration, but only slight) Never alone, though. It is the easiest piece in a wardrobe to layer and accessorize. Pair it with a sweater or cardigan or belt it around the waist for a pop of color... Your options are endless and if you don't own a solid white button up...? I shake my finger at your and say "go shopping!" (But that's usually my answer for everything) And the pearls! Other than my wedding ring they are my favorite piece of jewelry. My sister gave them to me when I was the maid of honor in her wedding (we all wore pearl necklaces of different length and styles... so cute!) I love wearing them with unexpected pieces like a slouched sweater with winter shorts and tights or one of husbands large t-shirts with skinny jeans and heels. And since it's still winter here... the big chunky scarf wrapped three times around my neck. It ward off frost bite, of course.

Something else that's been on my mind besides the clothes in my closet...

I've been going through a book called Addicted to God by Jim Burns. It's a journal guide, "50 days to a more powerful relationship with God." Well, it's taken me almost a year and I'm not quite through with it. Not because it's not good, it's incredible, in fact! But because I tend to leave it in places I forget about or because I love books and Barnes and Noble so much that I am constantly buying new books that I start and take mini detours from the ones I've already started... However... Today's journal topic is on how God is always with you. Whether you want Him there or not, whether you know He's there or not... Learning to trust God and follow God, especially when He's not walking in the same direction, has been hard for me. But I'm learning and trying, as I will continue to do for the rest of my life. Because really, I don't think anyone's got this thing down pat. Out of my own struggles, though, I wanted to share with you this story...

"One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then than I carried you."

I have been slowly but surely reading my way through the book of Psalms, and one in particular stood out in my memory while reading this story. Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Never forget that God is there and that He is faithful.
Never hesitate to turn to Him in times of trial or of triumph.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 
and do not lean on your own understanding. 
In all your ways acknowledge Him, 
and He will make straight your path."
[Proverbs 3:5-6]
Always know that you are loved.

a day late and a cupcake short

Before the cupcakes took over my kitchen, Stephen and I went on a double date with our friends Heather and Brandon on Monday night. I've been working with Heather since we moved here and her long distance boyfriend, Brandon, is in town for a few days! And since I've always wanted to meet him... We found ourselves at Moose's Tooth Pizza (best in town!) for three hours chit chatting away while crazy huge snow flakes fell outside at a ridiculously fast rate. The restaurant was warm and cozy, the pizza was delicious (spicy Thai pizza!), and the company was wonderful!

My favorite thing about this outfit? (I wore this Monday night on our double date) When I logged on to my favorite fashion blog Tuesday morning she was wearing almost an exact outfit! Change the shoes and the color scheme and we were spot on! Made me think I'm not totally lost in the fashion world I love so much.

And then there was volleyball. As there is every Monday night at 9 pm. Stephen's class has a team called the WWAMERS... Pun intended. They "wham" the ball. (hee hee) Amanda and I have been die hard fans (as the director of inter-mural teams calls us) since they started playing last semester and now she gets to bring Natalie along, her two month baby girl. We try and pay attention and clap and cheer when we see the team doing it, but mostly we sit there and talk talk talk :)

And now for the good stuff. The love stuff.

Hoping you all had a happy and love filled Valentine's Day! Every girl on Facebook was showin' off her roses and chocolates, so I already know ya'll were spoiled :) As was I... in a different way. Stephen and I have never done much for Valentine's Day. Cookies, maybe a card, certainly lots of kisses, but never anything else. This year was the first Valentine's Day we were married! So that was kinda fun about it. It didn't matter what we did, what we got each other... the fact that HE was and always will be my Valentine is the best gift I could ever ask for. Husband had school all day and I had work all night. I only got to see him for a few hours. (Booo!) But he spent the whole day at school (literally, the whole day), learning and studying and furthering his education for me. For us. And I know I write all the time about how I'm so appreciative he is going to medical school to someday provide for our family, but seriously, I AM! And maybe those outside of medical school will never fully understand... But he puts in countless hours of studying and preparing and sitting in class... Never getting enough sleep or exercise or time with his friends and wife... He is constantly stressed and busy and studying... This life is draining on him in so many ways... And he's doing this for us. And I'm supposed to call it even by making him cupcakes and giving him a cute little book on Valentine's Day? No. This is something I'll never be able to repay him for. Nor will I ever be able to describe to him, or to you, how deep my appreciation and pride runs. I know everyone thinks their husband is the best. But really, I'd have to disagree :) 

I've been in love with Stephen from day one and on our third Valentine's Day my feelings have not faltered, only grown deeper. Never could I have imagined I'd be so lucky as to marry my best friend, though I'd certainly dreamed for it. He is not perfect, nor am I, but together we are. I am so in love and so looking forward to all our adventures to come! :)

My present to Stephen...

I got Stephen this little book, tied in a bow with a cupcake. "Me without you is like hair without do, biker without tattoo, tango without two..." Each page a little scenario of what my life is like while he's at school or I'm at work. Sad and miserable! But it was a cute book, and in the end they find each other :)

I made cupcakes for Stephen's class, little red hearts included. I've become somewhat of a class mom, I think. Always sending Stephen off to class with cookies and bringing Capri Suns to every WWAMI volleyball game. I don't have children of my own, so 19 grown adults will have to do :)

And what else happened on Valentine's Day? 

Oh! That's right! THIS GIRL had a birthday!

Miss Madison is a very favorite Kappa sister of mine whom I miss dearly! I have no doubt her amazing boyfriend treated her oh so well and that her roommates (aka, my best friends) showed her lots of love ;) Madison has got to be one of the smartest gals I know. So strong and independent and FUNNY! Oh how I miss the days of calling myself her roommate and talking for forever about nothing. This girl deserves one hell of a birthday, and I hope she got it! Oh, and isn't she beautiful?!