"Momma, my tongue is cold"

says Nathan after shoving handful after handful of icy snow into his little mouth. We are sort of 'snowed in' this morning. We're hoping the sun will come out and improve the situation in an hour or so. Hannah's school is canceled for the day. Ben tried to drive across town this morning only to be forced back to the house after hydroplaning once and then watching the truck in front of him spin its wheels as it tried to go up a slight incline. I'm glad he came back to the house. I'm not up to par with this ear/sinus infection, and it was so nice to have him come home and cook breakfast!

Coconut is my new ice cream

I'm not really a recipe blogger but I love reading some of the gluten free and other blogs that inspire me to keep my cooking healthy and interesting. I've come up with a very filling and satisfying breakfast for myself and thought I'd share.

In a coffee grinder, grind 8-10 almonds to a meal. (I only use the ones I've previously soaked and dried using Sally Fallon's method described in her cookbook Nourishing Traditions)

Mix this meal with 1 Tbsp. Coconut Cream Concentrate (I got mine at tropicaltraditions.com at about $8 for a 16 fl.oz. jar-that was the B1G1 price).

Add 2tsp. Maple Syrup. Mix well with a fork.

Spread liberally on your favorite toast which in my case is Food For Life's Brown Rice bread, warmed up with a little coconut oil in my cast iron skillet.

This keeps me going strong for hours and those of you that know how I have struggled in the past with "blood sugar dips" know it is a wonderful miracle to go all morning without feeling wispy and weak.

Happy Thursday!

Happy 6th Birthday, Hannah!

Our sweet little Hannah had a big birthday last week and we are just so thankful for six precious years with our little girl. We'll hit another milestone next week when she starts kindergarten at the public school. So pray for our family please as we adjust to early mornings, new friends, new teachers and a new routine. As I write this, my little angels are both still snoring quietly in their beds. These blissfully late summer mornings are rapidly coming to an end!

Please pray also for RUF!
RUF kicks off week after next and we are excited to welcome the freshmen and another intern- Nicholas from Belmont. Ben has been working hard to make arrangements for the new meeting place (All Faiths Chapel), to get a better sound system working, to write sermons for the Fall, to meet with incoming freshmen and parents as well as existing students, and to travel to several Texas churches for speaking assignments and networking. We're excited to have Callie Brack for another year and ask that you'd pray for our interns as well as our family as we seek to further the gospel through the ministry of RUF.

"God is in your tummy."

Jerked out of sleep,
I felt a voice
pierce the quiet morning.

"You SAID you would get my pid-uh (pillow)
wast (last) night!"
He wailed of the injustice.

He said it again
and again and again
until my brain moved into focus.

"I'm sorry...I forgot." I moaned
"We'll get it down today."

And then in his odd little
three year old way
He threw his mother a curve...

"Which one came out first?" he quizzed,
breathing in my face.
"Did me or Hannah come out your tummy FIRST?"
I wanted to beg for grace.

"Hannah did," I managed to say
as I rolled over to see how early the day
was starting.

"And then I come-ed?" he asked
with the lift of his brow
and I'm wondering how
he came up with this so early.

"Yes, two years later, son,
you were born."
And I hoped the quiz was done.

"But how do babies get in your tummy?
HOW do they get IN there?"
I'm questioning now at this early hour
why does he even care?

But too cute to ignore
and I'm thankful for
this bright, inquisitive child.

"Moms and Dads have a special time
and God makes a baby grow."

"But not everybody HAS one in their tummy..."
he concludes, shaking his blonde little brain
He said it as if it's a shame.

"Right, Nathan, not everybody...
but we trust God to know
when the babies should grow
inside their mother's tummies."
His expression is precious and funny.

"But God is way UP there" he points,
a change in direction of thought.
"God is with us, son, God is everywhere."
a truth that I was taught.

"God is in your tummy."
he said with self assurance.
The need for coffee took me over then
and my brain lacked endurance.

"Come here, son, and snuggle
with me,
but quietly,
because Daddy is still sleeping."

~~~Beth Hailey

Carrot Harvest

Antique Rose Emporium

Lest you think we've had all work and no play....

this is from this past week when we had the sophomores for fajitas... (Be sure to keep scrolling down for recent Vet school and Flooring posts)

VID00092 from Ben Hailey on Vimeo.