Did I really...?

I just closed the book, looked up at my husband, and asked, " Did I really just read this cookbook cover to cover?"
And the answer to that question is yes!
My Mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and myself all got The Pioneer Woman's cookbook at Christmas this year. I have heard a little about the PW, but hadn't really ever looked at her site or anything (www.thepioneerwoman.com) until now.
She is hilarious. Her recipes look good. And she even takes pictures of every step of the process, for the visual learners like me!
I wont be able to cook half of the recipes while I'm here in India, but you better believe I've started a list of some to try. The Egg-in-a-hole and cobbler are up there on the list, for sure.

Most of my day-in day-out work here in India seems endless unlike my previous job at the salon, where I started and completed 15 projects a day. I know that has to be reassuring to my clients. No one wants to leave the salon with foils still in their hair, I'm sure! Anyways, I've learned to cook while living here, and love it. It's definitely more time consuming and frustrating (our convection oven isn't even big enough for a 9x13 dish). But I love seeing it to completion. I love impressing my husband. And I even enjoy the cleaning the dishes, if you can imagine that!

Thank you for the Christmas present, Mrs. Margaret!


*Just call us eager beaver.... we already tried the Egg-in-a-hole for dinner tonight. I think we may have started something here. We are thinking this will be a meal our kids will really like some day because it's so fun. Note: We didn't have a round cookie cutter, so we used a star. I think I like it better.

ingredients

finished product

Same Same, Only Different

One of the phrases our friends here in SA love to use is "Same Same".
Example: You like latte?
                Here, you have americano. Same, same.
As you can see, most of the time their little "same, same" is not! So Joe and I have adopted the saying "Same, same... only different"
Today was one of those times when the saying fits well!
I've had a house helper who comes and cleans our floors for us. It's wonderful having her help. Our marble floors get so dusty and dirty so quickly! She usually comes 3 times per week.
Well, since the whole trip back to America, we haven't seen our house help. Who knows? I have tried going by her house and calling, but I haven't heard anything.
Today I had a group of girls coming over for truth meeting and I knew we'd be sitting on the floor, so I had to get them clean. I swept and mopped the floors. Same, Same... only different! Our broom can only be used in a squatting position, and we don't own a western mop. Our mop is just a rag. So needless to say, I got a good workout!
Joe decided to get in on the fun as well. This is my hubby (yes, his hair is getting very long) helping me dry the floors. (While some of our family members are playing in the snow, we are twirling in the living room on towels... too funny!)

This is my hubby's nervous face as he sadly watched his beloved Vikings get beat. He watched the fourth quarter over skype with his sister, Katy, while I made breakfast.

Granola Bars...

Since being back in country, Joe looked at me and said, "Now I know why America was such culture shock." You see, we've been here long enough to think of this as normal. We've learned though that normal for here doesn't not equal normal in America!
Anyway... to my story.
We have a sweet couple that are letting us use their car while they are in America. It is such a blessing. It's amazing what "freedom" comes from having your own set of wheels again.
So the other day we were sitting at a stop light. (This is the one that we can typically sit at for a good 45 minutes!) While we were waiting for the light to turn green, a few young boys came up to try and sell us the latest issue of "People", dish towels, or random volleyballs. We smiled and shook our heads saying that we weren't interested. They left and a sweet little boy came up to the car with a rag in his hand. He moved from the front of the car to the drivers side window. With a sad little face, he began putting his hands to his mouth whispering, "booka" and "khana" (hungry and food/feed me).
 I'm really bad about forgetting to keep food in my purse, but that day I had a granola bar. Not just any granola bar, but an American, chewy, peanut butter chocolate chip granola bar. I'm not going to lie, I was a little hesitant to give him the bar because I didn't know if he would appreciate or like it! I did end up giving up the granola bar.
 I handed the bar to Joe who, being the smart guy that he is, opened the wrapper before rolling the window down. This insured that the sweet little boy could enjoy it, and not have to give it up or try to resell it.
 We watched, from the car, as he looked the bar over. He looked at us, and then took a tiny bite of it. He looked at us again and his whole face lit up! He then ran back to the guys on the curb and sat eating his granola bar. He ate every bite of it before the light turned green.
 As the light turned green, and we drove on, our little friend waved with his whole body in appreciation for the food. His little belly was so happy!!!

Reflections from this experience:
So many beggars, when you give them something, throw it down and beg for something else. Usually money, instead of food. It's so frustrating to give something....like my leftover Papa John's pizza...and watch someone not be appreciative. Don't they know that it was a sacrifice on my part?! On the other hand, it's so exciting to give something and watch them light up with excitement and joy.
I've been reminded from the Father that I myself need to check my gratefulness. I need to be appreciative and thankful for the gifts that the Father gives me. The Father sacrificed so much more than his favorite granola bar on my behalf. He sacrificed His only Son! Plus, I need to give regardless of the reaction. The Father knows my reaction...which isn't always good...and yet He still gives anyway. Father, make me more like you!

Ps. 50:14 "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High."

One Year Anniversary

It's really hard to believe that a year ago today we were beginning this crazy journey! I had fun reading my journal entry from January 26, 2009. My my what has happened in a years time. In some ways it feels like just yesterday we were heading to Virginia for training and then in others I don't even feel like I'm the same person. One thing though that has remained true this past year is our Father's faithfulness through his Word.
Jan. 26th of last year, I was clinging to the promise out of Joshua "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." And a year later, I can give testimony to the fact that my God has been with us every step of the way. He's allowed us to see his hand at work in our own lives and the lives of our friends here in India. He's been close on the hard days when I just didn't think I could sweat anymore and it seemed like I couldn't make friends. He's been close on the birthday, birth of a sweet nephew, and holidays away from family. He's been ever present and real every step of the way.
Jan. 26, 2010 (today), I'm claiming the promises from Galations "But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." I can hardly wait to see what this next year brings as we strive daily to abide in the Spirit.

Just wanted to share our first year through pictures....

FPO training- January to April

April- Finding out... it's a boy! Carson Jack

Even timed it perfectlt for our good friends little arrival, Jax.

Easter- First week in India (jet lag)

April- Hardiwar Trip

May and June

Mussoorie- 6 weeks of language school

May- Floating trip on the Ganges- lost wedding band

June- Day of Delhi tour

July- meetings and vacation in Thailand

the blessings of packages!!! you can't even imagine...

September- Varanasi Trip

October- Creative "Pumpkin" Carving

November- Mumbai Trip

November- BGCH Trip

Thanksgiving 2009- Shimla

No Thanksgiving is complete without a little football!

December- First trip to see the Taj

December- Gingerbread House Making Contest

December to January- SURPRISE Trip home for the holidays

Joe and Owen, our sweet 2 yr old nephew

Auntie Ams, ChaCha Joe, and Carson Jack

CJ is our nephew who is almost 6 months old now!!!

*I have an incredible video that my little brother helped me put together of our families reactions to our big surprise on Facebook. I'm still trying to figure out how to upload a video to blogger when you don't have the movie icon. Hopefully I'll figure it out soon so I can share it on here. It's pretty priceless!

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,

 all whose thoughts are fixed on you."

Happy 25th to my Hubby!!!

Joe's 25 years old! It's kind of crazy. The other day we were laughing and discussing the fact that we really don't know if we are old enough to be married for 3 years and spending all this time overseas! Some days we feel like we should still be in college. But I don't think I'd go back to those days. As fun as they were... life is pretty great. So much to be thankful for!

One thing about living in a big city is there is always a new place to get food. I think we could eat out every meal for the next year and not repeat a restaurant!
We were able to celebrate Joe's 25th birthday with a sweet friend in SA before coming homing for the holidays. We thoroughly enjoyed our honey chilly fries, crispy lamb, and chicken dish. We finished off the meal by walking across the street for some ice cream.

 We also were able to keep the 9th annual birthday tradition of Cracker Barrel alive this year. *I think there was even some talk about going whether birthday boy was there or not. Gotta love traditions.
Joe thinks his birthday gets cheated every year being on Christmas Eve, but I like to remind him that it's not every day that you have 20+ family members come and help you celebrate....

L to R: Beth, Katy, Jacob, Brant, and Larry (not pic. Carson and Owen)

L to R: Mrs. Sherrye, Cade, Mrs. Margaret, and the Birthday Boy! (not pic. Mr Bruce)

L to R: Grandpa and Grandma Bauman, Dad and Mommy Bauman, PawPaw, NeeNaw, Grandpa and Grandma Futterer

blowing out the candles on his homemade cobbler

with our sweet nephew, Owen

He also got to celebrate his birthday by making a gingerbread house with his mom and family.

And by keeping our fairly new tradition alive by going and eating lunch with Scottie at a fun local place called Nothing Fancy.

It was a full day of celebrations.

Happy Birthday Hubby! I love you.

Surprise, Surprise!!!

Growing up I've always been a big fan of secrets. Not the kind that hurt peoples feeling, not at all. I love the ones that are happy surprises! Ones that make peoples days a little easier or brighter.
I've been justifying a few little white lies to my family over the past few months. My justification was that it was for their good, that in the end it would be better if they didn't know...
know what?
Our big Christmas 2009 plans.
After my sister's baby, Carson, was born on August 3rd of this year plans changed a little.
We had been talking to my parents about them coming to South Asia for a visit over Christmas break. When we started to realize what that would mean for us, needing to do a visa run, and what it would mean for the rest of the family that wasn't coming, Daddy suggested a trip home instead. Initially we were against the idea, but after much prayer, consideration, and conversations with our supervisors we changed our minds. So on September 2, 2009, Joe and I got an early Christmas present from my parents.... a trip to America for Christmas!

 We ended up only telling Joe's sis about our plans for coming, so that she could help us get all the plans worked out for his side of the family. We had no idea the job we had given her would be so difficult. Between Joe's birthday (Dec. 24th) traditions and Joe's mom wanting to plan trips to Minnesota to visit family, she had quite the chore of keeping everyone here! She did great. She even collected a box of goods from the fam and instead of sending them she just put them in her closet. hehe Thank you Katy!
My mom did the same thing... well tried anyway. My sis, Beth, was a little eager to send her own package, but thankfully we received it in SA the day before we left to come home for the holidays.

 Two days before leaving SA, we thought that our plans from the months before were going to be cancelled due to visa issues. Thankful we were given special permission to continue on with the plans.
We flew into Little Rock on Friday, Dec. 18 to be greeted by "Welcome Home" signs from Mom, Dad, Brant, Katy, Jacob, and lil Owen. This was the start to a day of surprises!!!
We we able to surprise all the grandparents, parents, siblings and a few friends before the word got out that we were home. We've got it all on video. I may have to send that video in somewhere... surely we can make some money off of it!
Since being at home, we've been able to celebrate Joe's birthday tradition of Cracker Barrel breakfast, spend quality time with our families, go camping, and have enjoyed very opportunity we've had to share about our travels in South Asia.

This Christmas and holiday season has definitely been one that we will never forget. Not because of the presents or other commercial aspects of the holiday, but because of our Savior's birth. Being able to celebrate Christ's birth with our families truly makes us thankful for every blessing He has given us!


"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17