Urbana Video Recap - Swaziland

So this past year was almost entirely focused on Urbana for our family. Most notably, Matt traveled to New York and Swaziland to help produce the below videos.

Swaziland was the most intense project as Matt was gone almost two weeks and he and his team traveled all over the place not even sure if they'd get the story they came to get. The went to document World Vision care workers who have received medical kits from World Vision. These medical kits are fairly simple but extremely useful in places like rural Swaziland. One night at Urbana was completely devoted to building these medical kits (32,000 of them to be exact). The videos below were a part of that night.

The last one in particular is a favorite of mine. It's a testimony of one of the aid workers at Urbana. I actually had no idea she would be there and after hearing so much about Matt's trip and seeing so much work go into putting this night together, I was in tears when she walked out.


Join In - Caregiver from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.


Join In - Spinach from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.


Join In - Banquet from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.

Shortie Khumalo from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.

Life Update

It's about 25 days until Urbana (the triannual mission's conference InterVarsity holds), and for the first time, I'm not really all that stressed about it. And that's probably because for the first time in 12 years, I'm not going. So strange.

We finally made the decision about a month ago that I would stay behind with the little one. Between Matt's late nights, hectic day schedules, and confining a 6 month old to a hotel for 7 days, it just seemed like it would be less stressful for everyone involved if I stayed back.

I'm both happy and sad about that decision. Sad because Urbana is always so cool. And watching the live stream online just isn't the same. Sad because I'll miss seeing all the video's Matt's been working so hard on unveiled before a huge audience. Sad because I'll miss seeing a bunch of close friends. And sad because Urbana always provides a needed spiritual kick in the pants.

But in many other ways I'm happy. Happy not to have all the stress of preparing for and executing a major conference. Happy that my introverted self doesn't need to be around 16,000 people for 7 days. Happy that I get to spend New Years and Christmas with friends back in Madison.

So it's a mixed bag.

All that said, we're in crunch time and Matt and his team are working hard to finish up all their projects in the next three weeks. In some ways since so much attention is focused on that right now, Christmas still seems pretty distant. We did however manage to get the Christmas tree up and other various decorations. And we did our first round of Christmas shopping last weekend.

So Christmas and Urbana. That's pretty much the state of our life right now!

Need a new Book to read...

Any recommendations?

Popcorn Stitch Hat

I've taken a small break from quilting to work on a crochet hat for the kiddo. I've found that crocheting is a lot easier to manage with an active 4 month old. I can do a few stitches and then put it down whereas sewing takes a lot more to pull everything out, get everything situation, and then start.

I'm actually not much of a crocheter. I know two stitches...and I used them both on this hat.

I also ended up making the hat a bit to big. But I figure that's better than too small. At the rate our daughter's growing, she'll fit into it in no time at all.

Quilt Binding

A friend recently asked me about how to best bind a quilt to finish it off. I couldn't remember if I had posted a link to these directions or not, but decided it was worth re-posting. http://www.heatherbaileydesign.com/HB_QuiltBinding.pdf

I'm always constantly amazed at how the binding can make or break a quilt. I've noticed this especially at the Quilt Expo. There can be the most beautiful quilt on display with perfect patchwork. But if the binding is somehow off, the whole quilt looks a bit funny. It's amazing how such a small thing can make or break the quilt.

I guess if the quilt is not hanging on the wall, it doesn't matter as much if the binding is straight or not. But I think it's worth it to try and get the binding right. All that being said, I'm still trying to get the hang of continuous binding. Good think I still have some quilt projects lined up.

Back to Work I Go

After being on maternity leave for about 4 months, I am finally returning to work. As this day has drawn closer I've been viewing it as both bitter and sweet.

Bitter in that it means more transition in our life. Transition always seems to bring out some level of angst as I face the unknown and discover expectations I didn't know existed. So I'm  not looking forward to that especially since I feel like I just got a handle on Emma's daily routine.

But the return to work also seems sweet. I'll be starting a new job with InterVarsity and working 10 hours from  home. I'll be working with the communication's team and working website analytics (watching website trends and using that data to help serve our web users better) as well as various special projects. It's exciting because it's a new role within InterVarsity and I'll get to help shape this job and it is flexible enough I can work from home. And I feel very fortunate for that. And what's even more sweet about this job is that it actually is work I enjoy doing. Bonus.

So here starts a new stage of my life...working mom. Luckily millions of moms seem to make it work. So I'm pretty confident I'll be able to make it work.

Chile Colorado Burritos

Favorite new dish :) And it's soooo easy! Thanks Food Pusher

Chile Colorado Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds stew meat or other beef cubed (top sirloin is great)
• 1 large can mild enchilada sauce* (at least 19 oz.)
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/2 can refried beans (optional)
• 5-7 burrito size flour tortillas
• 1 cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Put beef, bouillon, and enchilada sauce into a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours**, or until meat is very tender. (Can also cook on high for maybe 3-4 hours.)  I've also cooked it in a dutch oven for about 4 hours at 325 degrees.  More meat, more time.  A third option is to cook it in a large heavy saucepan--bring it to a boil on high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.  If you go with a method other than the crock pot, make sure the pot is covered and pretty well sealed to minimize evaporation of the liquid.

When beef is done (very tender and flakes off when stirred), taste and add more salt, if desired. Heat up refried beans in the microwave (covered and in a microwave-proof dish, of course)and put your oven on broil. On an oven-proof plate, or cookie sheet even, lay out a tortilla.  Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, and a spoonful or two of beans. Roll into a burrito (hopefully you know how to roll these). Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the crock pot over the burrito to cover it. Sprinkle with some cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.


Serve.
Makes 5-7 burritos, depending on how full you make them.

The Unknown Love

A friend of mine was over a few weeks ago to see Emma. As she held Emma, she commented how amazing it is to think about everyone who is holding and loving Emma now.  And if you think about it, Emma will probably never know a majority of the people who have held/loved her these past few months.

It got me thinking about all the people my parents talked about who held me when I was a baby. A lot of those people I have only ever known by reputation and old photos. But it's kind of cool to think about how much I was loved...and I didn't even really know it.

And the same for my daughter. How she is so loved by people who she will probably never know. And that's pretty cool.

I Side With

So I've always been a fan of quizzes you can take that tell you all about yourself. It's fun to see how right or wrong they are. Anyways...a friend passed this along on facebook and I found it quite fascinating (I Side With). It's a quiz that attempts to show you which of the various Presidential candidates you are most aligned to based on their political positions. I most appreciated the "choose another stance" option because "yes" and "no" didn't always fit my thinking.

Anyways...I was surprised to find out that I'm most aligned to the Green Party. And my response to that was sadly..."Wait, what?...there's a Green Party?" I didn't even know one existed.

Now I'm not about to run out and join the Green Party, but it made me realize I may not be as aligned to the political party of choice as I think I am. And that's probably good for me to know.

Beloit College Mindset

Is it just me...or does this list keep getting scarier? Or maybe I'm just getting older. These are my favorites from this year's list:

1.  The Biblical sources of terms such as “Forbidden Fruit,” “The writing on the wall,” “Good Samaritan,” and “The Promised Land” are unknown to most of them.
2.  They have never seen an airplane “ticket.”
3.  A significant percentage of them will enter college already displaying some hearing loss.
4.  Outdated icons with images of floppy discs for “save,” a telephone for “phone,” and a snail mail envelope for “mail” have oddly decorated their tablets and smart phone screens.

If anything this list is a great insight into the college student we serve,http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2016/

Summer Babies

Had a crazy explosion of squash this year.
Luckily I found a squash recipe my husband will eat:

Spicy Zucchini Casserole

1-2 medium zucchini or summer squash cut into cubes
1 lb of spicy Italian sausage (I used sweet)
1 package of Spanish rice
2 small sweet or hot peppers
1 bell pepper
2-3 tomatoes cubed/sliced
1 large onion
1 can of Hunts Meatloaf tomato sauce
1/4 lb of Pepper Jack cheese (I used mozzarella)

Cut zucchini/squash in cubes. Cook Spanish rice according to package. At the same time brown Italian sausage. Add to sausage: chopped peppers, rice, onion and tomatoes. Add to squash cubes. Mix well. Preheat oven to 350.  Spread tomato sauce on top. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 min.

Naaman

A few weeks ago at church, the sermon started out looking at the life of Naaman. It's been a really long time since I've heard Naaman's story and I forgot how great it is. Where else in the Bible do you have someone "arriving in style" at a prophet's house (according to the NIV)?

The basic gist of the story is that Naaman is from a different country than Israel and gets sick. He is told he should go see Elisha to get healed and so he goes to Israel and takes with him a bunch of money to both impress Elisha and to compensate Elisha for the healing. When he gets there Elisha doesn't even come out to see Naaman and instead sends his servant out with the instructions on how to be healed. Naaman get's furious and storms off. And I'll let you look up the story to see how it ends.

But what stood out to me was how Naaman ignored the instructions and almost missed being healed all because he dismissed the messenger. It made me wonder how often I do the same. It's sad to say, but I probably dismiss what might be words from God based on the appearance, social standing, age, or status of a person more often than I should.

I shouldn't be surprised by that. Biblically, it's often the unexpected people who God chooses to use. And while I've been taught that and clearly see that in the Bible, it's sad that I often don't apply that to my own life. I guess it's good reason to pause the next time I feel ruffled by Godly advice and ask the question and I'm ruffled because of the message or the messenger?

Favorite Baby Items So Far

There are so many baby items out there, one of the things I wondered about pre-baby was which of all those items would I really end up appreciating the most. So far, these have been my favorite items (and favorite because they've been a life-saver for our cranky baby and tired parents).

Moby Wrap: I feared this would be to complicated to figure out how to use, but it was actually pretty simple once I got the hang of it. Our kiddo fusses a bit when first going in, but once I start walking she usually calms right down.

Miracle Blanket: So this might just be because our kiddo is long, but this has worked way better than the swaddling blankets. It fits her better and she doesn't break out of it quite so easily.

The Kindle: I love how I can hold it with one hand and turn pages with that same hand while holding or rocking a baby. Amazing!!!  I'm surprised they haven't done an ad campaign based on that yet.

Not Quite a Spitting Image....

But sometimes when I look at my child, I see this....

I'm not sure if this is due to the resurgence of 80's fashion or if I'm reverting to some of my childhood loves. If anything, I sure hope that my kiddo has more of the good luck side of this troll than the troll side.

Female Fight Club: Why We Should Put Down Our Gloves

Great article over at The Well. And has challenged me to think about the groups of people/women I tend not to hang out with. (It's also written by a former roommate of mine). http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/well/resource/female-fight-club

Garden Exploded

This year I tried to cut back on my garden by spacing plants out a bit more than normal. I planted 4 tomato plants instead of 6, two zucchini plants instead of 3, two cucumber vines, and a bunch of corn. I also tried to plant things that would take less maintenance since I wasn't sure how often I'd be able to get out with a newborn.

I don't know if it was the extra room I gave the plants in the garden, or if it was the crazy heat we had this summer, or if I just lucked out this year, but all my plants ended up looking massive and very healthy. Ironically sometimes I think that the less I do out in the garden, the better my plants look.

My other theory is that I was about 2-3 weeks late in getting the seeds planted. That coupled with an early spring I think made me miss the first round of bugs. However this year I have had more problems with rabbits and squirrels.

Anyhow, I finally took Emma out to the garden with me the other day and it went better than I expected. She slept the whole time.

What I Wish I Would Have Known about C-Sections

I have to admit that I was a bit unprepared to have a c-section. Our pregnancy had been such a normal one that I just assumed the birth would be to. We had decided that we were not opposed to a C-section if it was medically necessary. But again, since we didn't really anticipate having one, I never did much research about them. But even if I had, I'm not sure I would have found out about some of these side effects of c-sections.

Here's what I wish I would have known prior to the c-section:

1. No Driving
I had heard that you couldn't lift anything for 4-6 weeks after having a c-section (and believe me I don't think I could have if I tried), but I don't think anyone ever mentioned that you really can't drive for 4-6 weeks after a c-section. I'm not sure which is worse...not being able to lift anything or not being able to drive. I guess the reasoning is that you use stomach muscles for breaking and it's hard to turn to look over your shoulder. I was a bit unprepared for that one. The only benefits of not driving has been 1) it's forced me to rest and 2) I spend a lot less money when I don't go out of the house.

2. It Hurts to Laugh and Sneeze
I don't think I ever realized how many simple movements such as laughing and sneezing are tied to your stomach/ab muscles. Wow. It's also equally amazing how well holding a pillow held to your stomach helps with that pain.

3. The Shakes
I think this is common with any surgery...but after the c-section was over and I was in recovery I got really bad shakes. It was the weirdest/freakest feeling ever. You can't feel anything in your lower body and then you're completely out of control of the upper half of you body as it is shaking. Was not expecting that one either.

4. Loss of Nerves
I'm not sure why I was surprised by this (given this was major surgery and the incision is a deep incision that cuts through a bunch of nerves), but I still don't have complete feeling around the incision line. I hear that for most people the feeling comes back after a while. So we'll see. But for now, there's a good 6 inches where I don't feel much.

So there you have it. Things I wish I would have known about 3 months ago.

Introducing...

So I'm a bit behind on this update (sorry to everyone who already knows about this via facebook or my husband), but on July 8th our daughter Emma Grace finally made it into this world.:)

She was 8 pounds 3 ounces, 21 inches long and is pretty darn cute (yes, I am biased). 

And now I get to transition into a life of diaper changing, feedings and little sleep. Bring it on.

Still Waiting

June 29th has come and gone and we're still in waiting mode for baby Kirk to show up. Everything is still looking good according to the doctor so there's been no concerns about going past the due date. He did schedule an induction for July 8th however (just to have something scheduled in case she doesn't come in the next few days.)

I'm still hoping that she'll show up before the 8th, but on the flip side, it's nice to have an end date in sight.

So in the words of a childhood song that I absolutely hated while growing up but have now ironically been singing often to myself,

"Be patient, be patient, don't be in such a hurry
When you get impatient, you only start to worry
Remember, remember, that God is patient too
And think of all the times when others had to wait for you"

Recent Thought Provoking Reads

I've come across several articles lately that still have me thinking...you know it's a good article when several day's later you're still thinking about it and have to go back to read it over again.

- Should Churches Abandon Travel-Intensive Short Term Missions in Favor of Local Projects
- When Are We Going to Grow Up? The Juvenilization of American Christianity
- Why Women Still Can't Have It All
- Lost in Suburbia: Increasing Suburban Poor