My Valentine

We had such a fun Valentine's this year.  I have been hounding asking Aaroin for a date to Central Market's cooking school since I have known him.  Well, this year I think he grew tired of me asking about it so that's what we did this year.  We signed up in January and so I had been looking forward to it for a long time and it was so fun!  But before we left I gave Aaron a couple of fun surprises.

I found this cute sticker labels on Very Jane and knew they would be perfect for Aaron and his love of cookies.  Funny side note: Aaron ordered the chocolate chip cookies and milk at Flying Dutchmen for dessert on our first date.  I picked up a dozen cookies and made a cookie basket for him.

Also, he is always saying he never knows what to do for date night so after seeing this date night jar on pinterest I thought I would make one for us.  I thought up several different things in different price ranges and then color coded popsicle sticks by price range and he can draw one out at the beginning of the week for sometime that weekend.

And then we were off to our couple's cooking class!  This is what we made and had for dinner:

Iceberg Wedge with Green Goddess Dressing
Blue Cheese Potatoe Gratin
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Grilled Lobster Tail with Herb Butter
Filet Mignon with Morels and Tarragon-Marsala Sauce
Cherries Jubilee over Ice Cream

The best part was that all of our ingredients were prepped and ready for us to cook with.  If only it were like that all the time.  We were at a table with another couple and worked as a group to make everything.  We all helped get everything ready and there was plenty of food for all of us.  The chef instructors walked around and gave out tips but the cooking was really hands-on.  We will definitely be going back.  And Aaron even turned out to be quite the cook!

And the finished product - it all turned out so good!  I think my favorite was the green goddess dressing we made since I don't have any experience making dressings.  But I will definitely be making that one again.

I told Aaron not to get me anything else since we were going to the class but he surprised me with beautiful flowers!

We had such a fun first married Valentine's day and are looking forward to many more in the years to come.  Thank you Aaron for your love everyday and for giving us a fun night out.  I love you!

An Evening with Jen and Thoughts Lately

Two weeks ago I headed down to Lake Jackson to hear Jen Hatmaker speak.  She came to Ladie's Night at my old church and when I found out she would be there I knew I had to go.  Signing up is what jumpsatrted my desire to read "7."  I'm one of those that likes to be prepared when I go somewhere so I figured reading the book beforehand would be a good way to do that.  So I had just finished the book and then heard her speak.  It's funny because after being in the book for a week it seemed like I was watching my new friend talk to us all.  What she said was so good and it's taken about these entire two weeks to process everything lately.  It's nice though because it's as if so much of what I have been thinking and praying over lately is what she writes in her books.  After hearing Jen and finishing 7 I decided to go back and read her earlier book "Interrupted."  It too is SO good and it seems that every other page I'm quoting parts to Aaron because it's as if she wrote so many of the thoughts in my heart and head.  One of my favorite quotes from the book and her talk that sum up my heart right now is this one:

"It's hard to dismiss the idea of a redeeming Christ when His followers are pouring thier lives out for the last and least."

A few weeks ago at church our pastor was talking about personal convictions that others see in us and he said "it's hard for someone to argue with what you say you believe when you live it out each day." 

If I had to sum up in a few words the passion Christ has raised up in me it would be "loving and serving the last and least."  I so desire for my life to look like Christ's not so that I be raised up but so that Christ is glorified as I am literally His feet to the last and the least. 

In her book "Interrupted" Jen talks about how it can be overwhelming when you begin to realize and understand the suffering of our broken world and I think that's where I've been stuck lately. But at the same time I've been convicted that one small commitment, one small change, one yes is how I can be Christ's hands and feet in our world.  And I pray that together enough of us saying yes will result in living in a kingdom upside down where the last shall be first, all for Christ's glory.  We're still working our way through how this looks in our lives and where Christ is calling us, but I am convinced that as one of my favorite songs says, "greater things are still to be done in this city" and we are committed to being Christ's literal gospel to a broken city.