Thanksgiving Blessings

What a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Though several dear friends were absent this year, it was great to spend time with family and friends. The turkeys were great, Mom made her best-yet dressing, and Bill delighted us all again with his famous pumpkin cheesecake. Usually, we eat our Thanksgiving feast outside, but the weather was too cold and wet to be out this year, so we lined up tables in the dining room and were cozy and warm for dinner. As we went around the table and each person shared what they were thankful for, I was reminded of all that we have and the numerous blessings the Lord has given us. My loving and wonderful husband, my supportive and fun family, and encouraging friends are at the top of my list for sure! On Saturday, despite the rain and cold temps, we traveled to the Christmas tree farm and cut down our tree. This is the fifth year we have gone to this place, and always look forward to it. We brought home our fattest tree yet - so tall and fat that we had to rearrange our living room to make space for it! But it is gorgeous and the smell of fresh evergreen greets us as soon as we enter the door. Now Bill and I will spend many evenings cuddled on the couch looking at the sparkling tree - I love this season :)

Ode to a Red Starbucks' Cup

I can't believe that on my list of favorite seasonal things, I left off the Red Starbucks' Cup!!! Now, I did mention the seasonal drinks from Starbucks - namely the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Eggnog Latte, but the Red Cup is a whole separate thing. Thankfully, a friend who has a similar devotion to Starbucks reminded me of this (thanks Juls!), and of course she is right! The Red Cup is a symbol of seasonal bliss, that all is right with the world - at least while you are drinking your eggnog latte! And so, to honor this annual phenomenon, I composed a poem. Please read this with your seasonal Starbucks' beverage of choice (in a Red Cup):

Ode to a Red Starbucks' Cup

Oh Red Cup, of cardboard frame

Eggnog, Pumpkin, what 'er your name

Filled to brim with warmth and cheer

Addictive, yes, but it's not beer!

You will rouse us from our bed,

Gladden our heart and clear our head

Make our mornings oh so bright

Keep us working all through the night.

More than that, you let us know

though temps are high and there's no snow,

That Thanksgiving is drawing near,

And Christmastime is almost here.

Through it all we won't ignore

Though buying you might make us poor,

Remember thanks when we sup,

Our cheery, cardboard, oh Red Cup!

Happy November!

I am so glad that is it November! November is one of my favorite months, and this is the beginning of my favorite season. I love everything about the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
A few of my favorite things:
pumpkins, acorns, mums
cinnamon and spice smells
hot apple cider
Thanksgiving feasting - mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes
Bill's pumpkin cheesecake
pumpkin desserts of any kind!
holiday coffees at Starbucks
candles
fires in our chiminea
autumn colored leaves - brown, gold, burgandy, orange
snuggling under the covers
the smell of pine needles
cutting down our Christmas tree and decorating it
Christmas music
hanging stockings
eggnogg
sugar cookies
hot cocoa
exchanging gifts
bundling up in scarves and gloves to go for a walk
the meaning of Christmas and how it fills me with wonder
maybe beliving in Santa Claus....still
sitting it the dark with Bill looking at the Christmas tree
red and green decorations
Christmas lights everywhere

And so, with all those fun thoughts in my mind, I will now have a bowl of stew with my darling husband :) Share some of your favorite things about the season with me!

And Baby Makes Three...

Yes, a baby Bambach is officially on the way. Baby came as a little surprise for us, but I guess the Lord in His perfect timing decided the time had come for the Bambach duo to become a threesome. Or, as Bill told me, "You play, you pay". :) We are really excited about this little squirt, and thankful that the Lord has given us this opportunity. The picture was a sonogram at eight weeks, and I am now almost 13, so baby has grown considerably since this, but you get the general idea. I think the baby definitely looks like Bill! :) I had a doctor's appointment last Monday, and got to hear the baby's heartbeat, which was exciting. The nurse also took a lot of blood for tests. I told her that since I was pregnant and supporting myself and this baby now, that I thought I should keep as much blood as possible, but she didn't agree and took four big vials of it! I am starting to realize that now that I am pregnant, my body is no longer my own! The baby is doing all kinds of things to it, and the doctor does all kinds of things to it, and basically I'm just supposed to sit back and let it all happen. Hmmmm.... Is there a way to keep one's modesty and be pregnant at the same time? Please advise.

Pug-O-Buffer (Gigi's first ever full length feature)

Bill and I made this movie about a month ago and I thought I'd post it for all to enjoy. I wish I could have done a better job of not laughing, but I kept almost losing it. Oh well - hope you get a few laughs out of it too :)

We're Tired

It seems as if we have "hit the ground running" since school started, and frankly, we're tired! Bill's classwork is keeping him busy, and since he doesn't have time to study at work anymore, our evenings and weekends look a lot different than they did before. His job duties have also changed, and it is very fast paced and tiring. My job responsibilities are also diferent than last year, and between before/after school duties, meetings, paperwork, lesson plans, discipline problems, coworker problems and teaching, I'm feeling a little worn out! And to top it off, neither of us has felt well , so that makes it even harder to function. It has sort of been just getting through one day at a time, which I hate living like, but I guess that is just how it is for now. Don't worry, we are still happy and in love, we're just exhausted too. I'm doing good now if I can stay up past 8:00! But, we have a lot to look forward to this year....if we can just make it there :)

Four Years and Counting!

Thursday was our Four Year Anniversary! Bill had to work late, so we really didn't do anything special that day (although I did make homemade chicken pot pie for him). On Friday we went out to eat at a delicious restaurant called Texas de Brazil at which you can eat all you can eat huge hunks of meat. Believe it or not, I actually love those kinds of places. Then we went to the Dallas Museum of Art, and then ended the outing with cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Thoroughly stuffed and tired, we went home and watched a movie in our p.j.'s. A great day! In some ways I can't believe that it has been four years, and then in other ways, I can't remember what it was like to live without Bill. Either way, would I do it again? YES!!

The First Step Towards an End and Beginning

Yesterday was a pretty neat day. Bill had scheduled a meeting with the head of the Placement department at Dallas Seminary to discuss our future after graduation -and how to get there. We met with this kind man and he took us to lunch at a chic little sandwich shop, where he talked and we talked and we ate great food, too! It was a really encouraging lunch meeting. We were able to share roughly with him some of our ideas and desires for ministry, and he responded with lots of suggestions, advice, and things to think about as we begin the process of life after graduation - also known as "full-time ministry". As we are just beginning this, I don't know lots about it, but I think this is this general outline: 1) Decide what ministry we are interested in/suited for and the area for that - i.e: urban, rural, traditional, blended, etc. 2) Prepare a resume, have it proofed, edited, perfected 3) Send the finished resume out beginning September, shooting for at least 30 submitted 4) Wait for responses from churches 5) Candidate (visit interested churches) 6) Get hired on at one of the churches!!

Now, a lot happens in between all of those steps, and the process will probably take quite a while, but that is it in a nutshell. So, during the next few weeks we will work on preparing a resume for Bill and have it edited. We haven't determined our send - out day yet, but it will be sometime in September. It is exciting to begin this much-anticipated process, and we would covet your prayers through all of it!

A Few More CO Pics

Spontaneity is Fun!

Last Thursday we found out that due to a switch of days at Bill's work, he had a five day weekend starting Friday. So, after a meeting at church Friday morning, on our way home we decided to go to Colorado. Yes, this was my idea, but Bill - being so wonderful - was up for it. So we came home, packed a few things and the dogs, grabbed an atlas, and headed to Colorado. So much fun! I love mountains!! We spent time in Colorado Springs, Denver, and the surrounding areas. We drove to the top of Pike's Peak and hiked around (my highlight), saw the Garden of the Gods, visited The Royal Gorge and crossed the highest suspension bridge in the world, tent camped, stayed at a nice hotel and an icky hotel, and spent the last night in a darling, tiny little cabin (also my fav). The cities were pretty and we enjoyed exploring them. The scenery was breathtaking. And the time with Bill and only Bill was the best! There is something nice about being up in the beautiful mountains with no access to t.v., internet, and no reception for your cell phones! The dogs were perfect, too, and made the trip so easy. All in all, it was a great time and I'm glad we got to do it. And here are some pics:

Some of the 'Wildlife' Around our House

This little green guy was in our kitchen! I rescued him and put him back outside where he belonged.


A dragonfly - love his colors!

Just a Few Pug Pics

Gidget - after I brushed her teeth!
Gidget's fav place to sleep - under our bed.
Gigi's fav place to sleep - in the wicker chair.

Florida Vacation Pics

On the beach by the condo. White sands, blue waters!

On "The Pier" in Naples. We watched the sunset from here - gorgeous!

Drinking Thai Tea at a Thai food restaurant.

The view from our bedroom window.

On "The Pier" with Mike and Mandy.

On the condo roof overlooking the canal.

Mandy and I on the condo roof, overlooking the canal.

Summer Break at Last!

Last week was a busy, draining one, but I have finally made it to summer break! Today is my first day of not having to go to work, and it is lovely. This morning Bill and I were laying in bed and he grinned and said, "You better get ready for work". Oh how nice to be able to laugh at that statement and roll over and sleep more! I think it is going to take me a little while to wind down from the semester, but I already have lots of ideas on what I'd like to do this summer. I think my first on the list is going to be a nap...... :

Camelot

Last Sunday night Bill and I went to see "Camelot", here for part of the summer season of Dallas Summer Musicals. The theatre was in the art deco style, and wasn't that pretty, but I really enjoyed the play. I never realized how pretty some of the music was. Growing up seeing all the musical movies, somehow I missed seeing this one. Bill enjoyed it too, but he had some trouble understanding what the actors were saying/singing. Still, it made for a fun night, as we always love going to the theatre!

Thank You, John Piper

I just finished reading When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy and decided that I just had to write about it. Or rather, John Piper in general. As I finished reading that book this week, I have found myself feeling genuine gratitude toward this man for his help in my walk toward, as he would say, "passionately pursuing Christ". I really may write him a letter even though he probably gets tons of mail and may never see it. He has really had such a tremendous impact on my life and I so respect and admire his life and ministry. Now, before you take me the wrong way, let me say it clearly: I do not worship this man, or think that he has some sort of superhuman powers; I am not a Piper "groupie". He is a normal man. BUT, his radical pursuit of the Lord, his drop everything else but a focus on Christ, his passionate pulsating faith is NOT normal - and it is that that I admire and want so desperately to be said of my life as well. This fella is extreme, and everything about his life points to the all-surpassing worth of Christ. How that stands out in a world of lukewarm faith - and how it challenges me. I first met Piper when I was a sophomore in college and he was speaking at a Passion Conference in Texas. He spoke on suffering, and his words were so challenging that I actually debated on whether I would even write them down or not! (I did, finally). Then, at Moody I had a missions class and read Let the Nations Be Glad, where his heart for world missions and the need for it fell upon my heart like never before. (As an aside, during this time one of Piper's sons attended MBI, and I did my best to meet him; I determined I was going to marry him and then move in with his parents! I didn't do that.) After that came Desiring God and then Don't Waste Your Life. That book was a life-changer. It has almost given me a fear of EVER picking up seashells - and if you read that book you know what I'm talking about! And now, just finishing When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy. His practical points to fight to keep joy - the kind of deep, fulfilling, Christ-exalting kind of joy - are worth studying. I believe that it is most of those disciplines that he shares that have been the fuel behind his passionate faith. So, if you haven't, I encourage you to pick up one of his books. He is a prolific writer/speaker and you can visit his website: www.desiringgod.org to find out more. Now, my challenge is to apply what I've learned to my life. Next time you see me, ask me how I'm doing with it.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

~Mark Twain~

He is Risen; He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Easter (a week late)! I meant to post this last Sunday, but I am just now getting to it. These are the tulips we planted in the front flowerbeds; they bloomed in time for Easter and looked so pretty when I put the cross in the middle of them. We had a nice Easter. Friday we went to a Tenebrae ("Darkness") service to commemorate the crucifixion and burial of Christ. Easter morning we went to church and celebrated the Resurrection. In our ABF (Sunday school class), Bill took a break from his usual lesson in Romans and we focused on the resurrection and what it means. We all read Scriptures relating to the Past, Present and Future promises of the Resurrection, read an Easter creed, and prayed and sang together. It was a meaningful time. Later that evening we had several couples over for Easter dinner. Before they came, I had boiled and colored eggs, and so we all sat around the table and smashed our eggs (like at Pappy & Christina's), which was fun.

Spring Planting

Spring has come here in Dallas, despite the weird cold weather we have been having lately. On nice days, I've been able to get outside and do some planting and potting. I planted 35 Caladium bulbs in the front beds. I haven't done a lot with the backyard yet, but I do have a basket of 2 kinds of oregano, and several pots of basil, mints and rosemary. My Azalea has more blooms this year (as you can see in the picture), and my lemon tree already has many baby lemons on it. In the kitchen I have started 3 different kinds of tomatoes, and as soon as they get a little bigger, I will plant them outside. I am hoping to get a good crop of fresh tomatoes this summer! Come join me for a salad :)

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

We have had a deluge this past week! SO much rain! And if it is not raining, it is still overcast outside and looks like it will. I'm sure it is helping to make everything green and growing, so I probably shouldn't complain too much. But I miss the sun. I am a sun - person. I suppose I inherit that naturally from my Mom who is practically a lizzard and could comfortably bask in the sun on a hundred-degree day! I'm not quite there, but I do love the sun. It makes me happy. So I am excited this morning b/c there is a glimmer of sun peeking out and it may be a lovely day.

Bill is working today, which is always a bummer. Half of the fun of having a weekend is spending it together. Thankfully, this is not the norm, but I still wish he were here right now. It will give me some time to myself, though and I will try to get done some of the things that are harder to do when he is around. I have been meaning to plant tomatoes for weeks now, so that is one thing I can work on. I am hoping to have three different kinds this summer.

Bill was able to go to a church-planting conference this past Thursday, and he came back so excited about it. He said the speakers were great, and it is something he is really interested in possibly doing. I love it when he talks about things relating to our future plans :) Please pray with us as we seek the Lord's will on what He wants us to do and where He wants us to go. We are praying the He will give us a real passion for a specific calling.

As we move into the Easter week, I want to spend time meditating on the depth and richness of what the resurrection means in my life. Hope you do too :)

Getting a Little "Ride" in Sausalito

I Know Paris is the City of Love, But if You are With the Right Fella....

In the Wine Caves

This winery was called Benziger. The tour was great, and the especially neat thing about it is that it is an all-natural, organic winery. An example of this is the wine caves, which are built right into the sides of hills, and stay cool naturally.

In Front of the Golden Gate Bridge

Bill at the Helm of the Balclutha

The Balclutha was an old Windjammer Ship that sailed from England all over the world, collecting spices, etc. She was later bought and sailed from San Francisco to Alaska to carry Salmon. Such a romantic ship - and what a handsome captain! :)

Touring SF in a Double-Decker Bus

Me in Front of the Jellyfish at Monerey Bay Aquarium

Sunset at the Beach in Carmel

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

And what a lovely city it is! Bill and I had a great Spring Break in San Francisco and the surrounding area. It was our first big vacation since our honeymoon, and we loved it. We spent the first two nights near Monterey Bay, and Carmel. The beaches there were gorgeous and the scenery breathtaking! Everything was so green and flowers and fruit were blooming. Our favorite event was driving the 17 Mile Scenic Tour, in which we drove along the rocky coast, saw Pebble Beach, etc. That is some of the prettiest country I have ever seen! We walked along in the sunshine and I picked up shells. We even saw a large group of fat harbor seals sleeping on the beach! Carmel was my favorite city. It was so quaint and picturesque; I tried to talk Bill into buying one of the seaside cottages, but he said we couldn't yet :) After that, we drove to San Francisco, where we spent the rest of the trip with the Luciano's. They are graduating soon and moving to NYC, so it was nice to get to have "one last fling" with them. We saw Alcatraz, the Muir woods, drove down Lombard - the crookedest street in the world -, visited the Wharf, and walked all over that hilly city. It is a beautiful city; I love that it is so outdoorsy. We spent one day visiting Napa Valley and Sonoma Wine Country, which is another lovely area. We toured some wineries and did some wine-tasting; we are now wine - connisuers :) Ok, not really, but it was fun! Our last day we visited a quaint city across the bay from San Francisco called Sausalito. It is lovely how the mountains stretch right to the ocean, and the houses are built right onto the sides of the hills. It had such a laid-back atmosphere, and Bill and I actually took a nap right in the park square of the city. I asked Bill if we could buy one of those cottages, and again he said that we couldn't. But I haven't given up hope :) We both did say that it was somewhere that we could see ourselves living one day - we really liked that area. One of the biggest blessings was the weather; seriously, I felt like that was just an extra gift from the Lord. It was unseasonally warm and sunshiney that whole week, and the day we left it became cloudy and cooler, and I kind of think the Lord just gave us that lovley weather to enjoy. Every good and perfect thing....

It was a little hard to come back to work and the normal routine after that, but we have adjusted back slowly. I do like our time here in Dallas, but going somewhere else made me look forward to the time when Bill graduates and we move on to a new adventure in a new setting. It was a good vacation, though, and we are thankful that we had the opportunity to get away. It was a good time for us to reconnect and just enjoy being together all the time. I've included many pics from our trip, so enjoy!

A New Year

And so we begin another year. I can hardly believe how quickly the time has gone! It is so amazing to look back over the past year and see all that the Lord has done, all that He has brought us through and blessed us with. I came across this verse at Thanksgiving, and feel that it very well sums up this past year: "O Lord, my God, You have accomplished many things; You have done amazing things and carried out Your purposes for us. No one can thwart You! I want to declare them and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount!" (Ps. 40:5).