1.  I recently saw that according to Google Trends data, more people do searches for flowers around Mother’s Day than they do around Valentine’s Day. Growing up we always had the tradition of going in the afternoon and buying my mom flowers and hanging baskets. Today even the last minute shoppers can usually purchase a rose after Mass in case the occasion slipped their mind!

2.  Going green…I do not have a green thumb, at all. We have a garden, which my husband takes care of and I will help by picking, preparing and enjoying the fresh produce. In case you do not believe me, let me give you a few examples. My mom gave me a beautiful ivy to put in our new house, it was one my grandmother gave to her. It started out great, vibrant and flourishing. A few months in, it began a rapid decline and nothing I did could resuscitate it. My mother in-law gave me an aloe plant, which I didn’t realize at the time is basically like a cactus in the not needing water category. I watered it occasionally and when I saw it wasn’t looking so good I thought it needed more water, so I increased the hydration. It wasn’t long before I had to sheepishly return the empty pot. Open to suggestions of hardy, low maintenance flowers before I make my attempt. (Last year’s success)

3.  Mother’s Day can often be a difficult time for women who are experiencing infertility. It usually never passes without a few tears and the longing always there to hear the voice of little ones say “mama” as they reach their arms up to you. And then there is the awkward moment in Church where all the mothers are asked to stand for a blessing and you sit there praying that someday you are able to be among those women.

4.  I wrote this article a few years ago, to the women whose motherhood remains hidden and the mothers that have experienced a loss they forever carry in their heart.

5.  Recently my younger brother has taken to sending me recipes that he has found to be simple, easy and delicious! It’s like I have a free online recipe subscription of meals that have been tested and tasted. I have to admit I felt a little less domesticated when I had to ask him for clarification on what an ingredient was and even more so when I couldn’t seem to find it at the store (not to mention he found it the first time he looked). Hominy, really what is hominy?

6.  Chocolate covered bacon, first time for everything! I was given a few strips of both dark chocolate and milk chocolate. In my analysis the dark chocolate was better, less of the bacon taste and more of the salty-sweet. The milk chocolate, I was definitely chewing bacon, would you like a serving of eggs with that? Has anyone tried it? What do you think, delicacy or disgusting?  (Don’t say I didn’t give you any ideas for Mother’s Day!)

7.  Make sure to see Jen and check out her new book, Something Other Than God.  Plus, her post on her recent travels, flight delay and driving a monster truck for a rental car. It had me laughing out loud and at the same time caused me anxiety about the next trip I will take to anywhere!

1. I love the fact that Easter is not just a one day celebration, but 8 days to party filled with joy and glory!  Here’s my Easter recap on hosting the in-laws.  What are your favorite Easter traditions?  What were some of your memorable moments from the weekend?

2. I made a delectable cheesecake for Easter, which I intended to share the recipe, but in the haste of getting ready I never took a picture of the final product.  We happen to have the homemade strawberry sauce left, so my husband suggested I just make another cheesecake; I can get a picture of the masterpiece and use up the leftover sauce.  There are only two of us to eat 16 servings, Easter gluttons?

3. The Monday morning before Easter we woke up to snow covering the ground and not just a little bit either.  And by Monday night I almost burned our house down!  I was making potato wedges for dinner, drizzled or perhaps doused with olive oil, while flipping them one fell onto the bottom of the oven.  Panicked, I froze up and just yelled for my husband who was downstairs, as the potato started shooting out sparks and tiny flames.  It felt like an eternity before he heard my cry for help; thankfully he got the situation under control.  When all was said and done he commented, “I thought the yell sounded a little different from the usual, ‘dinner is ready!’ and you know you could have just turned the oven off.”

4. We went from being a wildlife sanctuary to needing to call pest control.  In recent weeks we have found mice and several mice nests that were built over the winter around our yard.  My husband asked if I wanted a picture for my blog…uh, we’ll pass on the rodent portraits.

5. Hangry, why wait?  I was happy to see a scientific study published last week to excuse my lack of self-control and impoliteness that seems to make an appearance right before dinner time. There’s just this small window of time between getting home from work and making dinner, where I seem to feel ridiculously hungry and the only answer is a bag of chips, a full bag of chips as I prepare a healthy dinner.

6. One thing is a constant throughout the adoption process, that every time I think I have this whole waiting and trusting thing down, something seems to happen which shows how far off I really am.  I guess it’s a good thing as it will keep us striving, trying and longing to better ourselves.  To become more fully alive and living life to the full!

7. “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” — Pope John Paul II

I feel like my quick takes become more random each time, go visit Jen for a more cohesive post.

1.  Coming back for another 7, linking up with Jen.  Thanks for the tips and suggestions for hosting Easter!  I have taken to pinterest to find some simple ways to add a little spring in the step.  (My husband warned me that if I do too nice of a job I may be volunteered to host every holiday.)  I am feeling pretty chill about it, that is until I see some kind of forecast that would involve large amounts of snow in April!

2.  Some mothers are expecting a child in their womb for 9 months and as result have stretch marks; other mothers are expecting a child in their heart for years and as a result have stress marks! Although I am not seeing the normal physical changes that happen to one’s body when expecting a child, I see how the adoption process is changing my heart.  It’s through the waiting, the ups and downs of the process, the unknowns and complete abandonment that is leaving me changed.  It’s making me stretch outside of being comfortable, outside of the certainty to a new level of trust and love.

3.  I am working on being grateful for the small things…I had mentioned the other day to my husband that I was having a really rough and stressful day.  With that in mind come 5:30pm, he suggests we just pick up subs for dinner so I don’t have to worry about cooking, thank. you.  I guess this may actually not fall into the “small things” category because not having to make dinner was a huge thing, it’s usually the last thing I care to do after coming home from a long day at work.

4.  Speaking of being grateful, I feel like I need to give a shout out to Mother Nature (just so it’s on the record) for giving us a couple of days of 60 degrees.  It’s amazing to see everyone come out of hibernation and quite refreshing to go for a nice stroll in the evening.

5.  Fashion Find.  I am all about shopping on a budget and finding great deals that also are appealing to the wardrobe.  This find from Old Navy fits the bill for only $19.00!  I almost passed them by, because they appeared a little frumpy on the rack, but look much cuter on.  These pants are super comfy and versatile.  I plan on dressing them up with a blouse and heels for work, but will be a staple for casual wear with a t-shirt and some flats.

6.  Just call us the wildlife sanctuary.  Only a few days after the fox sighting, I woke up and saw four deer bedded down in our yard around 6:00am.  I am guessing it was where they laid their head all night, since they were pretty content in spite of me trying to have a photo session and blinding them with the flash.  I couldn’t get them all to squeeze together to fit in the frame, so only three are included.

7.  Looking for a little consolation on this one and hoping I am not alone.  I was recently in a conversation about temperaments and was sharing about my list making obsession.  I explained that even when something wasn’t on the list, but accomplished that day I add it to the list just for the mere satisfaction of crossing it off.  Other people do this too, right?

Making my debut with 7 Quick Takes!

1.  I have been reading Jen’s blog for years and always make sure to stop over on Friday’s to read all the great takes, so I am thrilled to finally jot down my own 7!  I have never had the privilege of meeting Jen in real life, but she is a fabulous guest on the radio show I produce and I feel like a star having my voice heard in Minor Revisions.

2.  It turns out we are hosting my husband’s family for Easter this year.  I am a little nervous and slightly overwhelmed, you see he is the youngest of 11 and there are about 25 nieces and nephews, but who’s counting.  We have only had about half of the family in our house at one time, so figuring out the logistics to this may be tricky.  Looking for suggestions and tips in meeting the needs of that many people at one time in one place…

3.  Feeling down and discouraged, having one of those moments when you wonder if God is really hearing your prayers.  In that moment of crying out to God, He reassures you right then and there in that exact moment, that He’s got this, He’s in control.  Continue to push on, persevere and keep the faith!  In that moment your tears instantly switch from those of sorrow to those of joy, tears of gratefulness and praise, because once again you’re reminded He’s got this, He’s got you!
“Faith is like a dark tunnel: God gives us the Light to take one step at a time. The Light is not given to see the end of the tunnel.” – Fr. Walter Ciszek

4.  I am not complaining about the weather, but I was looking forward to spending some time with my family this weekend.  Good ole Mother Nature changed my plans with an April blizzard leaving 12 inches of snow in its path!

5.  You know you have a haircut gone bad when the only compliment you hear on it is from your husband, who is just trying to get you to leave the house.  Of course there was the one person at work who notices and the conversation goes like this:

A: Oh you got your haircut?
Me: Yeah, not sure if I like it though.
A: Well, it’s short.

I guess it keeps you humble.

6.  What Did the Fox Say?  Well, just the other morning we saw Mr. Fox frolicking in our back yard in the field behind our house.   Keep in mind we live in suburbia not in the country, this isn’t supposed to happen.  I was sort of freaked out by a fox that close to our house, of course my husband thinks it would be great to have around to help control the mice population.  I can just see myself sitting out on the deck reading a book this summer and all of a sudden being terrified by the sight of it, forcing me to live the rest of those sunny days as a hermit locked up in my house!  (The picture is a bit blurry, our camera wasn’t charged so we opted to use the tablet which does a nice job of pixilating.)

7.  I was writing up my About page and reading a sentence to my husband to get his input, “I like good coffee, good wine and good friends.”  His response with no hesitation, it sounds like you have a drinking problem.  Needless to say I scratched that line.