What's Next? Part 2

It's hard to believe it's been four months since student-life was our reality. It's been nice, but a lot busier than we planned! This post has been half-written for a while, but I've gotten some questions about what's coming up for us, so I thought I'd finish it and share a bit of where we're at in life right now.

Since E graduated with his Master of Divinity degree, he has been doing a few odd jobs here and there and working as an intern at our church. About two weeks ago the librarian at his school retired, and they offered E the job. He's also teaching two courses here - but both gigs will be up in January. We are so thankful he has such a great job for the time in between. (but I'm still not ready to think about student loans coming due next month...)

He spent almost all summer preparing for his licensure exam at the local presbytery meeting. The church denomination we are in (Presbyterian Church in America, or PCA) requires a process to qualify candidates to become pastors. Usually in the last year of, or after graduation from seminary, future pastors are given an extensive written and oral exam to test their qualifications for ministry. If they pass, they are licensed by the presbytery (a group of local PCA pastors and elders). Last week E sustained his exam!! (and did extremely well, I might add :-). Our pastor said he hit it out of the park.)

Now that he's licensed, he can start to look for a call to a pastoral position in a church and we've been asked more than ever - what's the plan?
I'm torn between knowing he needs to become a pastor (ahh!), and being really comfortable where we are right now. We love the San Diego area, we love our church, we both have stable jobs - so it's hard to imagine moving away. But at the same time, knowing this school thing was temporary, I'm getting antsy for a new adventure.

It feels like we spend every other night talking, praying, and dreaming about the different options for the future: short-term missions, long-term missions, planting a church, college chaplaincy, solo pastoring, in an urban church, rural church, east coast, west coast, overseas - who knows? It's weird and unnerving not knowing where we'll be in one year, five years or fifteen years. But it's also exciting and comforting for us to know that God has it figured out for us.

In the meantime, we are enjoying a lifestyle that doesn't involve E studying every night, and a tiny bit of extra income to start paying down our loans. I'm in the middle of travel season for work as a recruiter, and LOVE this time of year, even though I miss a lot of happenings at home. The midwest and east coast are putting on a great fall color show as usual, and I have one more wedding to finish off this wedding season (in Charlotte, NC!).

What are you guys most looking forward to this fall?

What's Good at Trader Joe's

A few weeks ago I made a very rare visit to Trader Joe's. We have one close, but it's just not on my regular circuit of grocery stores, since I have a lot of great markets like Sprouts nearby. So just before leaving I threw out the question on Twitter

You guys gave me some amazing suggestions! I've been working my way through a few at a time during each visit to Trader Joe's, but here's the list in its fullness for you to enjoy.

• speculoos cookie butter ✓ (yay for my dutch heritage! I grew up eating the cookies that this spread is made of, so not only is it amazingly delicious, it is nostalgic)
• wine ✓ 
• hummus ✓ (E and I eat a good amount of hummus and we were amazed at how much better TJ's is vs. almost every other kind we've tried)
• pretzel thins ✓ (pair with cookie butter)
• chocolate covered: pretzel thins ✓ (see above), almonds with sea salt and turbinado sugar ✓ (cannot recommend enough; we are addicted), raisins, caramels, orange sticks, coconut bonbons, s'mores, pistachio toffee
• goddess dressing ✓ (really good on spinach salad)
• Italian truffle cheese ✓
• lemon pasta
• plain tart frozen yogurt
• salsa autentica
• double-roasted salsa
• dried blueberries
• mint chocolate covered espresso beans
• kettle corn
• mingling olives
• a fig walked into a bar bars
• pesto
• edamame nuggets
• Crotin goat cheese trio
• almond milk yogurt
• pizza dough
• vegetable tempura birds nests
• ice cream mochi
• frozen fire-roasted corn

Anything else?



Edited to add:
p.s. see also the comments section on this post at elefantitas algres
p.p.s. just found the blog What's Good at Trader Joe's

I am apparently not the first to ask this question!

Washington DC travel advice needed!

After an amazing weekend in Carpinteria, hanging out with Rainn Wilson, we're off again. ...this time to Washington D.C because E's best friend is getting married!

We are going to have just a day to sight-see so we want to pick 1 or 2 things to see, and one place to eat to keep things manageable.

So, DC area people - what is your favorite thing or two to do in DC? (bonus points if they are close together/easily accessed by public transport) If you had to pick one place to eat, where would it be?
E and I have both been to DC before (years ago) and seen some of the big sights like the Washington Monument, White House, etc, so I'm thinking a Smithsonian? But what do I know.

Also, it turns out, I'm going to be free Friday evening while the guys have their bachelor party shenanigans, so anything you'd recommend I do that evening?

The mama club

I keep trying to blog about things I think I should be writing about, like what I've been up to for the past few months - what I've been cooking, wearing, where I've been traveling etc. But none of that has been motivation enough to write lately.

Suddenly yesterday I had an epiphany - why not just write what's on my mind? I know that sounds silly and obvious, but it was a freeing realization to just write what I've been thinking about lately.

So, what is on my mind? Incidentally, the topic of babies. I was talking to E the other night about how we have gotten together with couple friends (new and old) a lot more frequently lately, but that I have been the only imbibing female amongst every couple we've spent time with this summer. Between friends who are TTC, expecting, and lactating, I'm feeling a little bit out of the club.

E and I are in the stage of starting to talk about growing our family in a more real sense, with a real timeline (involving years); still, we're not quite ready. But there is something about all my friends having babies that still makes me feel a little left out. I mean, my mom friends are impressed by my knowledge of the physical effects of pregnancy, birth and post-partum, (this is primarily because I have been reading too much OMG Mom), but it is also evident I'm not able to relate to what has changed for them emotionally and turned their entire lives around and upside down.

Maybe this goes without saying, but I really want to stay friends with all these ladies as they become mamas. I think I'm just having a hard time adjusting to their new normal and figuring out how to maintain a relationship that includes my time and love for their babies, but also adult time to talk about non-baby things. It feels a little awkward, like the start of a new friendship.
 Do I suggest we go out baby-free? Do I offer to come over and help them around the house?
How do I talk about my day-to-day work and married life with them, when it doesn't seem nearly as significant as creating and nurturing a human life?

I know a lot of my friends are on the other side of this and maybe struggling as well to maintain healthy friendships with single or childless friends. So please weigh in - I would love to hear what ladies on both sides feel about this!

Fast, healthy and affordable lunches

Ok, so I know that post title might sound too good to be true. I've spent years of my life stressing out at 7:25am trying to throw something together for lunch that day. You know, that perennial problem of a full refrigerator, but nothing to eat.

I'm not saying I'm super [lunch] girl, here to save you, but I have picked up a few tips and ideas - mostly from people more awesome than me - to share. Hopefully this will inspire you to plan your breakfasts, snacks and lunches (and dinners) better for minimal stress, and maximum health!


love my Built NY lunch bag!*

Since I started tracking my calorie intake and exercise on MyFitnessPal, I can tell I've been somewhat more intentional about what I eat. But I still haven't lost more than a pound, and I frequently find myself getting stuck on days when coworkers bring in cookies, cake and bagels, because I haven't brought enough food to work to resist indulging. I realized that I conveniently forgot to record a lot of these little indulgences, which is why I ended up continually under my calorie count on paper, but in real life haven't seen the evidence.

So it is time to kick my booty into gear. Now my goal is 200-250 calorie mini-meals 5 or 6 times a day. This is surprisingly less difficult than I thought it would be. Here is an online journal of what I have bought and eaten during the day over a week's-ish time. (what's bolded are my favorites)

Grocery Store
eggs $4
bagged salad $2
fresh fruit (whatever is on sale) $5
Bolthouse greek yogurt ranch dressing $3 (45 calories for 2 tbsp, AND protein!)
shredded rotisserie chicken, or pre-grilled chicken breasts $6
roasted almonds $4 (I love the sea salt and vinegar flavor)
dark chocolate $3 (Trader Joe's has great options for dark chocolate covered-just about anything you can think of. currently eating dark chocolate covered pretzel thins)
hummus $3

Costco (bulk)
Crudites $10 (lasts two people for 1 week of  daily snacks)
Organic apple packs $7
Frozen mixed fruit $5
Kashi: Go Lean Crunch $5
Greek Yogurt $7
Pico de gallo $4


Pulled from my pantry
whole wheat bread
almond butter or natural peanut butter
honey
chocolate syrup
Tortilla chips



Monday
Breakfast: greek yogurt, honey, Kashi go lean crunch, 203 calories
Mid-morning snack: 1/3 c of roast almonds with dark chocolate m&ms, 215 calories
Lunch: 1/3 bagged salad, 1/2 c. chicken, yogurt ranch dressing, 180 calories
Afternoon snack: Rainier cherries, cookie, 150 calories



Tuesday
Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs (or hard boiled made the night before), coffee with cream, 190 calories
Mid-morning snack: apple slices, 1 tbsp almond butter mixed with 1 tsp cookie butter, 225 calories
Lunch: Chips and pico de gallo, crudites with ranch dressing, 250 calories
Afternoon snack: 1/2 c. Kashi go lean crunch 96 calories



Wednesday
Breakfast: 2 slices whole wheat toast with almond butter, 260 calories
Mid-morning snack: 1/2 c. greek yogurt with  1 tbsp chocolate syrup, 140 calories
Lunch: leftover pork tenderloin with mango salsa, coconut rice and asparagus 260 calories
Afternoon snack: crudites with hummus 110 calories



Thursday
Breakfast: fruit smoothie (frozen fruit, greek yogurt, orange juice or milk, protein powder)
Mid-morning snack: Kashi Go Lean crunch, 96 calories
Lunch: grilled chicken on salad, fresh fruit 175 calories
Afternoon snack: chips and pico de gallo 160 calories



Friday
Breakfast: Special K with Red Berries, 2% milk, 219 calories
Mid-Morning Snack: apples slices with almond butter and honey, 253 calories
Lunch: leftover pollo asada with rice, pico de gallo and chips 300 calories
Afternoon Snack: crudites with ranch 80 calories


Total spent = $71

But almost all of these ingredients will last me for 2 weeks +. So it's about $35/week or $7 a day for breakfast, lunch and snacks.



Total time prepping = 1 minute each day

I love storing individual serving of Greek yogurt, fruit or veggies in these Weck glass jars* E got me for Christmas. I reuse the same bags to store chips, cherries, etc so I don't get tempted to eat more than one serving. I leave the bagged salad, roast chicken, dressing, almond butter, almonds and chocolate at work so I don't have to pack it every day.

Despite the fact that my lunch prep is quick now, it does take some time to plan, purchase groceries and get things together at the beginning of the week. But by figuring out what kinds of things I can eat and packaging them up the night before, I just grab two containers and/or bags of whatever food I've gotten ready, and stuff it in my lunch bag, and I'm off!

Obviously, the calorie count isn't going to apply to everyone - this is just what works best for me right now. But however much you eat, it is important to take time eating! Since your body doesn't register that your stomach is full for 20 minutes, I stretch out my lunch break to be eating for that full amount of time. If you have to eat fast, another trick is to eat as much as you know you should, and if you feel hungry, resist eating more for 30 minutes. If you're still feeling hungry then, you can find another light snack. But more often than not, you won't be!

*affiliate links

The ultimate sacrifice

I have so many things to share and write about - baby showers thrown and attended (3), wedding events for my sister, travel, our crazy growing garden.

But for the past five days I've done little else but think about and pray for a woman I know from church who lost her husband in Afghanistan on Sunday.

It's strange: even though we know a lot of military families, I (ignorantly) thought things were basically over for the US military in the Middle East. I certainly didn't think about or realize US soldiers were still being attacked and still dying. So the news itself was completely shocking.



I have grieved the loss of people much dearer to me - family members and close friends, but the loss of Dan has come as such a huge blow to the church and community. E and I weren't close with Dan and his wife Rachel, but we had mutual friends at church and had attended a few game nights with them. In the past, I have been moved and saddened hearing about the loss of lives of our military members, but this was so close to home.

Dan was a sergeant in MARSOC (special ops in the Marines), and had already been in combat three times and was on his sixth deployment. He received a purple heart last summer in a combat that shattered his knee. Besides being a godly man who loved his family, I don't know how else to describe him except that he seemed way too bad ass to have anything happen to him. It's really hard to imagine one of the toughest strongest guys you can think of not making it.  But this isn't the movies, and the strong guy isn't coming home.


(taken from Facebook)

In part it feels disingenuous to be so torn up over his death, considering there are so many others suffering so much more deeply at this loss. But as Christians we mourn with those who mourn, and I can't help but dwell on the ugliness of death.
I'm just so thankful that death does not win in the end.

The very moment that believers die they are in paradise. Their battle is fought: their strife is over. They have passed through that gloomy valley we must one day tread; they have gone over that dark river we must one day cross. They have drunk that last bitter cup which sin has mingled for man: they have reached that place where sorrow and sighing are no more. Surely we should not wish them back again! We should not weep for them, but for ourselves.
-JC Ryle


Thank you for your service and sacrifice, Gunnery Sergeant Daniel J. Price.