Sparkle Fingers!

We had our Girls on the Run race today and it was a lot of fun! My two running buddies rocked it! We had excellent weather, perfect for running. The race is always so special for the girls because the finish line is inside Toyota Park and they display the girls on the jumbotron.

Running a race always makes me want to sign up for another one. I am comfortable running a 5K at a slow pace, but I want to work up to feeling comfortable running at least five miles. I don't know if I am ready anytime to run another half marathon, but we'll see. I have been toying with the idea...especially if it is in a fun city :)

Time to eat my leftover greek chicken and orzo and do a little knitting! What a lovely day!

Bagels

Yay! Yay! YAY! I made bagels for the first time this morning!!

Check out this link for a great recipe.

I tried to post some great videos from E-How.com, however, I couldn't quite figure it out...so, if you need the visual, like I did, you can search on E-How.

I am super excited because bagels are so delicious and I never thought I could make them! I topped mine with a variety of things---garlic, salt, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, and cinnamon and sugar. The recipe makes 10 and I read that if you do not boil the bagels (which I did), you can freeze the dough, let rise, and then bake. This really cuts down on the time it takes, which it is rather involved, but TOTALLY worth it!!

Well, time to relax a little and clean up a bit before Tom's family comes over. Tonight, we are celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday at an awesome pot sticker house in bridgeport!!

Happy Weekend to all!!

Even my neighbor's mexican tuba music can't bring me down...

This summer marks four years of living in Chicago. There have been many ups and downs, just as anyone experiences, but the past two years have been especially tough. Not that it was all terrible or horrible or awful, just difficult. I have never felt so challenged personally, and then to be so early in our marriage added another level. We have both learned a lot, so I am happy to say that I think things are starting to look up. I feel a lot more freedom and security and hope for the future. Part of this is because last week I was hired for my first teaching position! I am so happy to officially begin my teaching career! Summer school will be over in another week and a half and I will have a good portion left of the summer to relax , visit with family and friends, and prepare to teach 6th/5th grade! Tom is busy working for a free breakfast/lunch program in the city and is doing really awesome things with that. The program lasts through mid-August, so we are just praying that he is next to land a teaching position for this coming school year.

This would mean the world to us and would finally give us both the stability we have been longing for. We know that we just have to continue to work hard, trust God, and be patient that it will come. We believe our hearts are in it for the right reasons, so we have no reason to worry.

SO...YAY! I feel READY for whatever God has planned!!!

yes, i am reading a book called, "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living"

"Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand." -Thomas Carlyle

I really needed to hear this. My last post was in October--the same month I started a long-term substitute position for a fifth/sixth grade classroom. I have been so overcome by worry, anxiety, stress, etc. It is probably the biggest challenge I have yet faced in life and I still do not know when it is going to end...March? June? I know, sounds so dramatic, but it is the truth. It's not just the position, but it is compounded by so many of my own issues...so many of my own insecurities and weaknesses. This position just manages to hit every one of these very raw nerves and I have found myself to be a complete mess.

Thankfully, I have/am learning and understanding some really remarkable things. Just the fact that today I managed to make a batch of granola, enjoy the Art Institute with my husband, and write this blog post is a huge accomplishment for me. Towards the end of tonight I found myself fighting once again worry and dread for tomorrow, knowing that saturday is almost over and tomorrow means one day closer to being back in the classroom. I am so fortunate to have a husband that saw right through all of this and encouraged me to take some time to read and the quotation above is what landed in my lap.

I am thankful tonight for this and thankful for what I am learning and going through because I have hope that it will all be worth it. This whole, vague description of my current state may sound so trivial to some, but I am learning to be ok with being weak--something I have always tried to avoid. I am weak. I am broken right now. I don't care how this is perceived. I am trying my best and if it is not good enough for some it is good enough for me. I am learning to have confidence and that being kind does not mean getting stepped on.

A few things...

How adorable are these measuring cups from Anthropologie! I have always loved nesting dolls as a girl, but have never owned any. These would be perfect because they also have a use! I have lived in Chicago for 3 years now and have yet to go to one of their locations. I usually just look online. I am making it a point to go this year!

Tom and I had a fun weekend. We went hiking at Rollins Savannah with Lena. I took my binoculars, camera, and bird field guide because they have this whole bird observation area. It was beautiful there and we spotted 5 Egrets, 1 bird that I think was some kind of Heron but its characteristics didn't match up very well with my field guide, several gigantic! monarch butterflies, many yellow butterflies, and two ribbon snakes.

Unfortunately, while hiking, Lena grabbed at something and before we could figure out what was going on, she had in her mouth a baby field mouse (i think). It was SO SAD! We didn't even have her on a long lead because we were working on heeling, but the little thing ran out in front of her and she was fast to grab it up! I was so sad because it was so furry and cute and looked like my old beloved pet, Thelma. Lena almost caught a frog as well! She is definitely a country dog. I think of her as my sweet little puppy, but she is also a dog and loves to hunt, unfortunately.

-Sarah

giving thanks a little early this year...

Here's Tom and I enjoying a visit at the Garfield Park Conservatory. I just love it there! I already want to go back! This picture was taken in the Fern Room which was designed by Jens Jensen (as was a lot of the conservatory). Some of the plants in this room are over 300 years old!

So, I am so surprised that this Wednesday Tom and I will celebrate our 3rd year of marriage! I am excited for the future. Things have not been easy, mostly due to going back to school/finances/trying to find our way in a city we've never lived in and hardly knew anyone/etc.

But, I am SO thankful to have this man in my life. I had a crush on him from the first time I met him at the end of my freshman year. I didn't know if we would ever date- all I knew was that I was smitten and that I needed to pray about it. So many memories of this time flood my memory...

My bracelet that I wore all summer while in Thailand, our brief time of letter writing, the Pixies concert and the drive home, TD's CD's and LP's, meeting for lunch in the union, Roman history class together, chatting on instant messenger, making tacos on Thursdays at the Villas, all the times we hung out with friends at the Villas, and then of course, our trip to Nashville and Memphis where we visited Stax Records, Sun Records, The Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, and his proposal on St. Patrick's Day along the Mississippi River.

I was SO SHOCKED that we were already at that point! I had no idea how things would work out, but they just fell into place so smoothly. I'll never forget our car ride home from Tennessee, talking the whole way about our future together. Here's to more laughter and striving to bring out the best in each other...

-Sarah

i can carry an air conditioner all by myself if necessary!

So, I didn't get the position... Trying to stay positive as I continue subbing. This is kind of difficult because subbing has always been kinda tough for me. I just need some time to adjust. I was so set on NOT subbing and wanted to have my own class SO badly, but I am trying to be thankful that I DO HAVE A JOB. This whole experience has been really good. Really eye-opening, but good. This year may not go the way I want it to, but I have to trust that God is faithful and will not let me down.

You HAVE to check out this website and this one. They both just crack me up! On the bright side, since I do not have lesson plans to create or praise God I do not have homework to complete...I have been going through books at the library like a mad woman. I JUST LOVE the Chicago Public Library system. There are SO many locations and they have SO MUCH and you can even request that materials be sent to your closest location! I just picked up a bunch of books on sewing, knitting books with baby patterns (my cousin, Lisa is pregnant!), cooking, bird identification, wildflower identification, and a couple fiction books (I am on the 5th Harry Potter book now!). I LOVE coming home with a whole stack of books free of charge :)

Do you love how I am using all caps?? I just realized I was using them...oh well :)

I am excited for this Saturday! Tom and I are going to the Garfield Park Conservatory for the 9th Annual County Fair!

I can't wait! There there will be FREE bee keeping demonstrations, FREE composting demonstrations, and FREE food preservation demonstrations...all things I have started getting into (bee keeping is more of something I am fascinated by but would probably not want to try unless I had the real-deal suit so there is no chance of getting stung).

Plus this event is going to have a recipe swap that I am participating in, a farmer's market, and live music. I am so curious to see how a county fair will operate in the city...

Last but not least, I am PUMPED for all the new seasons of our favorite thursday night TV shows! My sister and Michael will be coming over to enjoy with us...reminds me of our college days at IU...if only more of our friends could join us!

-Sarah

Still waiting to hear if I got the position...

But excited for this weekend!!! Especially because of this:

I have been for the past two years and it totally rocks! ALSO excited for this weekend because Jess and Matthew will be here for a visit.

I just gotta keep my nerves in check and be patient. I have to decided to be content with whatever happens and trying not to stress too much!

-Sarah