Miscellany Monday - August 24, 2015: Hair, Retreat, A Date, and What I'm Reading and Listening To

My friend/hairdresser-for-13 years, Donna, went and moved.  She said they were going to do it...but I truly was in denial for quite some time.

I had to go get my haircut by someone new last week.  I almost cried.

But then I put my big girl panties on and went on in to see Tasha.  We had a great time talking (she is hilarious!), and I don't hate my hair.

I may survive.



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I stayed up late I set my alarm to get up at midnight to register for another Created for Care conference.  Amy and I went to the first one ever 4.5 years ago.  There are now two of these events a year, and they sell out fast (like 15-minutes-fast).

I am going with Amy, Amy and Vicki...and I could not be more excited.  Three of my sweetest and closest friends.  We have 18 children between us - 14 of them adopted.

I learned so much from the sessions last time...and just as much from the adoptive moms I met.  I am so excited that we get to attend this together!


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Here is something I never imagined myself saying:

"I am reading a book entitled, Lessons from Madame Chic - 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris."

WHA?!?!  That doesn't at all sound like the kind of book that I would normally be interested in...much less be caught dead reading.

But I have come to thoroughly trust Modern Mrs. Darcy's recommendations.  When she mentioned and described this book, I knew I would like to borrow it from the library.  I had to wait for it to arrive through our state's inter-library loan system, and I am so glad I did!

This book is fascinating.  It does talk about clothes...but it is so much more than that.  Food, Exercise, Clutter, Entertaining, Cultivating your mind.  It is about living well...intentionally.  I am thoroughly enjoying this book!


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Jas and I got to go on a date last weekend.

This cute couple got all crazy and went to the auto parts store (Jason's AC is out in his truck), and to a wings place.  We had a great time!  (It wouldn't matter where we went, and what we ate, I'd take a date with this cute guy anytime!)

I have always fully agreed with the suggestion that married couples should have a weekly date night.  That would be great!

But that is simply not reality.  Not for us.  Not right now.

"Babysitter Fees" would have to have its own (big!) line item in our monthly budget to make that happen.  There is just no way we can do that right now.

But even though we can't do weekly date nights, we have tried to be much more intentional about making dates happen this year.  This equates to approximately 6 dates so far this year.  (Might only be four or five, actually) Less than one a month.  Not great.  But...this is actually much better than any year since we became parents!  We're moving in the right direction!


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A fabulous coffee punch was served at a baby shower I attended several months ago.  It. was. so. yummy!

So when our community group hosted a baby shower for Marissa last weekend, I volunteered to make the punch.  Thankfully I had the link for the exact recipe I'd tried.  There are quite a few recipes floating around on the interwebz, but none look as easy as this one.  And they simply cannot taste any better than this one.

The Best Coffee Punch - from Dukes and Duchesses

This coffee punch only has 5 ingredients (6 if you count "water", which I don't!).

CAUTION:  There is NOTHING even remotely healthy or redeeming about this recipe.  Actually, I suppose "The Best Tasting Thing I've Had This Month" is a bit of a redeeming quality...

Now go pin this recipe for the next time you help host a shower.  You'll thank me...

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I am a bit in love with this song right now.


How Can It Be? by Lauren Dangle

You plead my cause,
You right my wrongs
You break my chains
You overcome

You gave your life
To give me mine
You say that I am free
How can it be?




I have been a Christ-follower for 16 years now (really?), and I still wonder all the time:  "How Can it Be?"

And then I am so thankful that I don't have to understand His reasoning to benefit from His endless love and mercy and grace.