What Mom & Daughter Wore...

This is the post where I tell on myself and then enjoy the happy photo find!  And somehow I connected both What I Wore and What Works For Me.... another happy connection... First the tell on myself part...
I have a love / hate relationship with the digital photography realm.  One the one hand, I love the instant gratification of seeing the photo you just took and knowing what it looks like and whether or not you want to take another. But what I really dislike, and can't seem to get a handle on, even after all these years of taking digital photos is the "processing" of them.  No, I'm not taking that little roll of film to the store to have it developed, but there is still a process - unloading the sd card, filing the photos, editing, and backing them up. Friends, it's confession time - I stink at this process.  I'm pretty good at getting them off the sd card, but once they enter my laptop, forget about it - literally.  And the backup - mama mia I can't tell you the last time...I know....  {sigh} Case in point - I switched laptops in the fall... about 4 months ago, and just now have I begun to put the photos on my new laptop.  Part of the problem is the learning curve with iPhoto - SO, if anyone has any tips on using this program,  and wouldn't mind helping a sista out, I'd be terribly grateful!! Now the happy photo find...
But I digress.....  In the uploading I just finished I was pleasantly surprised to find a photo shoot I did with my Dollie last fall.  It was a sunny Sunday afternoon after church and we both looked cute, or so we thought, so we had some shots taken...

   These outfits are really typical for the two of us.  I love the skirt, boot, top look for fall and winter and it works for me, so I go with it.  She is really into the blazers/jackets right now. My outfit - black skirt: Macy's, print top: Macy's, boots: Famous footwear Her outfit - not sure - black jeans: Macy's, top & jacket: Charlotte Russe, boots: Famous Footwear Linking up with: What I Wore Wednesday @ The Pleated Poppy Works For Me Wednesday @ We Are THAT Family

About Me Page...

Welcome to Enjoy the Process, where I endeavor to share my story ~ 

First & foremost, I'm a Jesus-girl, a sinner saved by grace, walking everyday by His empowerment!  I'm married to the Man of my dreams - literally, and together, we are raising two teenagers.

My life is all about Living well, Laughing often, & Loving much, so that is what I share.  Things like...

• our gluten-free diet lifestyle, including recipes and links I find helpful...
• our teen-raising challenges and triumphs (as much as I can post without embarrassing them)...
• our marriage and parenting successes and not-so-successes...
• the insights that the Lord is sharing with me...

Bottom line?  I have a heart to share my story in the hope of encouraging & moving others forward in theirs.

A Few Random Facts about me...

1.  I had a dream about my wedding and the groom even before we were dating.

2.  I am a Guillain-Barre miracle recovery story.

3.  Purple is my favorite color.

4.  I work part-time for our church doing everything from weekly bulletins to social-media.

5.  I have a love/hate relationship with Apple i-products.

Taco Seasoning Mix {WFMW}

This morning I was mixing up a batch of Taco Seasoning Mix and I had the thought - "doing this takes so little time and yet it so works-for-me."  Then I had a slap-my-forehead moment when I realized I should share it with the masses on Works For Me Wednesday.   I only wish I had made a note of where I originally got the idea and the recipe, though we have tweaked it over the years. It's easy to make.   It's easy to use. It tastes great. And you know exactly what's in it...unlike the envelopes...

TACO SEASONING MIX 1 Tbs. Chili Powder 2 tsp. Onion Powder 1 tsp. Cumin 1 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 tsp. Paprika 1 tsp. Oregano (optional) 1 tsp. Sugar 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt Mix together.   Store in an airtight Container.  (My TW snack cup holds a double batch.) I believe one batch is about the same amount as one of those envelopes, but honestly, I just eyeball it. I also typed up the recipe and put it on the fridge so I don't have to look for the recipe when we run out.  (Because I'm efficient like that...) Linked with We are THAT Family - Works For Me Wednesday

My heart is full...

"I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine" Song of Solomon 6:3
This week my heart is full.   Monday we celebrated 18 years of marriage.  Eighteen!  Someone please explain how that is possible?!?  Seems like only yesterday we walked into that church on such a beautiful, sunny February day - only to come out a little while later to a blizzard.  Ahh February in NY!   Thursday we celebrated Valentine's Day.  I use that term celebrated loosely, because around here our love is not reserved for just one day, but for everyday.  We have always purposed to show it and be it on a daily basis.  For each other.  For our kids.  For our Heavenly Father. But yesterday this week, my Man went all out.  This whole week has been an extra special showering of gifts and flowers, candy and hugs.  For me and our kids.  Truly amazing how he knocks my socks off again and again! And tonight...tonight we celebrate big, with a night out.  It's been awhile since it's been just the two of us.  We usually go out with the kids - we like spending the time with our teenagers and they with us.  But tonight, it's just us...and a host of other couples from church, all dolled up ready to eat, dance, and enjoy our way through the evening!   It's our evening to celebrate one another and the love formed over time.   This week, my heart is full. Linking up with Lisa Jo and a host of others at Five Minute Friday! Also linking up with Fellowship Friday

Happy Anniversary!

Thank you sweetheart for 18 unforgettable years!  

There have certainly been ups and downs, 

but through it all, God has been faithful 

and we have grown!  

I cannot imagine my days without you!  

I love you more than I did on that sunny/blizzarding day back in 1995!

Happy Anniversary!!

Winter {Sunday Community}

“As long as the earth endures, 

seedtime and harvest, 

cold and heat, 

summer and winter, 

day and night will never cease.”

Genesis 8:22

Linked with: The Sunday Community

A daily life pattern {#hellomornings}

I'm a work in process.  Sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes I don't.  These past several weeks - not so much.  I could give you a list, but what would that accomplish?  
Suffice it to say that I KNOW God is at work.  
How do I know that?  Because He does things like shake up my life - all of it...marriage, kids, work, school, finances, business, everything.   Yeah, He loves me THAT much.  
Know what else?  He urged me to sign up for the Winter - Hello Mornings Challenge.  I didn't look into it...I just went and signed up.  What are we studying you may ask...Why, Job of course.
Job.  
Go figure.  I love the Bible.  And I know it's God's love letter to me.   But really God? Job?   Now, in this season?   Yes daughter, in this season.
He loves me SO much, He's reminding me how a man, a regular man, with a wife, 10 kids, and all of the stuff that we deal with on a daily basis, dealt with a boat-load of adversity.
We finished the first chapter today.  Yep, just the first chapter...
Actually, I could have parked there for weeks.  So much.  So real.  So life.
Let me share a few of my "take-aways" from this first chapter...
1.  Job was a regular guy.   He had regular issues.  He had a wife and kids - 7 sons and 3 daughters.   I'm sure he had some sort of job because verse 3 lists his possessions and ends with "this man was the greatest of all the people of the East."  He was a busy and important guy.
His lifestyle wasn't wrapped up in that though.  Verse 1 indicates that Job was "blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil."  My Bible has a great footnote that says because Job was blameless and upright doesn't mean he was without sin, it means his daily life pattern was toward righteousness and away from evil.
A daily life pattern.  Toward righteousness.  Away from evil.
In verse 8, God describes Job as blameless and upright.   Now, who on earth wouldn't want Almighty God to say that about them?
2.  Job was not exempt from trials.   We all know the book.  We may even know some of the trials he faced.  But have we stopped to think that he was a regular guy facing these trials?
Now, God was aware of what was happening - He always is.  In verse 12 - He even put a limit on what satan could do - he couldn't "lay a hand" on Job - he couldn't touch his physical body.
So satan did what he does - what he still does to this day.  He used people - the Sabeans and Chaldeans as well as natural elements - fire and wind to take away Job's children and possessions.  
3.  Job's response was exactly what God expected. Verse 20 "Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshipped."  WHAT?  His kids, his stuff it's all gone and he's worshipping?!?
If only I could say that that is my response to trials.  I can't.  More often than not, I complain, cry, moan and groan but I don't set my heart to worship in those times.
And finally, verse 22 - "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."  Again, I wish I could say this is my response, but honestly, this Jesus-girl has a long way to go when it comes to dealing with trials.  
In my mind, I can almost imagine Job in the midst of his worship saying something like...
"This - all of this is not God's fault.   And because it's not God's fault,  I'm going to worship Him through these situations,  because I KNOW that I know HE is faithful,  HE is true, and HE loves me."
I don't know about you, but I want that to be my response in all matters, my prayer at all times.  I want to become a woman who lives her life toward righteousness and away from evil - daily - creating a daily life pattern that is pleasing to God - so pleasing in fact that He can't help but take notice...
What do you think?  Are you reading through Job too? How do you handle trials?