Susie Homemaker??

Well, after much discussion with a few buddies, and research on the internet, I decided to try my hand at making my own laundry soap today. It is a little bit different than the lye soap I remember Grandma making when I was little! :) I was suprised that it took me only about 1/2 an hour from start to finish! But I will admit, I cheated a bit on my first time. I bought a kit off of Ebay: 1 bar of Fels Naptha (already grated), 1 cup of washing soda, and 1 cup of borax. The price was right, and this way, I figured I wouldn't be stuck with a whole load of ingredients if I decide this isn't for me! The challenge is going to be finding all of the ingredients around here. Thus far I have found Borax at Walmart, and Fels Naptha at a local grocery store. But I think I am going to have to buy the washing soda online. It is manufactured by Arm and Hammer, but different from baking soda...also different from Arm and Hammer laundry soap! So upward and onward to finding the best deal, including shipping and handling! :) For all those who are curious, here is the recipe I used. If I run across some essential oils, I may add a hint of lavender to the mix. I have a few variations from friends, that I will try in the future! I am also considering doing what my friend, Gretchen told me: use half the water to make a more concentrated version. Cuts out and additional step and you use less at a time. Also, another friend mentioned that she uses Zote rather than Fels Naptha, because of the pretty pink color. I can see her point! This one certainly isn't pretty!

1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
1 Bar Fels Naptha (if using Zote: 1/3 bar) grated. This first batch came pre-grated, but I plan to use my cheese grater next time
5 gallon bucket with lid
5 gallons water

Grate your soap first thing. Boil 6 cups water on the stove. After it comes to a boil, add your bar of grated soap and stir until it melts. Then remove from stove and add washing soda and borax. Stir until all dissolved. This will gell over night. Stir throughout the day and it won't gel up as hard. But the gelling won't hurt anything. Just stir before you put into bottles.
Put 12 cups hot water in the 5 gallon bucket. Stir until all mixed together. Then fill your tucket up the rest of the way with hot water. Stir. Put lid on bucket. It will be gooey and watery. You can mix with a stick blender, or even a wooden broom handle. Put into old laundry bottles and shake every time you use it. Use 1/4 Cup for HE washer and 1/2 for top loading. Use a little bit more for heavily soiled laundry.

We are gonna have a baby!!!

Although many of you already know that we are expecting, we have been waiting to make it public until after the first trimester was up. But after our first ultrasound on Tuesday, I just couldn't wait any longer! It is hard to believe that a year ago on Friday, I was staring at the same ultrasound screen, grief overwhelming me because I knew something wasn't right. I praise the Lord that He is giving me the gift of a new memory: seeing our precious baby move, and hearing his/her little heartbeat at 168 beats per minute. That did my mother's heart a world of good! How precious is the gift of life, at any stage! Our due date at this point is June 19th. I am hoping for a June 18th baby...Aaron's birthday! :)
Last year's experience has taught me that life is fragile. Everything can be going great one minute and changed forever the next. So, we breathe in and breathe out, and treasure each moment that our Father in heaven gives us with the ones we love.

Steven Curtis Chapman
Miracle Of The Moment

It's time for letting go
All of our "if onlies"
Cause we don't have a time machine

And even if we did
Would we really want to use it
Would we really want to go change everything

Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

There's only One who knows
What's really out there waiting
And all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He's out there waiting
To Him the future's history

And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
Let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go
Let it go, yeah
You gotta let it go

And listen to your heartbeat

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now (here and now)
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle
Of the moment

The Transformation of the Office

Here are a few pictures of our office, during destruction and construction. I should add that the red room is before destruction....latest developments are at the top!

My husband's brother and sister-in-law and parents, as well as several other couples from our church are in Tijuana, Mexico this week on a work team/missions trip. We are missing them and are looking forward to hearing all of their stories when they get back. We ask for your prayers on their behalf, for health, safety, unity, and the leading of God in each of their lives.

The blogs posted by Crossroads Wesleyan is our church team! http://www.mexicocaravanministries.com/blogs

Much Needed Update

I am embarrassed by the amount of time that goes by between my posts! I love to blog, but have been overtaken by the world of Facebook. However, I am determined not to let this blog go to waste!

Many people have been asking about how our new house has been coming along. In recent days, it simply hasn't. The business is consuming our time at this point, which is no surprise to us! I have faith that things will settle down a bit and we can throw ourselves into this remodel project. Our office is shaping up with the help of family and friends. The sheet rock is up and mudded, ready for priming and paint. Then comes the flooring and drop ceiling and all the little extras (light switch panels and fixtures, ect). I have gotten one of the bathrooms painted, with the exception of the trim and cabinet fixtures. That is about all that has been accomplished.

I have put my notice in at the dental office where I work, and will be leaving them in January. It is bittersweet for me. I am sad to leave because I have developed good friendships with my coworkers, and have enjoyed our patients. Not to mention all of the new things that I have learned and am still learning. However, I am looking forward to being at home again, and helping Aaron out with some of the organization of Chase 3000. Something in me has this desire to be a homemaker. I know not every woman can or even wants to do that. Some would climb the walls. :) But I generally enjoy the daily chores, cooking and lots of little extras that I just haven't had time for lately. And I look forward to being able to spontaneously take off and go shopping or out to coffee with my mom or friends. Oh how I have missed that!

The Bible study that I "committed" to hasn't been so committed to lately. I have missed several weeks of it and have gotten behind in my lessons, thus my reason for not sharing new and developing lessons. There is another group at our church that is going through the Esther study, and I may have to switch in order to catch up. I have to say, it is nobody's fault but my own. I am bound and determined to see it through...it is an impressive study and well worth my time!

So, not too much to update. I will try to keep my camera close and post more through the holidays. Lots of fun things in the upcoming month. I am looking forward to it!

New Bible studies!

I am so excited to submerge myself in God's Word. In the midst of being so busy with work, work and more work, I am convinced that Aaron and I need to continue to draw close to God. So, I have committed to a new Beth Moore Bible study on Friday mornings with the girls. It is called "Esther: It's tough being a woman". I am loving it thus far, although her studies are always a challenge to keep up with...lots of homework. I just want to say thank you to Sonja for opening up her home and feeding us on Friday mornings. We appreciate you! This last video session was on "mean girls" and how other mean girls bring out our own meanness. It is definitely going to be an interesting week of study. I certainly hope to work through my areas of meanness!
http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?isbn=1415865965

The other study we are beginning is The Truth Project http://www.thetruthproject.org/ We have attended one session thus far, and it looks like it is going to be a deep Bible study also based upon history, law and science, that will leave no doubt in our minds that Christianity is truth. I love it! I am hoping to be equipped with the tools I need to be a light to others.

Hopefully as time goes by, I will gain new insights and gain greater truths from the Lord, both for personal reflection and also to share with others. I also want to challenge my friends out there...if you aren't in a small group or Bible study, get plugged in this winter. There is nothing better than the fellowship with other believers while learning out the Lord!

OUCH!

So, there is this manhole (coal shoot) in our soon-to-be office, that leads down to a concrete coal room beneath. We had removed the lid while we were cleaning the coal room, to get some ventilation. Fast forward to the end of the day. It is dark, there are no lights in the office yet, and I was skipping (literally) across the floor joists to go lock the doors. Suddenly, there was nothing beneath my feet. It happened so fast, that I hardly registered what happened. I didn't fall through to the bottom, I think at least one leg fell through, the other leg, and two arms stayed on top. My rib cage caught my fall on the edge of the concrete. Now that I am envisioning this, I want to laugh, but it hurts too much! :) Thankfully the windows were open and Aaron and Rick Elliott (a friend of ours who was helping Aaron out with some tower work) heard me cry or holler or whatever I did, and got me into an upright (or partly upright) position. Took awhile to catch my breath. We are pretty sure I either broke or cracked a lower rib, or tore the cartilage up and I figure since there is nothing one can do about it, going to the dr. will be a waste of time and money. Advil is my new best friend! I am so thankful that I did not fall completely through...could have been a really bad thing! Proverbs 31:25 "She can laugh at the days to come". :) I have a feeling there may be quite a few of those in the near future. :)