The Simple Life at Home

Leeann did this awesome mosaic over on her blog. It was so beautiful I wanted one of my own. Very, very cool.

To do your own, go on over to Flickr and type your answers the following questions in the search bar one at at time. Pick the image on the first page that most speaks to you. Copy the URL for that image and add it to Mosaic Maker. It just takes a few minutes.

Here are the questions:

• What is your first name?
• What is your favorite food?
• What high school did you attend?
• What is your favorite color?
• Who is your celebrity crush?
• What is your favorite drink?
• Where would you go on your dream vacation?
• What is your favorite dessert?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?
• What do you love most in life?
• Choose one word to describe you?
• Your Flickr name?

I love the way all the images blend together to give a sneak picture of who we are. If you do it, let me know so I can stop by and see!

1. We like to hang out together, 2. homemade fresh tomato salsa & guacomole, 3. Sahuaro herido., 4. water droplets in the shower - o.k. bokeh, 5. Bon Jovi / Jon Bon Jovi, 6. thirsty?, 7. It will be forever this way, 8. Crème Brûlée, 9. Sunset Godly head 5, 10. The Avenue in mist and sun, 11. Nature Does Escher, 12. Walk the line

Updated: Ok, things seem to be working now, but that was frustrating! Almost 3 days for Bloglines to correct the problem. Welcome back!!

Oh, now I've done it. I tried to get all fancy and get hooked up with Feedburner and now my feed url doesn't work. My posts aren't showing up on Bloglines or on Google Reader or anywhere else.

Can anyone who knows about this stuff talk me through it?

This is why I should just stick with things that I know about.

::sigh::

There is so much to be thankful for each and every day that it seems to somehow be silly to write a weekly post on what I'm thankful for. As though all the other days of the week I'm not thankful to God for all His blessings. But I have found that forcing myself to go through this discipline, taking the time to sit and conciously think through all that I am grateful for, is a blessing in and of itself.

It makes me stop my grumbling and rejoice. It causes me to stop looking at myself and stand in wonder at the God who cares for me. It improves my mood and my general outlook.

If you read my post from last night, you'll see that I am struggling a bit with God moving me to a new land, far away from friends and family. I know that it's His will, but I don't understand it and, right now, I'm not happy about it. But I right now choose to be thankful.

Thankful that my son has found a friend. Like 11 year old boys do, they bonded instantly and now are making grand plans and having a super time together. Daniel hasn't really found that since we've been here, so this is a great relief to me. And the nice thing is that the little boy only lives 5 minutes away.

Thankful that we left Miami when we did. Hubby learned yesterday that his previous employer has laid off approximately 20 people (a quarter of their staff) since his leaving. In addition, they have cut salaries and have reduced working hours from 40 a week to 32. There is no way that we could have survived that financially. We are so grateful that God moved us at just the right time.

Thankful that my mom's cousin, Tom, is recovering well and has now been allowed to return home. I appreciate each and every one of you who prayed for him when the situation was very grim. He has a long recovery ahead of him, but it's a miracle that he is up and walking and talking.

Thankful that technology has allowed us to stay in contact with loved ones back in the States. During the past three months, there have been a lot of times when I wished I could be there, but at least I can call and email and hear the voices of those who are important to me.

Thankful for the freedoms that we enjoy. As America prepares to celebrate her independence, I am so grateful for all the freedoms that we enjoy there. While we are fairly free to do as we like here in Qatar, there is definitely a sense that you have to watch what you do and say.

Thankful for my relationship with Christ. It is what sustains me. The love and comfort He provides me with, the joy I feel in Him, and the knowledge that I am loved more than I could ever understand are all immeasurable and this, my friend, is the thing I am most thankful for.

To find out what other women are thankful for, visit Iris for more Thankful Thursday posts.

Having moved overseas, relocating our family to the Middle East, there have been lots of challenges. There are culture shock issues, language issues, etc. But none of that really matters to me right now.

But the worst part, by far, is not being able to be there for your friends when they need you. And I'm sick of it. I want to be able to hold people and pray with them and cry with them. There has been too much sadness that I haven't been able to offer comfort for.

In just the three short months since we moved, there has been crisis upon crisis in my social circle. You may remember that about a month ago, a dear friend of mine lost her husband in that plane crash in Honduras. Another friend of mine is facing some pretty serious medical issues. Another friend's daughter is having spinal surgery today to correct scoliosis. Another is still grieving the loss of her husband 20 months ago. Another friend lost her husband to heart disease last month.

Just now I've learned that a woman who was part of our small group lost her 19 year old son in a car crash last night. This is a woman who my husband and I counseled and ministered to during the breakup of her marriage last year. I feel a responsiblity to her. And here I am, a half a world away.

And it breaks my heart.

I know, without a doubt, that God put us here in Doha. But it is heartwrenching to know that your friends are suffering and you cannot be there with them to hold their hand and just sit in silence with them.

And so, to Marilyn, Mylinda, Kathy L., Jan, Barbara, and right now especially to you, Kathy C., I love you. And I miss you. And I'm praying for you. I'm praying that the God of all creation will be there to comfort you. And He's a far greater comforter than me.

The task assigned to us this week by our faithful leader, Shannon, is to share a recipe that involves five or less ingredients. This was a toughy for me as I tend to cook more, um, elaborately than this, but I found one.

This is a yummy little treat that I brought to VBS last year and it went like lightening! Super easy and super delicious, it makes a perfect brunch dish or appetizer.

Sausage Biscuit Bites

• 1 tube buttermilk biscuits
• 4 1/2 t. Parmesan cheese
• 1 package (8 oz.) brown and serve sausage links, thawed
• 1 T. butter, melted
• 1 t. oregano

Roll each biscuit into flat circles and brush tops with the melted butter. Sprinkle each biscuit with some of the Parmesan cheese and the oregano. Place a sausage link onto each biscuit at one end and roll up. Cut each roll into four pieces and secure with toothpicks. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

For more of the recipes I've shared over time, click here.

Here are some of my other Works for Me Wednesday posts that I thought you might enjoy:

• 50 Family Fun Ideas
• Soothe Those Mosquito Bites
• Romance, Web-Style
• Be a Professional Homemaker

Have a happy Wednesday!

70 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

This was a fun little test. According the the scoring legend, I fall in the middle of the Superior category. Some of the questions made me laugh - like the one that asked if I "use dope." Did they have "dope" in the 1930's??? Dope???

Another one that made me wonder was the question that asked "Do you wear red nail polish?" Now, would that be a positive or a negative? I mean, on the one hand, it could be seen as glamorous and keeping up with yourself. We all know how much maintenance red nail polish requires. But in the 1930's did it mean you were (gasp) a floozy???

Now, the painful part to admit is that I took the Husband quiz as well, answering for Hubby. I really tried to be quite honest and fair. And that man got 81 points!!! That puts him the the Very Superior category!!

So now, in order to at least get equal to his score, I'm making some resolutions. Wanna hear them? From now on, I will:

• Wash the top of the milk bottle before opening it
• Keep the seams in my hose straight
• Make sure my slip is not showing
• Not slow up card games with chatter and gossip
• Wear a nightgown instead of pajamas (oh, the horror!!!)

No, seriously, there were some interesting points the quiz made with regards to our consideration towards our husbands. It was fun and made me think a little bit.

Bonnet tip to Misty for sharing this quiz on her blog. She got a 91.

I must sit at her feet and learn of her ways.