bobbi | Revolution of Love

“Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need something more? Let nothing else worry you or disturb you.” ~ Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego

Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

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It feels like ages since I’ve been able to post to the blog. We spent a week in So Cal with my family for Thanksgiving. This is always my favorite trip of the year as we start off the holidays. This time it was especially fun since it was Matthew’s first Thanksgiving. Like a true Daddy’s boy, on Thanksgiving day he was ready to cheer on his football team. Lol.

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We also took our annual trip to Disneyland, another first for Matthew. I love all the lights and Christmas decor. It makes me feel like a kid again!

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When we returned home we brought my youngest sister J with us so she could spend a week at our house. I love having her here!! The sister-side of me loves chatting and laughing with her. The busy mom-side of me likes having a loving nanny here so I can catch up on the various things I never have time to do. I’ll post more about that at next week’s Operation Clean & Organize post.)

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Yesterday my other sister B arrived to spend a couple of days with us. Then she and J will return home on Monday. It is heaven having my two sisters here! (We just need you, EL!) But poor Brian, I know that sometimes I can be too loud and chatty for him. Now with the three of us (and all the kids) in the house, things can get pretty loud. I can see him wanted to retreat to a quiet place…if only he could find one!

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On the plus side, having my sisters over means that we have babysitters ready to take care of the kids so Brian and I can go out. We just came back from a breakfast date at our favorite little place. It was so nice to sit and eat and talk without spilled drinks, flying food, or diaper emergencies. 😉

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I always feel a little guilty about leaving the kids, but it is a lot easier with texting. A quick text and I know they are alright and I can receive a photo of whatever project they are working on. 🙂

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On the way home from breakfast we stopped at the tree lot and brought home a beautiful tree. It smells sooo good! Tomorrow we’ll decorate and let the household festivities begin for the second week of Advent! Yay!

I’ve got to keep this short but I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

We’re just about ready to leave for a week at my family’s in So Cal so the blog will be a little more quiet than usual.
However, I hope that you have a blessed Thanksgiving! You are in my prayers, please pray for me too!
xoxo,
B.

It’s been so busy lately that I hardly have any time online to blog or catch up on my google reader. I had a few moments this morning and I saw that Hailey started a Heart of Gratitude 14-day challenge for your husband. I looked at the date to see when it started and I realized it was today, November 9th, which is a special date for me and Brian.
It was thirteen years ago on November 1 when a young man left the seminary after a year and a half stay. He had discerned that it wasn’t his vocation and felt God calling him to a new chapter of his life. He thought about marriage but he had dated before and it never really worked out. He recalled reading about a new Catholic online dating service (AMSCOL) and gave them a try, filling out their questionnaire that day. Later he knelt before God and humbly poured out his heart. He told God that if he was called to the vocation of marriage, then God would have to place the girl on his doorstep. With a resolved sigh, he began the first day of his novena trusting that it was all in the hands of Our Lord and Our Lady.

Meanwhile, a young girl (although she felt old at the time) was ready to give up on finding “the one.” A month earlier she took one last ditch effort and joined a new Catholic online dating service (AMSCOL) She wrote a few guys but it was just friendly. Then she saw a new post from a young guy that recently left the seminary. His profile answers made him sound like a funny, holy, incredible man of God. She knew it had to be a fake. She wanted to write him but felt he was way too holy and good for her. Instead she printed out 7 or 8 profiles of guys she considered writing. She took them to her sis and asked her which she should write. Her sis looked them over and handed back the profile of the young man and said, “Write him.”

So on November 9, 1998, the last day of the young man’s novena, the young girl wrote him her first email. God placed the young girl on the virtual doorstep of the young man. Thirteen years and four kids later, despite the ups and downs of married life and parenthood, they are still hopelessly in love. (To read the longer version of this story, you can go here.)

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You know, when I was dating Brian, my mom would always half-jokingly say that “he has to be a saint to put up with Bobbi…” Like I was some kind of volatile, overly emotional crazy girl. (I can hear my sisters saying, “Shocker.”) Seriously, I’m not that bad but Brian does put up a lot with me. Let’s face it, girls in general are complicated and each brings their own brand of crazy into the mix. So I’m all for showing my hubby some gratitude for being the incredible man that he is. And I think it’s providential to begin on the anniversary of the email that started it all!

Let the gratitude begin!

Day 1: A Day of Prayer.

One of my family’s favorite bread is Banana Blueberry Bread. I found the recipe in a much loved cookbook Pillsbury Best Muffins and Quick Breads Cookbook: Favorite Recipes from America’s Most-Trusted Kitchen that I received when I got married. I especially like this one because it is lower in fat. Here is the original recipe and my modified version.
Original Recipe
— 1 cup sugar
— 1/2 cup oil
— 3 mashed ripe bananas
— 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
— 1 teaspoon vanilla
— 2 eggs
— 2 cups all-purpose flour
— 1 teaspoon baking soda
— 1/2 teaspoon salt
— 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
Modified Recipe
— 3/4 cup sugar
— 1/2 cup oil
— 3 very ripe bananas
— 1/2 cup apple sauce or vanilla yogurt
— 1 teaspoon vanilla
— 2 eggs
— 1 cup all-purpose flour
— 1 cup whole wheat flour
— 1 teaspoon baking soda
— 1 teaspoon cinnamon
— 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
— 1/2 teaspoon salt
— 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
Directions:
1. Heat oven 350. Grease and flour bottoms only of pans. (I use nonstick spray and skip this step.) In large bowl, combine sugar and oil; beat well. Add bananas, yogurt, vanilla and eggs. Blend well.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to wet ingredients. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in blueberries. Pour into pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (for mini-loaves) and 60-70 minutes (for a regular 9×5 loaf pan) or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled. (Make sure to cool on a wire rack to avoid bread getting soggy.) Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. (I just realized it said store in the fridge. I never have. It’s gone before it gets a chance to spoil.)

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I made this bread the other day but we were out of blueberries so Brian asked me to use chocolate chips instead. Chocolate?? You don’t have to ask me twice! It was even yummier. 🙂
Here are my “helpers” in the kitchen. 😉 And the finished product.