A Recipe with a Dash of my Thoughts

Had this for dinner last night.... definitely one of my better attempts lately so it deserved to be shared! I served it with a baked potato and a salad, and my husband designated it as a keeper. Thanks Cooking for 2 for the great recipe!

B and I ended up not adopting the lab I wrote about last week. However she was adopted the day after we visited her, so at least she has a home. The shelter she was staying in was new and clean, but still a shelter. Homes are so much better!

I haven't been able to watch the news so far this week. It's been too depressing. Within 5 minutes of turning the morning news on yesterday I learned of the man who went on a shooting rampage at a nursing home of all places AND that a local news personality has lung cancer (this person is young, had no family history, and never smoked). Both were pretty tragic to hear first thing in the morning. Sometimes I wonder why the media doesn't consider positive stories more important.

Prior to the downturn of the economy I complained at lot more than I realized and a lot more than I should. Now I realize how much I truly have to be thankful for... my husband and I had a discussion about it last night that started while watching HGTV (our wind-down channel haha). The couple on the show were first time home buyers; one was in school, but when they signed a contract on the house they realized she'd have to quit school and go back to work... it got quite emotional. I am thankful that we were not in a position like this when we bought our house.

B works with a guy who is getting married this summer and thinks that his wife-to-be's paycheck will basically end up being spent on whatever he doesn't feel like spending his paycheck on. There are many other similar thoughts in his mind about their marriage. From the outside looking in, this future marriage seems like it will have a challenging transition period. I am thankful that my husband and I share the same ideas and values when it comes to money management (and marriage in general).

A girl I know from college almost had to call off her wedding 20 days prior to the wedding day due to an event that occurred at the groom's bachelor party. Can you imagine being THAT close to your wedding day and having to make a decision like that? I am thankful I was not in her shoes for that one.

I am thankful for the love and support from my husband, family, and friends.
I am thankful for a strong church community that I get to be involved with in my town.
I am thankful for how God provides during these uncertain and unnerving times in our country.
I am thankful for my health and the ability to live each day how I choose to.

And most importantly at the risk of sounding preachy (not meaning to) I am thankful that I have a God that is bigger than all the depressing things going on in the world. He's a God that has performed an infinite number of miracles and has a great plan for us. Who is better qualified to handle the world of problems we have than Him? That's much more positive to me than most anything I've seen on the news lately! :-)