Going Bananas

I am going bananas.

Today marks the 56th day of unemployment, or should I say extended vacation.  It has been a time of relaxing with a classic, enjoying endless dates with my husband, and working out at the gym only to indulge in baked goods.  Somewhere in the pages of Anna Karenina, Levin's simple outlook on life taught me something about myself.  He traded the prestigious life of politics and advanced education for one of hard work in the country.  Levin had a keen desire to work with his hands matched by an unfading need to love and be loved.  Thoughts about marriage and a house full of his children occupied  his dreams.  The sight of a loving husband and wife heightened his awareness of being void, and only intensified his need of love.  Levin wanted life with a satisfying purpose and someone to share his pains, joys, and dreams.  I discovered two things about myself in Levin's character.  I am in constant need of love.  I receive it with a verbal "I love you" affirmations and caressing touch.  John 15:9 says "As the Father has loved me, so I have love you. Abide in my love".  There is no amount of wrong that I can do or any amount of good that I can do to lose or gain God's love.  He loves me completely.  I'm reminded that my real need for love will only be satisfied in God's steadfast love.  Secondly, like Levin, I too have an instinctive desire to work.  David will often catch me pacing between rooms looking for work to be done.  The shuffling of papers and grunting from heavy lifting is heard from the living room as I frantically clean the office clutter.   I'll even be irrationally disappointed with my day if I didn't cross anything off my "to do" list.  I start the morning with hot running water and a sink full of foaming bubbles.  The dishes are done and the kitchen clean before 9:00 a.m.  An instinctive need to work with abundant free time is a recipe driving me bananas.

However, tomorrow vacationing will be over and work will fill my days.  The eagerly anticipated school year will begin.  The school bells will ring and the once abandoned halls will be swarming with kids buzzing with chatter and excitement.  I will start my job as a para-professional for the Vermillion School District.  The hair-pulling, going crazy bananas will be swapped for the wildly enthusiastic     "I will be working" bananas.  Not to mention I am going to swamped with the Wellness Center's orientation to be a personal fitness trainer for the Biggest Loser Program. I am going bananas.

I only then thought it appropriate to make banana muffins.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Banana Muffins 

• 1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup rolled old fashioned oatmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ground flax
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I used creamy)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 bag dark chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with muffin liners.

In a large bowl mix together the whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

I another bowl combine the mashed bananas, flax, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter.  Then slowly add in the milk while mixing.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir to combine.  Be careful to not over mix-- just make sure that all the flour is combined into the wet mixture.

Fill the muffin liners 1/4 full. Then place chocolate chips in each muffin liner.  (I used about 4-5 morsels per muffin).  Divide the rest of the batter between the muffin liners.  Put the muffins into your oven on the middle rack.  Cook for 18-24 minutes.

Let cool for several minutes and then go bananas! 

*recipe adapted from forealslife.com/blog 

Mansons and Capitals

This weekend, David was the Best Man at Jon Manson’s, wedding. Thursday through Sunday was filled with wedded bliss from decorating the reception hall, the exchange of vows, and the morning after breakfast.  David’s time in Pierre was spent fulfilling all his Best Man duties: ironing the groomsmen attire, planning the Bachelor Party, and delivering a witty and encouraging Best Man’s speech.  Meanwhile, my time was spent exploring downtown and some of the local businesses.  My favorite spot being Pierre 347, a coffee shop serving the best Asaigo bagel with Jalapeno Cheddar cream cheese I have tasted. 

The ceremony was a celebration of two lives becoming one.  The guests were lead to sing “Holy is the Lord” in worship of our King who brought Lanye and Jon together in mutual submission and commitment to each other.   Jon was one excited lover and blitzed through his vows with the anticipation of kissing his bride which did not require any prompting from the paster.  The celebration carried over to the reception where the guests were invited to take a large group photo with the bridal party in front of the Missouri River. Questions on white index cards served to entertain the guests and catalyze future nastalgia for the bride and groom who will later read the remarks of favorite memories, suggestions for vacations and names of children.  Dancing began with the Jon and Layne’s first dance, followed by a jazzy father daughter swing.  Guests quickly followed suit dancing and flailing to the Black Eyed Peas and PSY.  

David delivering his Best Man speech. 

The morning after breakfast was held at the State Capital’s Visitor Center where I was able to interact with David’s childhood friends and Jon’s groomsmen. The storytelling of the trouble they got themselves in and how they had impacted each other’s life sent me writhing with laughter and gave me new insight into David’s life and friendships.  He is loyal, yet lighthearted with the desire and the conviction to exhort his brothers in Christ.  After old stories were told, we could not help but make new one’s in the State Capital Building with the Humburgs and Alyssa.  After attempting every door into the Capital, we finally found one open.  The white marble staircases, stained glass ceilings, and murals of Native American’s and angels welcomed us as we stood on the red, black and white mosaic floors.  We explored the House and Senate Chambers filled with desks whose sharp objective intimidated my simple country upbringing. Leaving the Chambers, my husband sprinted around the corner in an attempt to hide. He had abandoned our comical conversation about Jake’s inability to find a trash can anywhere in the Capital Building.  Soon our laughter was interrupted with a loud, screeching door closing.  Hurriedly, we turned down the hallway looking for David and the culprit responsible for the screech.  We found David behind a glass telephone booth door with an annoyed but queer expression realizing his tactic to hide and scare us failed due to the piercing slide of the door.  We surveyed and peered and met his gaze, bursting into laughter. Echos of our voices retelling David's mishap with the telephone booth filled the stone halls of the Capital Building as we exited towards the parking lot. Our self-guided tour of the State Capital Building lingered with our laughter and we walked back to our cars heading home, leaving with the celebration of Jon and Layne’s marriage and memories made at the Capital. 

  

Alyssa and I in the telephone booths 

A Place to Call Home

Just recently I moved from the Northeast plains of Colorado to the rolling, green hills of Eastern South Dakota.  As I was physically preparing to move by packing boxes and loading the UHAUL, I was emotionally and spiritually curious about how my day to day life would change and what life would be like in a place 470 miles away from family and friends.  Will I make new friends?  What church will I attend? What new memories await us?

Our drive into Vermillion, SD from Colorado. 

I am excited for what is ahead and I am so thankful that I am embarking on this journey with my husband, David.  Thus far our time in Vermillion hasn't been what we planned or maybe even hoped.  David, #1 on the waiting list for Med School was not accepted this year.  We were both looking forward to being involved in a community as we have been continually transitioning for the past 2 years, however Vermillion, a college town, is perpetually transitioning as new students come and leave and families move to jump start their careers to only leave once promoted.  And we have been unemployed for the past month, since neither of our job positions start until mid- August.  However, despite these seemingly sorrowful and perhaps regretful setbacks, I have been reminded of the LORD's sovereign plan and depth of his wisdom and resources.  There is much thanks to give HIM.

• I was certified as a personal trainer

•  David has a job that will improve is already strong application into Med School

• I will be working in a Life Skills classroom, a position I am passionate about.

• Although David and I have not been working, we have been able to spend some sweet time together which is always a blessing for newly weds. We even began playing tennis. 

• We have a place to call home