joy.

After a series of many things happening that have brought me joy...i feel the need to share. Considering I have this wonderful blog to share my thoughts I thought I would expose some things that have truly brought joy into my life this past week.

1. Watermark- James and I have recently joined Watermark Community Church and feel very blessed to feel so connected to a church and community. This past Sunday as a part of the "Life's too short" series, the sermon focused on love. Love seems like a word we just let roll off our tongues. We use the word "love" for such a wide range of things. Yet at the end of the day are we loving well? Are we loving in the most Christlike way possible? I know this was a huge challenge for me. There are areas where I love so well. I love those areas well, because it comes easy. It is the everyday, most important moments and people who I know I do not always love well. My husband, the kids in my classroom, my friends, my family. Why is it so hard to love the people and things we love the most well? Maybe because the selfish desires of my heart become so evident through the wonderful relationships I have been blessed with. So because of this...I am inspired. I am inspired to love others well. I am inspired to be thankful to my wonderful husband for the love he shows me. I am inspired to love like Christ.

2. SNOW DAY! Although Friday was already deemed a "Staff Development" day, I was relieved and thrilled to spend my day building snowmen, eating warm chocolate chip cookies, and drinking coffee with my husband without checking the clock to make sure I am not running late to work. James and I spent our morning together and then headed over to his parents house to meet up with my mom, sisters, and niece and nephew to play in the snow. James and I love to watch Brinley and Caden (our "almost 3 year old" niece and nephew) play. It truly brings us both so much joy!




3. Sky Ranch- So...I logged onto facebook tonight and saw that a new Sky Ranch video had been posted. It was such a joyful reminder of the blessing James and I both had to work with Sky Ranch. We both learned so much through the staff, counselors, and children who came into our life during our time at camp. Coming from a girl who does not favor the sweaty summer goodness of camp...I would take it anyday for the beauty of what happens there. If you get a chance I would take a moment and watch the video. Such a beautiful depiction of what camp is. Something that seems so impossible to summarize in a short conversation was so accurately expressed in 10 minutes.

On that note....the last joy to share is the fact that I get to lounge on the couch with my amazing husband and maybe go to bed early?

4.

This just might be my first casserole!

Giada did it wrong here so I fixed it for her and made some changes. Your welcome Giada de Laurentiis!

• 1 cup pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
• 1 Italian chicken sausage (sliced)
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Preheat oven to 400. Sautee seasoned chicken cubes and diced sausage with oil. While chicken is cooking, boil your pasta until done. Once the meat is nearly cooked, add minced garlic and diced onion. Once noodles are done, place them in a mixing bowl. When veggies are browned, add chicken and veggies to the pasta mixing bowl. In mixing bowl, add canned tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, chopped parsley, chopped basil, salt and pepper. Stir! Scoop into buttered 8X8X2 baking dish. sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan on top. Place small pats of butter randomly on top the bread crumb and parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until looks delicious!