Couch Potato Monday

Chris and I go through these spurts where we will watch tv series together. Our current one is Smallville. His parents randomly sent us 2 seasons in the mail and at first I wasn't too interested in the teenage life of Superman. But I watched a few episodes, just so I could snuggle with Chris on the couch, and ended up getting hooked. Now, I can't wait to have our Smallville ritual. Chris usually brews up some delicious coffee and we watch it while Liliana is asleep. Today was our day off and we watched 3 episodes. (plus we watched an episode of The Office) It has been quite sometime since I have been that much of a couch potato, but I loved every minute of it.

Social Circles

Part of church planting means getting to know lots and lots of people. It is a unique time in life where we are branching out of our normal social circles and meeting all sorts of different people. Just this week alone we either had a meal or an at length conversation with these folks:

A stay home mom who served in the Air force before marriage and kids

A lawyer

Newlywed couple- she is pursuing Masters in Business (Very sharp lady) and her husband in IT

Graphic artist

Indian guy part of the Brahman caste

Fresh out of college Rn's starting their first week of new careers

Liliana's 2 toddler friends

Korean work at home mom learning how to balance home life and work

And tonight I am attending a spa party to help support a single mom trying to get on her feet

And I have to say, this is a typical week at the Roberts' household. We constantly have people over and are learning about their lives and interests. It has grown me so much as person busting out of my normal social circles and I am so thankful that Liliana is exposed to such a wide range of people each week.

Fish Fry

Last weekend we went to a FUN fish fry. We often host parties, so whenever someone else hosts one and we just get to attend, I love it. I particularly like seeing people's expressions of hospitality.

This fish fry was hosted by 2 bachelors in our church and I have to say I was so impressed. Jared caught all the fish we ate on one of his fishing trips this summer and Adam had great seasonings to cook them up. They made 76 fillets, plus we had tons of yummy sides for non fish lovers. Jared even had a huge jar of homemade pickles he made from the cucumbers he grew in his garden. Seriously, what single guy has his grandma's recipe for homemade pickles? So delicious.

Adam said he used to have a fish fry with his college buddies all the time and I really hope this can become a little tradition for our church. We just need to get some more fishing trips together so we have a good excuse to fry them up. (or I guess we can cheat and go to the market, but it doesn't seem as fun).

Sounds of Fall

The other night I was driving to go work on my teaching for Sunday and decided to stop in a nearby neighborhood and go for a walk. The evening air was crisp, so I parked my car and headed out for a stroll to unwind and spend some time in prayer and reflection. This one particular street had a tree with tiny yellow leaves that had already begun falling from the tree. As I walked on that stretch of sidewalk I could hear the leaves crunching underneath my feet. The sound of that just did something to my soul. I took in the beautiful landscapes and trees, walked near the community garden, saw blooming flowers and veggies and life was good. The fresh air and half hour stroll was just what I needed.

I proceeded to Barnes and Noble, parked my laptop on the table with my decaf and typed away. I accomplished more the next 1.5 hours then I normally would have in 5 hours. It's funny b/c my sermon is on God's ability to multiply, as seen in the miracle of multiplying fish and loaves. Yet in this circumstance he multiplied my time- my need for refreshment and clarity in my Bible studying was definitely marked by God.

The sounds of fall are amazing!

Nana & Apple Pie

When Everybody Loves Raymond used to be on tv I loved watching that show and laughing at the extreme disfunction of that family. Yet at the same time I was very thankful that my mother in law is not like Marie Barone.

This past weekend Chris' mom came from Texas to visit us for a few days- to see where we now live, see our new church and see how much Liliana has grown. We had such a good time showing her around our city, taking her on some country roads to see the pretty landscape, playing with Liliana, eating some of the best Italian food ever and just hanging out.

I especially appreciated our last night together. Chris and Liliana were both in bed and Cathy and I were up talking. Our neighbor, Scott, knocked on our door about 9:30 with a plate of pipping hot apple pie he just made. Scott just graduated from college in May and is your typical frat, jock type of guy. However, he has this hidden baking talent. The past two Thanksgivings he has helped his grandma make apple pies, so has learned how to make flaky crusts. He was proud of his home made pie and wanted to share some with us. So Cathy & I stayed up til midnight eating pie and just sharing a heart to heart talk. Every time she visits we somehow end up having these long talks. Chris' mom and dad pastor a church in Texas, so I think she feels like there are not too many people she can open up to about her life. She must feel the freedom to share with me and know I will listen. And I want to be that for her.

(& I have to say Scott's apple pie was DELICIOUS!)

Great weekend and we can't wait til next time when PaPa can come too!

Celebrate Good Times

This weekend we went to Chicago for my cousin Bill's wedding. It was a time of celebration on so many different levels.

Celebrating Family- We had relatives travel in from Canada, DC, Kentucky, California, St. Louis & Wisconsin to be here. We all stayed at the same hotel and had so much fun sitting around talking while the kids played with their cousins. It inspired us so much that we are now planning annual family reunions where we can all come together in a different location, stay at a hotel and just have fun together.

Celebrating with Food- Greeks know how to eat. I was particularly glad to have delicious dolmathes. They are a pain to make, so I will often try to find them in Greek restaurants to satisfy my craving. Usually they are not made well, but these dolmathes were something to celebrate!

Celebrating with Dance- At one point I was holding hands with my aunt on one side and niece on the other, while the rest of my cousins, aunts, uncle, siblings were also in a line dancing with us. It is so much fun dancing with your family like that, especially seeing all the aunts and Uncle Frank smiling and having a good time. I also must say I was impressed with Bill's groomsman- at one point this guy was doing a back bend while holding on to a napkin in the line. Very impressive.

Celebrating with a Toast- As the groom, Bill took this opportunity on his wedding day to give the most touching speech. He expressed his gratitude for his brothers and mom and not only was he crying, but all the tables with family were tearing up. It was beautiful.

Our family has had more than our share of tears over the years, so it is just bliss when we can come together to laugh and celebrate good times!