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Showing posts from 2011

Moving Week (again? really?)

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We are moving this week. We have started packing. We are both working this week. Desperate times, people. Call in the re-enforcements. You already know I live on coffee and Diet Coke. But now, now we breakout the big guns. Are you ready for this? I am.

Those who have walked in darkness

I do not know how to blog about this week. There are so many back stories that I cannot explain. So many people who have been in my life for a very long time, in places very far away, that fell on my doorstep this week. To keep a long story short, an old family friend's mother was put into hospice over the weekend. My mother drove down with her to Cincinnati this week, to spend time with them, and to help driving. At the same time, an old family friend's son and his wife (who is my sister's age, who we grew-up with) had their first baby on Saturday night in Ft. Wayne. It did not go well, and the baby (and the whole family), came to the NICU at Riley in Indianapolis. And this is how, on Monday night, I found myself, with my mother and sister, in the NICU lobby at Riley with people I had not seen in years, who are not from Indianapolis, who I never in a million years thought I'd be seeing here under this circumstance. Their story is not mine to tell. I will not try to beg

When did this become my life?

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Yesterday, I got something [nice] for free. I was really excited about my free thing. I couldn't wait to go home and wear it. Then, I realized [with shock]... that I was excited over a pair of sweatpants . So, I did what any self-respecting panicked girl would do. I called my sister. "Call them yoga-wear, and it's totally fine." She soothed me. Then we discussed Costco vs. Name Brand paper towels. Yes, we are cool and you totally should be jealous. You see, I bought Robert's (and a few others) Christmas gifts on Black Friday and Dick's Sporting Goods. And I got a free $20 reward for my purchase. There were lots of Lady's Under Armour items I would have loved for working out. There were super great tennis shoes I could have used. Fleeces that I fawned over. But $20 only goes so far in the world of high end, over-priced sports wear. I found a really nice, comfy pair of sweatpants on sale that my $20 would cover. They are actually pretty cute, for sweatpants

A Night with Abram and Jane

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Last night, we watched our niece and nephew while my brother-in-law was out of town and my sister had dinner with a friend. It is always an adventure, and there are no dull moments with those two. And here is what we learned last night. 1. Otis is an endless source of amusement. In the eyes of our nephew and niece, Otis is the silliest, funniest, and most entertaining thing on the planet . If you have met Otis, you know he is actually a fairly boring dog who loves bed time. But everything about Otis is fascinating to them. His tail. His food (which Abram calls "rocks"). The way he scratches with his hind leg (and Abram gets quite put out that I cannot make Otis do this on command over and over again). The way we can share our pillows, blankies, and snacks (wait, NO!) with Otis. Needless to say, Otis loves the kids. Not only does he like playing with them, he knows he will get some extra treats when they are around. I really wish I could have snuck a video of Abram playing &q

Advent: A reflection of a liturgical junkie and culturally insensitve blogger

Does anyone else's soul long for Advent the whole year round? I grew up in a church where we did the candle light thing during December and read some nice reading about Advent-something. I remember sitting there and wondered how the families were chosen to be the "Advent families". It was a like a big, random raffle to me. That's all I remember. Needless to say, I did not grow up in a very traditional or liturgical background. In college, I occasionally attended an Anglican church, and something about the tradition and liturgy filled a thirst that I didn't know I had. The first time I went to a PCA Good Friday Service, I was stunned . You end in darkness. TOTAL, SILENT DARKNESS. The service is breath-taking. I don't think I can ever not go to that service now that I have experience it. Then, with the first Christmas Advent, we re-light Jesus into the darkness, candle by candle, moment by moment, declaring a hope that is not realized. I sort of felt jipped for

Happy Thanksgiving!

Are you excited for Turkey Day? I am. I told you in Unashamed Love that it was the first of a few (http://chrissysdullmoments.blogspot.com/2011/11/unashamed-love.html). My last post should have been post II, and I forgot to tag it. This is post III. Child Like Faith and Honest Praise This is my last Thanksgiving at the house on Stockard Street. I have loved spending Thanksgiving with my sister in Indianapolis pretty much since she got married and moved here. And now, on Stockard Street, I am less than 10 minutes away. This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for those years. The years in college when I was in a dark place, and I would come down to Indianapolis and be alleviated from it for a while. I would make the drive down, get in late, hug Mandy and Steve, and crawl into that perfect guest bed that they have. And breathe. This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for period from 2008-now. Yes, we were in TN last year, but it feels like a tiny blip on the radar. I am grateful for the chance to have

Right now.

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Right now, I am sitting at my secretary desk, typing this, instead of tackling my insane pile of junk to get done. I am drinking... Diet Coke. And munching on these bad boys {Andes Creme de Menthe Cookies. I found them on sale at Marsh. Don't judge}. I am telling myself that it is okay that we have to be out of our house before Christmas. That somehow, despite it being the busiest time of year, we will find time to pack and move. That despite the fact that my parents (who are experts at moving) cannot help us move, we will have enough help and ability to get it done. I am telling myself that moving will not ruin Christmas for me, since it is my favorite time of year. I will live viacriously through other people's Christmas decorations, beautifully wrapped presents and Christmas movie nights. I am talking to my dog, asking him if he can finish the PILES of laundry I just didn't have time to do last week (btw, I have NO IDEA what Robert found to wear to work today. Sorry, SWC

Unashamed love

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Dear readers, you didn't think I forgot about you, did I? You didn't dare think, "I bet her life got dull." Did you? This will be a series of posts. Because this event is too multifaceted for me to blog in one post. So here's part 1. The title of today's, "Unashamed love" comes from a song that was my favorite song when I was in YWAM. I hope these series of posts reflects an unashamed love for Jesus. Unashamed Love I am a do-er. Type A. Get 'er done. I don't care what you call it, I am a person of action and sometimes, to my detriment, not of thought. But I will tell you, there is almost no challenge I will turn down, no project I will not try to finish, no person I will not connect with. I planned in my wedding in, like, 3 months. When I get a new job, I've never had an employer that could keep me busy at first. They always underestimate my ability to get things done efficiently and well. It's a gift. My energy, my skills, my organ

My teeth and provision

Remember Anxiety Girl? http://chrissysdullmoments.blogspot.com/2011/10/im-fixed-upon-it.html#comments The one who was scared to take a part time job because, how will we live?! It is week 2 and going well. I was sitting in the dentist chair yesterday, crossing my fingers and toes that I didn't need my second crown this year. They ended up just doing a filling, but the jury is out on whether or not that will work. Do you know what? I get a new dental benefit with my new job. It's only good through December. So even if I do need a crown, I have all this benefit I get to use. We had run out on our old insurance for me, and I'm sure I'll need more. It renews in January. Amazing, right? Oh, and I wound up last minute doing something extra yesterday that made money (all toward the deductible, which isn't even that high). Provision. And the part-time job? I will not be working part-time again until the week of Thanksgiving. In fact, I'm actually double booked and ne

New cookie

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It's cold, guys. Fall has arrived... though I guess it's supposed to warm up this week. With the blast of cold, I started to crave something warm and cozy to nibble on this weekend. Like that rich, chewy topping on Barefoot Contessa's apple crisp. Except, I only wanted the topping. So, I made the topping, made a few adjustment... and made it into a cookie. I refined it later. My husband, who does not like oatmeal cookies, gobbled these up. We enjoyed them, as pictured above, while playing Ticket to Ride on Sunday. Nice and cozy, huh? Oatmeal Cookies 1 c butter, barely softened. Still cold. 3/4 c white sugar 3/4 c light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 2 1/2 c flour (I use King Arthur's Flour) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon Indonesian cinnamon a few sprinkles of pumpkin pie spice 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal 1 bag of pure, high quality white chocolate chips (I use Kroger's Private Selection White Chocolate Drops) Preheat oven to 350F

We are crazy, but not like that

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If you have been to our house since we moved back to Indianapolis, you may have noticed the new additions to our family. Ceramic (porcelain? I don't even know) cats. And as you have passed them by in our front hallway, you probably think, "Good Lord. Robert and Chrissy have lost their minds." The truth is, we are totally nuts. But we are not ceramic-cat-nuts. These were a gift from Robert's grandmother, who painted them (with 14k gold paint, as she will make sure you know) herself and is very proud of them. At some young age, like 4, Robert commented on how he thought the two Egyptian-like cats were cool. Ever since, it was only a matter of time before they became Robert's cats. The white one is a different story, but you get the idea. When Grandma gives you something, you can't get rid of it. You know this is true. And if she were ever to come over and the cats not be displayed properly, it'd probably hurt her feelings. A lot. So... Otis has some step si