November 30, 2008
A Sunday Night
Right now I am sharing the couch with two Bulldogs and Scouters. Aaron is at the Vikings/Bears game, where I should be too, but I opted out. A 7:15 p.m. kick-off was just too late for me after such a busy weekend.
On Thanksgiving Day we traveled to the South suburbs to his aunt and uncle's to spend the holiday with his entire maternal side of the family. I met his three cousins and their spouses and children, and of course we played a lot of Texas Hold 'Em. I'd never played poker till I met A and his family. His grandfather, a former Golden Gloves boxer, is a card man, and it's a hobby he passed on to his four kids. It's always a fun time, but it's a little unnerving when you're the only one left in with Grandpa and he goes all in and you have to take him out. Sorry Grandpa.
We dubbed Friday our day of fun, but it ended up being a day of work, as we cleaned the house and pulled all our Christmas decorations out of storage and unpacked and sorted it all. That night we drove back down south, where one of A's uncles treated everyone to dinner at Maggiano's. It worked out that we sat at a table with the cousins we didn't sit with the day before, so I felt like I really had a chance to get to talk with everyone.
On Saturday went over to my father-in-law's where we had a second Thanksgiving meal with my FIL's inlaws. They are definitely foodies, so the meal didn't disappoint. Aaron and I provided the turkey (courtesy of Aaron's company), and my FIL brined it for three days and butterflied it. It was ridiculous. At my request, my husband made his famous mac and cheese, which was a big hit as always. It is no diet food, but I don't even care.
After dinner we stopped by a tree farm and picked out a beautiful seven-foot Fraser Fir. It now sits in our living room decorated and lovely. My mother has taught me many, many things, but one of the things I am happy to have learned well is how to put lights on a tree. It's a skill you only need to employ once a year, but it's a nice skill to have.
The only disappointment of the weekend is that I have yet to have my annual Gingerbread Latte. But I plan to rectify that soon, I promise!
Posted by hannah at 08:27 PM
November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving on Ice
This morning we slept in (hooray!), before taking the dogs out to the lake. This time we remembered the video camera.
Thanksgiving on Ice from Hannah Beth on Vimeo.
Posted by hannah at 11:42 AM
November 26, 2008
Giving Thanks
In so many ways 2008 was the best year, but also the hardest. I got married, but then I had to move away from the city, the job, the church and the friends I loved. But even up here in the frozen tundra, there is still so much to be thankful for.
• My husband. Marriage has been so much harder -- but also so much more amazing -- than I'd planned. He is a saint.
• Facebook. Seriously, because without it I don't know how I would stay in touch with my Atlanta friends. (Or any of my other friends -- silver or gold! -- for that matter.) It's been a real blessing.
• My MATH ladies. Up here in this land where I have no friends, they have been my anchor and touchstone. I couldn't have gotten through these past 200ish Minnesota days without them.
• Molly Beth. Sometimes when I think about her I get a little teary.
• The dogs. (All four of them.) Even though sometimes I promise you that they are going to drive me insane, they are great fun and sweet companions. And Aaron and I like to make up songs about them.
• My parents. (Again, all four of them!) For many reasons, but this year I am specifically grateful to them for the wedding. It was a dream, and a dream that was only possible because of their generosity.
• The wedding! It was -- in a word -- perfect. I got to get married next the ocean and have a party in a big, pink palace. I sometimes still can't believe it.
• Honeymoons!
• Puppies. Who wouldn't be thankful for puppies?
• Hot chocolate. Especially when my husband makes it on the stove with steamed milk and gives me extra Cool Whip.
• Starbucks, particularly the ones with a drive thru. (And even though the Starbucks near my house is one of the 600 that closed, I can't stay mad at them.)
• The New Kids reunion tour. Floor seats and getting to go to that show for with my Mo = priceless.
• Minnesota. It's a pioneer land, but I will conquer it and make it my home. (Scout already owns it.)
• First, last and always, I am thankful for salvation, and the fact that His mercies are new every morning. I need it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. May you always remember to be grateful, and may you get to eat a lot of turkey and gravy. (I plan to!)
Posted by hannah at 10:56 PM
November 23, 2008
Frozen
Tonight we walked over to the lake and in the past week it has frozen over. The ice wasn't super thick -- a few inches or so -- but since it's shallow at the beach we all walked out on it a little ways.
Since it hasn't snowed yet, there was nothing covering the ice and you could see through the ice to the bottom. For someone who has lived the majority of her life in the South, it's pretty neat to walk out on a lake that just a few months ago you were swimming in.
The dogs loved running around on the ice. Scout tried to run after the Frisbee and found herself slip sliding all over. It was great fun.
Posted by hannah at 09:18 PM
November 21, 2008
How We Entertain Ourselves
Peanut Butter
Originally uploaded by Hannah Beth
Posted by hannah at 10:52 PM
November 19, 2008
I Do What I Do Not Want To Do
I've been reading Romans a lot lately, and I keep coming back to Romans 7. The Message says this:
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Paul says that he does what he doesn't want to do and doesn't do what it is that he wants to do. I want to be good. To be holy. To be righteous. But on my own I can do nothing. On my own I am broken and sinful. I am so grateful that He meets me where I am.
Posted by hannah at 10:53 PM
November 16, 2008
Quickly
For weeks I've been saying, "I need to update my site." But I either forget to log on, or the things I want to write about go too quickly out of my mind.
So because I'm feeling slack, here's a quick update about what's been going on.
1. We finally found a church we plan to attend regularly. This morning we sang two songs that are special to me, and for the first time since I left Atlanta, I really felt at home in a church.
2. It has snowed a few times now, but not enough to stick around.
3. We're going to Ohio for Christmas, and I can't wait.
4. The dogs are near by as always. Right now all of them but Julie are sleeping next to me on the couch.
5. I finally figured out how to put up the highlights clip from our wedding video. (It's posted to my Facebook page.)
6. We've been married for six months. I can't believe how fast it's going!
Posted by hannah at 08:41 PM
