News

So...  For those of you who don't know  TJ and I have some exciting news.  #1:  If you don't remember, TJ and I feel called to be missionaries to unreached people groups. We have been planning on being missionaries with New Tribes Mission since before we were married, and have had our eyes on that path this whole time.  We have been here... in Florida at our church, building relationships, ministering in different ways, saving money and just being here enjoying people and our family, and at the same time waiting for God's leading to go to the New Tribes Missionary Training Center (MTC).  We have felt leading from God to go to the MTC in Missouri Fall of 2012... next year!  While attending this intense training we are not allowed to work.  We have saved a large some of money, but still need more in order to sustain us for 2 years.  If you would please pray that God would keep us focused on His kingdom, and that God would burden the right people to commit to praying for us, and financially supporting us.  In order to save enough money for what we need, IF we save 500 dollars every month for the next 35 months, then we will have what we need. Our church family has decided to support TJ and I when we go to school, which will be a huge blessing when that time comes. If you would like to help our church in that effort you can give to them online, all you do is put "mission" in the description line next to the amount.  (Just click on the donate button).  Please do not feel obligated in anyway to support us unless God has burdened you. 

    I couple blogs ago, I was telling you how we were going to have families in our home from our church to get to know them better, and let them know what is going on in our life as far as what we are doing, where we are going, and what our different needs are if God leads us to share those details.  We really have just begun, and have only had 5 families over, but it's a start, and God has been faithful in directing us in our words and actions in what to share with people.  It has just been great getting to know some of our church family better.  It has been somewhat of a challenge being pregnant and not always feeling up to making meals, but I really felt like God was calling me to do this, and he is blessing us just by the relationships that we are able to build with people, and hopefully will continue to develop. 

Our meal with Linda and Mitch

We grilled salmon on a plank, best salmon I've ever had (sorry mom)

You can sort of see our friends behind Ava, Diane and Gary

13 weeks pregnant

Huge "helps" for my nausea

Being pregnant hasn't been the worst thing since I started taking Unisom and B6 every night before going to bed, it is safe for pregnancy, and somehow the ingredients work together to help with nausea and vomiting, since taking it, I have felt a world of difference, and has prevented many days of horror  =).  Ava has been waking up about 6 am every day which does not help with my tiredness, but TJ makes Ava and I an egg every morning, and takes care of Ava until he goes to work, He is so sweet!  I usually take a nap during the morning when Ava takes her nap, and sometimes in the afternoon too, but I have not needed that nap as much lately as I did in the beginning.  I am still able to make meals which is good, but I'm not going to lie, we eat take out quite often... so in turn we have been buying less groceries.

I am now 14 weeks pregnant

Anyway enough about me, Ava has officially started walking, and it has been so different and fun for us to watch her walk around.  Her cousin Levi doesn't have to crawl in honor of her anymore, they walk around together, fighting over toys, or enjoying each other's company.  I recently started weening her for the whole day, so she only nurses in the morning and at night which is nice for me, we plan to ween her all the way by the time we go to California for my brother's wedding in the middle of October, so that TJ and I can go on our 2 night Anniversary getaway without Ava... :)

Things with our church have been going well.  We are still working with our youth group, and are in transition and trying to figure out what exactly to do next.  A couple of our youth are moving this week, and it is always hard to see people leave that we have gotten close to (We will miss you Esther and Gabe!!!)  TJ has still been preaching, and tonight is his last night of preaching for a while, because the Saturday night services are ending.  I am still doing words (easy worship) for worship every other week, and nursery once a month.  Our church is going to be moving out of the building we have been in for the past 8 months, so I'm sure that will be a bit challenging for our church, but not necessarily bad, God has all kinds of ways of growing his people.  We are so thankful for our church family, and honored to be apart of God's kingdom.  Thanks for reading, I know it was a lot today.  :)  

Also Today is my mom's Birthday... Happy Birthday MOM I love you! 

Trip to Pennsylvania ... and more

 TJ and I went on a date with out Ava for the first time a few weeks ago, we got a baby sitter, and went out to a nice dinner, and a movie... it was GREAT!  Granted we did kind of miss Ava, but it was so nice to just spend that time with each other, and go to a MOVIE... which I have not done in Forever!  Also... Ava did great without us which was a big bonus.

Mummum and Grandad at the wedding (TJ's grandparents)

Jamie about to get married

Cousins Ava and Levi hanging out

At a park with friend in North Carolina

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristi and David housed us for a couple days

So much has happened since the last time I blogged.  Well for starters... I'm 12 weeks pregnant, and due March 1st, so that's pretty exciting news, Ava is going to have a brother or sister... we will see.  It has been a little bit harder for me to get the motivation up to blog, just because I don't have a lot of energy, and Ava sucks most of what I have out of me, but I will try to be better.

Last week, we traveled to Pennsylvania to attend our friend Jamie Seiverling's now Farran wedding.  I am happy to say they are now married, and off, I am truly happy for them,  Jamie is a great girl, and I know Mark will make a quality husband.  We got to spend a lot of time with our friend's Josh and Casey, who just had a precious new baby little girl, who I got to spend my time snuggling her, its crazy how small those babies start out. 
On the way back from PA, we stayed with our friend's David and Kristi Mize in North Carolina, who let us stay and hang out with them for a couple nights.  We had some good conversations, a fun time at a park where we made our own dinner, Kristi cut my hair for me (Thanks Krist :) God has all kind of ways to encourage us, and I'm thankful for all God's children. David and Kristi were very hospitable and fun, ooooh the people we wish we could live closer to... the list is too long.

Life at the TJ and Lily Shropshire House

Peach Salsa

I recently made my own recipe of peach salsa, I had to be a little creative because TJ doesn't like peppers or cilantro.  So fresh and delicious, I will definitely be making this again
Ingredients:
a couple tomatoes fresh from the garden
a couple nice big delicious peaches
 Fresh Basil from your garden
green onions (good because their not as strong as regular onions, but still gives it that flavor)
red wine vinegar (I suppose you could use another kind)
palm sugar (alternative natural sugar)

hang'n out in the basket

Ava has a mommy's shoe fetish

 Ava's been doing this thing where she puts my shoes... well any shoes actually on her arms and crawls around the house, thinking it's the best thing, and why isn't everyone else doing it?  It's quite entertaining.  She also feels the need to clear out some of the toys in her basket, and get right in it, she seems to get the best view from there or something... not sure. 
Ava has been having the desire to walk everywhere... not by herself, but holding on to our hands, but she LOVES it, and wines if we stop.  She has been eating pretty much everything we eat lately, and seems to be really enjoying that.  She still eats mommy's milk, but I've been supplementing with organic formula and cows milk.  She'll drink out of sippy cups, but they are not her favorite, I have discovered that she really loves straws, so I bought her a sippy cup with a straw, and she seems to drink much more readily.

This week is VBS for us so we are busy every night hang out with church people and little kids, it seems as though it's a 2 to 1 ratio between helpers and kids, but hey, that's ok... were dedicated right?  :) 

TJ and I are going to start having people from our church in our house for a meal at least once a week.  Because we are going to be missionaries sent from this church, we would really like to get to know people in our church better than we already do, so that when they talk about TJ and Lily on the mission field or preparing in Missouri at the training center, they will know us, and what we're doing, and be more able to encourage and pray for us.  So if you attend our church and are reading this... expect to come over to our house for a meal or 2 (or more) in the next few months... :)

The Parent's visit

waiting for the last shuttle to launch

Saturday morning bike ride

Ava's obsession with the  milk her and TJ just bought

Settlers of Catan

Beach!

Ava loving the sand and water as always

Something new:  Ava holding on and walking

Climbing on Grandpa

Tired baby fell asleep on Grandpa... so sweet

My parents arrived last weekend, stayed for a couple nights, and were off to relax on their 4 day cruise to the Bahamas.  They got back Friday morning, before the last Shuttle launch, so we all went down by the river watched it go up.  We could only see the beginning of it because the clouds were in the way, but it was the first time my parents got to see something like that.  Saturday morning we all went for a bike ride on Indian River Road, got some pastries and rode some more... very pleasant, I would say it was my highlight of the week.  Ava rode with me on the way to breakfast, and slept on TJ's back during the ride back... I'm so glad she could be flexible  :).  Saturday night TJ preached which is something he has been doing every other month for the whole month... His preaching has been getting better, since he has been getting some more experience.  We played Settlers of Catan and I won 3 nights in a row... :)  I have some competitors that will be coming back at me with a vengeance.  Sunday we went to church, and had a wonderful afternoon at THE Shropshire house with the whole family.  TJ had to work Monday, but the rest of us went to the beach... Ava wore herself out, and fell asleep on my dad on the way out.  My parents had the 34th Anniversary while they were here, I have a lot of respect for them, and can see how God has worked in their lives over the years. 

Some new things have been going on with Ava even just while my parents were here.  She has been jabbering up a storm, I mean any sound she can make she makes it, it is so fun to listen to her learn more.  She also copies us, which is kind of a scary thought, but she has been giving non stop kisses (wet ones of course), and responding when we talk to her or ask her a question.  She understands when she's doing something wrong,  She knows to come when I call her, to give me something when I ask for it, and that she will get in trouble if she doesn't obey.  TJ and I are realizing how important it is for us to be consistent at this time in her life, she relies on it.  

Ava has a little tea set that some good friends gave her for her birthday and she has learned how to use the tea kettle, it makes pouring sounds when you pour it, and different sounds when you open and close the lid.  She knows to pour the tea in the cup and then drink it.  It's so fun to watch her!

If you could pray for us as we are the leaders of our church youth group, there are being some changes made, and it is important to remember why we are doing this, and that our focus needs to be on glorifying God and seeking Him... nothing else.

Bagels and other recipies

Making Bagels:

I need to write some of my own steps here for you because there are so many, and I don't want you to be confused, but also, I'm not going to lie, it feels like there are a hundred steps to making bagels, I combined a couple recipes to make the perfect bagels, those being the smitten kitchen bagels and a random person's recipe.

 
#1.  Some really important ingredients here are Vital Wheat Gluten and malt syrup (this is what I used)
     ~For every cup of flour you combine 1 Tablespoon Vital Wheat gluten to give it that chewy texture.

#2.  I followed all the steps in smitten kitchen's recipe (but did blueberries instead) up until the boiling and baking of the bagels.  Instead of doing all cups white high gluten bread flour, I exchanged 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, and half cup flax seed, and it turned out wonderful.  I added a Tablespoon of malt syrup to the boiling water, and I followed random girl's idea about using a stone to bake on and using a pizza peel to slide the bagels on and off... oh I also put water in a cast iron pan in the oven as well to create the burst of steam in the oven. I made everything bagels, and blueberry bagels.  For the first 5 minutes you bake them at 500 for 5 min, and turn the oven down to 450 turn the pan 180 degrees, and bake 5 more minutes.  Also... I boiled the bagels 1 min on each side, and that seemed to be perfect.  Good luck!

blueberry

everything (sesame seeds, onion, garlic, poppy seeds)

 

A couple other things I have made lately that were exceptionally tasty:

Deep dish quiche that I put into 2 pans using a whole wheat crust of course, using butter instead of shortening, tastier, and healthier.

Caramel Apple Sticky Buns, and of course I used half whole wheat, and some flax seed... yum! We had these for desert after the tasty quiche










 Chocolate chip Bread pudding is the bomb!  I'm pretty sure bread pudding can't get any better than this

finish it off with some whipped cream, lightly or no sweetening

1st Birthday Party

Gluten free cake I made for Ava

Birthday Girl

pool safe ;)

Birthday hat

slooowwwly digging in

tired baby

Daddy's present for Ava

... and she likes her new fishy

saying hello to friend Christian

her first gift was a box of tissues

oh the fun you can have with tissues

Hang'n with Grandma

Ava's birthday party went really well it was at 12 in the afternoon at a friends house who was gracious enough to let us use their facilities.  :)  We swam and ate bbq chicken, and swam some more.  Ava was pretty tired when she was put in front of her cake, so she wasn't all that into it, but most the fun for me was actually making the cake for her, I really enjoyed doing that.  A friend brought some sail boats, so as the afternoon went on, we went sailing,  and didn't really start cleaning up until it started to storm.  It was a good day, and I'm so glad we have friends and family to celebrate our little girl with us.
  People are starting to refer to my baby girl as a toddler, and it's hard for me to grasp that, to me she's still just a BIG baby... :)   I think she'll be more of a toddler when she's walking, but that's just my opinion.