April was not a good month. No it definitely was not!
I was either sick, recovering from being sick and exhausted all month. Along with that I lost my inspiration for blogging at some point and our high speed Internet earlier in the month than usual.
Then there were the "other" things...
Sad sigh #1:
We found out that my Chef son is -- yet again -- moving south. I will really miss our conversations, hikes and drives together, his wonderful cooking...basically I will totally and completely miss seeing him. Sometimes it's really, really hard to be a mom.
Sad sigh #2:
Found out that my best friend of almost 30 years is also moving. She's been there for me through some of the hardest times of my life. And she's more than just a good friend, she's a sister-in-Christ...I already miss her immensely and the move hasn't happened yet. I just have to keep focusing on how grateful I am to God for blessing her with this wonderful opportunity.
Sad sigh #3:
A much anticipated trip to one of my favorite places in the US fell through--a place of many memories and lovely landscapes. Soooo disappointed.
Well, there's more---but I think that's more than enough sad sighs for one blog post,
don't you agree? :)
So, on a more positive note, here's some good things that happened this April...
#1)
Our furnace broke (thank you LORD for getting us through the winter, keeping us safe AND making me aware that there was a problem before something really AWFUL happened ). My wonderfully talented hubby was able to repair it for the total cost of about $10 (let me hear another thank you God!)...
#2)
I -- finally -- had the courage to stand up to one of the slithery ones and, wouldn't you know it, he didn't back down...But at least I lasted a few seconds before my retreat. Yea!
#3)
My Chef son promises to send me his gumbo recipe this month! Ever since Teresa started to post her photos from New Orleans and Louisiana, I have been totally inspired to work on my family lines from the South (especially making progress on extended New Orleans family--yippee!). And then, with all those great photos of southern food, I started getting interested in the cuisine of the south--hence my need for the gumbo recipe. Mmm. Now if I could just afford a trip south...LOL.
Maybe someday!
(And a BIG thank you to Teresa for sharing her trip photos and helping to inspire me)
#4)
Though technically in early, early May, I had the opportunity to try some new foods. The first, tendon, was -- well it was interesting. If you've ever had pho, you may have already had this. It doesn't taste bad at all...but the texture is -- well, the texture of tendon is memorable and stayed with me a long, long time. A very long time. However, the flavor of the pho was fabulous and I devoured every single drop of it - tendon and all.
#5)
Also in very early May, I had a most wonderful rhubarb hand pie at one of the most wonderful bakeries in all of Portland (Baker + Spice in SW Portland)...let's just say I will be making some of these soon God willing. YUM! Additionally, I've been munching on some yummy cardomom bread from a fav Scandinavian shop...
#6)
My Bible reading for 2015 is coming right along and I will most likely be done well before year's end. YEA! I've been much more disciplined and consistent about it this year...usually I have to play catch up:) And, speaking of reading, I was FINALLY able to located a beloved book I first started reading on a stay at Leirvangen, a Norwegian B+B years ago. Can't wait to immerse myself in the land of fire and ice again...oh, and pretend I am riding a Icelandic horse:)
Well that was April, but now it's May --
and May always brings some good, good memories!
By the way,
Feliz cinco de mayo a todos mis amigos y mi familia :)
Blessings,
Aimee
~ * ~
Photos:
Marquam Hill Trail, photo 1
Seaside Beach (access at 12th Street), photos 2, 3, 4, 10
Tryon Creek State Park, photo 5
Seaside Beach (The Cove), photos 6, 7, 8
Yummy pho, photo 9
Link to Teresa's fabulous LA posts:
http://teresakasner.blogspot.com/2015/04/new-orleans-part-deux.html
(this is part 2 of 3 parts; they're all wonderful!)
A special thank you to my son for letting me borrow some of his photos for the blog
and for forgetting the much loved and most wonderful "M" cookware here--tee hee!
Love you!
BAD HTML...oh well, time to do other things ;)
Link to Teresa's fabulous LA posts:
http://teresakasner.blogspot.com/2015/04/new-orleans-part-deux.html
(this is part 2 of 3 parts; they're all wonderful!)
A special thank you to my son for letting me borrow some of his photos for the blog
and for forgetting the much loved and most wonderful "M" cookware here--tee hee!
Love you!
BAD HTML...oh well, time to do other things ;)
23 comments:
Hi Aimee, I'm glad to see you back to blogging! I'm happy that you enjoyed my New Orleans posts and that they inspired you. The BEST Cajun recipes are in this book -- "Talk About Good" Cookbook by the Louisiana Lafayette Junior League. Sorry to hear of your friend and son moving away.. I am still mourning my daughter and granddaughters move to Ohio. I hope May is a better month for you. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
@Teresa~
Thanks! It's good to be back and I am beginning to feel a bit of blogging inspiration again:) I LOVED your Louisiana posts and they truly did inspire me to go back to my "southern roots" again. I looked up your recommendation and that cookbook has awesome ratings. Will keep it in mind the next time my DH orders from Amazon (love that free shipping you know). Yea, I am a bit bummed out. At least I'll get to see my friend on occasion though...
I know your family's move to Ohio has been very hard for you. It really is the loss of a dream I think. In time we adjust, and get used to the new "normal", but part of our heart aches for what was and what could have been :(
Wishing you a great May!
Blessings,
Aimee
I'm sorry your son and good friend are moving away. It's always hard to say goodbye. But you did have some good things happen in April too, and I'm glad that you are able to look on the bright side of everything! Keep smiling - spring is here, the flowers are blooming and the weather is getting warmer! :)
Sorry to hear April was not so great...but you have found good through it all! :-) I'm totally with you about the moving and loved ones...been there often and still living it each day. Hugs to you! Beautiful pictures, I love the one of the path leading into the woods, felt like I could step right into it and go on a lovely walk! I miss high speed internet, we have DSL in the country and it's awful! But on a good note at least I have internet, lol. Have a wonderful day!
Blessings,
Jill
I enjoyed seeing you post today Aimee. I'm a bit behind in reading since I drove to Portland yesterday and home today. I'm so sorry that April was a rough month for you. I know EXACTLY how you feel with your son moving away. I'm also happy the furnace was an easily fixable thing.
I wish I could have met you while in the Rose City yesterday. The girls and I had a wonderful time as always.
Blessings,
Betsy
@Linda~
Thanks for your kind remarks! It is going to take awhile to get used to all these changes. But--as you said, spring is here and I LOVE spring :)
Blessings,
Aimee
@Jill~
Thank you for your kindness! I am so glad you enjoyed the photos--you would like Tryon Creek State Park (where that path is). It's a very lovely park located in the Portland area. My son and I have hiked there a couple of times...
We live in the country too so I don't have true high speed internet. It's a portable system that we can take everywhere but it's slower and really slow after I exceed my full speed allowance--which I've done quite a few times because I love doing genealogy for hours on end:)
Have a great week!
Blessings,
Aimee
@Betsy~
Thanks for your sweet comment! I am way behind too with everything going on and technology challenges. Someday hopefully we will be able to meet...
Blessings,
AImee
I think you need some prayers. So I'll be praying for you and your family too.
God bless.
Because each of your heavy sighs is accompanied by a beautiful picture, I thought ' that must mean that even through the setbacks and sighs Aimee know's she lives in a beautiful place and happiness will return'... and then I got to the last part of the post and you confirmed it. I hope May brings happiness. (And don't feel too bad about missing the Chef, just remember that he is doing what's right for him . I always say 'Darn it, we raised our kids to be independent and they turned right around and did what we wanted them to do!'
@Victor~
Thank you so very much Victor! Today was a better day--your post and those sentences I quoted in my reply really blessed me:):)
Blessings, Aimee
@Sallie~
Oh I do! Today was a good one and I've been in better spirits:) Yes, you are SO right about our kids...
Blessings, Aimee
I'm sorry for the events that bring sighs - saying goodbye when someone we love moves isn't easy. Your photos are gorgeous, though. I hope that May will be a more positive month for you. And through it all, God is very present.
Hi Mrs. Aimee,
I am again in love with your pictures, however I'm sorry to hear about your rough month... I also hope your recovered from your illness. I also feel great sympathy for you as far as your friend moving away, that has to be tough!
sending you and your family Blessings and as always...Hugs from Hayley
Well, I'm playing catch up, too, Aimee, and am sorry to read of the sigh worthy events in your life :( but I appreciate your determination to faithfully face the transitions you must. I enjoyed the photos in this post and thank you for going to the effort of posting. My youngest son-in-law is very interested in geneology . We enjoy watching the geneology shows on OPB, do you? Blessings to you and yours xx
@Lorrie~
Thank you Lorrie for both your kindness and your compliment on my photos! And, thanks for the reminder that God is--indeed--very present;)
Blessings, Aimee
@Hayley~
Thank you! Am so glad you enjoyed seeing a bit more of my Oregon. I have recovered fully from my ill health (Yea!) and am glad to have that virus in the "rearview mirror" :) Thanks again for another sweet comment. You impress me with your maturity Hayley and your talent. Hope you will continue to blog.
BLessings,
Aimee
@Gracie~
YEA! I am not alone:):) Transitions, challenges and changes are not always much fun but I am making a list of "passions"--little projects that will make me smile and today an unexpected one came our way (seeing where my hubby grew up). I am not sure if I have watched any OPB genealogy shows--I will have to check into them. I do enjoy genealogy a lot though and am glad you have a family member who does also. In the future I will probably write more about it here as it has brought us some very unexpected finds and blessings that may interest others:)
Blessings,
AImee
Hi Aimee, wow. You've had an event filled April. We're sorry to learn of the upsetting things but glad that overall you're well. My mom got the "cough" in February and yup, she's still coughing. My dad got it in April and yup, he's still sputtering. We'll have to meet-up sometime. We're just up the road and your dollar is worth more :) We'll try to get down your way too.
@Sammy~
That is was Sam. Oh no! I am SO sorry to learn your dad and mom got the cough. It is truly miserable, I know, and I pray they will see good health again soon. To see Canada again would be so very sweet, but until my DH retires it will have to remain on my wish list...it is a wonderful place and I remember with much happiness trips to Hope, Harrison Hot Springs and many other locales. You know that you live in Paradise, right? :):)
Blessings, Aimee
Hope you're all keeping well.
God bless.
@Victor~
Thank you. I am adjusting to the new "normal" and am enjoying reading a book on prayer. BTW, thank you again for all the prayers!
Blessings, Aimee
Sorry to hear about your loved ones moving away. At least you will have Skype (maybe?). Wonderful that your husband was able to repair your furnace for only $10!! Pho is one of my mother's favorite dishes--though I don't recall her mentioning tendon. It's been awhile since she's had some as there are not very many Vietnamese restaurants in our immediate area. We do make our own ramen noodle "pho" once in a while though! Congrats on the progress you're making in your Bible reading! We're working on finishing our latest time reading through. Usually we finish around June 1st, but we've fallen a bit behind, so it will be a challenge!
Oh, and also glad to hear you recovered from your time of colds! Those are no fun! Last fall I had one cold after another...it almost turned me fatalistic--no matter what I did or went another would catch up with me it seemed. Sooo good to be in good health now! (Ah, isn't it?!) All the best in happiness and wellness to you!
@Bethany~
Thank you! It's been hard but yes, I do have Skype and Facebook and a smartphone so we can stay in touch. My hubby saves us SO much money--seems like there is nothing he can't fix. God has really given him many talents:)
I LOVE pho--but next time will probably get a non tendon version due to the 'odd' texture. I would love to be able to make it at home too--maybe on his next visit home, my chef son can teach me.
This weekend I fell behind in my Bible reading, but as of today am back on schedule--yippee! I am VERY impressed with your schedule and wish you Godspeed on finishing your challenge!
Ick. Sounds like it wasn't a good fall/winter for many people...stay healthy Bethany:)
Blessings,
Aimee
I'm so sorry you are experiencing such loss all at once. It is so hard when friends and family move away. My heart goes out to you.
There is a new kid in town. If you have a chance to pop by my blog you'll see Mystery Baby revealed! Have a super blessed day, my friend!
@Jackie~
Thanks for your kind comment! I am doing better most days now:)
Congrats on the new baby...she is SO adorable and her name is perfect!! What blessings our Father bestows on us!
Blessings, Aimee
Thank you for visiting my Blog once again. I really appreciate it.
God bless you and your family.
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