I don’t know where you might happen to be if you’re reading this post, but if you’re in or around the Atlanta area, you just might be over this weather we’re having! RAIN. Enough is enough! Typically, I don’t mind too much…as long as a fireplace, a blanket, a good book, my husband and a pup or two are available…but not only am I over this weather, I am currently under it, too.
This is a current, real-time view. I cannot stand being sick and at the office. Boo-hiss. If this continues, I will be staying home by my lonesome tomorrow for sure!
In the meantime, I have several ‘go-to’ remedies that are necessities in our house when a sinus infection creeps in:
Homemade Vicks Shower Tabs
via blommi.com
All-Natural Pineapple Cough Syrup
via. theviewfromgreatisland.comThis + REAL Sudafed, and a Hot Green Tea with Honey!And last but not least…THIS little gem!
What are your go-to remedies for feeling better fast when you get sick? I’d love to hear what works for you!
Yes, it has been eons since we have posted a thing. I cannot believe how quickly and easily time escapes from us. It seems like just the other day we were packing up our home in Georgia to relocate to Maine. Alas, we have now been living in Maine for more than 4 months, and have already moved to a NEW home! I can’t claim we haven’t been busy!
I began work on a second bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern Maine at the beginning of this January…I’m working towards a BS in Biochemistry…and we don’t even have our kitchen table set-up yet in the new house! Craig’s working, I’m studying, snow is falling and our Furs are restless, but we are pushing forward and getting settled into our new home – one box at a time.
In addition to all of this, I am still the youth minister for two parishes here in Southern Maine, and Craig & I have just joined a Bible Study group together with another church, near New Hampshire. We also both have some form of “the beginnings of pneumonia” right now, according to the nurse practitioner I made an appointment with Friday, and we have been keeping each other up late every night with our wheezing and coughing and nose-blowing. I am the cantor for Mass today, too, and I am praying God will sing through me – because I have absolutely no voice at all, right now.
Whew. My hands are tired from typing all of that, and my eyes are swimming with the jumble of words. If I stare at the lists upon to-do lists bogging my sweet husband and I down right now, my pulse quickens and I become anxious…
BIOCHEMISTRY?!?! What the heck was I thinking?!?! As the nurse told me yesterday, “…quite an age to start following such a dream!” Balancing chemical equations? Memorizing the electronegativity of endless elements, and studying the polyatomic ions from Table 2.24 in the text? Learning how to do math, all over again? Knowing the difference between an oxidation-reduction and a precipitation reaction? Which box do I unpack next? How am I going to shovel the driveway – I’ve never done that before! Walking to class in 14 degree weather??? What color should I paint this room? How are we going to survive another month without our former income? How can we really show the youth group Jesus LOVES them!?!?
That’s my mind before coffee and Jesus, every morning.
My brain can be overtaken by fear and anxiety so easily with everything going on…and I haven’t even mentioned the worry of never being a mother…
This is why a personal “quiet time” is so immensely important. Time alone with God everyday – every MORNING – is paramount. Why, you ask? Because you then have the ability to place all of your worries, fears, thoughts, lists and crises on the back-burner, and put Jesus first.
I have a peaceful time, before anything else, in the day when I drink my coffee and read God’s love letters to me. I have learned in this time to captivate my thoughts:
I never truly understood what this meant until very recently. Taking your thoughts captive means to consciously recognize them, and dismiss them. I no longer allow myself to be bogged down with worry and overwhelming thoughts of everything that has to be accomplished. In my quiet time, I sit with God and allow Him to speak to me through His Word. Every verse I read, something new pops out to me from the page, and each time a worrisome notion begins to creep into my mind, I cast it out – with ease – in the presence of our Lord.
Life is overwhelmingly overwhelming – if you allow it to be. But Jesus didn’t call you to be anxious and stressed. You were created to be joyful and full of His Spirit! Take a few moments alone, first thing every morning, and spend those precious minutes in prayer and Bible reading. You won’t wish those moments had been spent any differently.
Sad to say, I am NOT feeling well…still…but at least I am home today, with my sweet husband. Always looking for that silver lining… 🙂
As promised, we have a DELICIOUS recipe for you today. It’s simple and easy to make, and you can easily alter it based on your own personal taste!
Because we love spice, we chose seasoned pepper, and red pepper flakes as two of our seasonings. Also, we used a spicy relish in addition to the heirloom tomato and roasted red pepper. Seriously, this was a DELICIOUS dish, and easy to make after getting home from a long commute and a long day at work! 🙂
Enjoy this meal, and you won’t be sorry! What are some of your go-to recipes for a quick homemade meal?
Oh we are struggling this Monday! Poor Craig is home sick – my flu/cold finally zapped him – and I have never been this exhausted in my entire life. Yesterday, I took a little nap after church while Craig washed the car, and then we took a nap together when he got done. We went out to dinner with my parents and brother (at a delicious restaurant, Opulent), and got home right around 9 PM – when we both promptly fell asleep on the sofa.
Monday mornings are my sleep “late” mornings, when I get to stay in bed until (gasp!) 5:00 AM, and I barely dragged myself out of bed. Craig felt so bad he had actually taken NyQuil – and if you know him, that means he is sick – so he was like a zombie when I left the house at 5:45. It was everything I could do to keep my eyes open on the way to the office, and by the time I pulled into the parking lot at work, I took a nap in the car before I came inside the office. Neither of us are ‘nappers’… so we must not feel well. Yick.
The Lefebvre house is not a happening place this week, apparently.
{Yawn.}
My sister-in-law sent me this picture this morning, and I must say, it is quite fitting:
For today’s My Choice Monday, we are featuring 4 blogs we love – all are different, but wonderful reads for various reasons. We know you’ll have to bookmark them, too!
1. Veil Of ChastityAs we shared last week, this is an invaluable blog and resource for all of you single girls (and guys!) out there! And of course, today, I had the pleasure of guest blogging at The Veil of Chastity, so you simply MUST visit! 🙂
Cindy, the author of The Veil, is an amazing Catholic woman who you will all, no doubt, find inspiring! Here is an excerpt from the blog’s “About” page:
“The United States alone has 27 million single Catholics. This site is dedicated to those singles and those around the world who are looking for wisdom and hope. This is a place to share and learn about the virtue of chastity, the truth behind the virtue and why it leads to our happiness and peace.
Do you want to be married? Do you want to follow God’s plan for your life? This site promotes the beautiful and wise teaching of the virtue of Chastity, which is the key to remaining in God’s plan.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #1658 says:
“…We must also remember the great number of single persons who, because of the particular circumstances in which they have to live – often not of their choosing – are especially close to Jesus’ heart and therefore deserve the special affection and active solicitude (concern/care) of the Church, especially of pastors…”
I agree with the CCC! But, I want to do more than offer special affection and solicitude. I want to offer the ‘why’behind the teaching of the virtue of Chastity!
The teaching is universal and does not depend upon your age. It is a life-long virtue whose benefits are tremendous.”
You won’t want to miss today’s post – or any others by Cindy and The Veil of Chastity. Check out her blog and my guest post here. (If today’s post isn’t up yet, remember to check back later!!)
2. waiting for baby bird.
If you or anyone you love is dealing with infertility, specifically PCOS, this blog will bless you with inspiration and encouragement. Elisha has a heart for God and serves as a shining example to all of us. Here’s a quote from her “About Me” section:
“My husband and I have been married for 7 amazing years and we yearn for our own children; however due to PCOS, we are “challenged” in the fertility department The doctors have given me a 3% chance of conceiving on my own but I know that God is bigger than PCOS or any doctor’s report, and through Jesus, I have a 100% chance of having my own biological children.”
Elisha & her blog are reminders that Jesus heals and is more powerful than anything.
5 But because of our sins he was wounded,
beaten because of the evil we did.
We are healed by the punishment he suffered,
made whole by the blows he received.
Wow. A dose of that kind of faith and healing is worth more than any cup of coffee could be to get you through the day – and through your pain!
I happened upon this fabulous blog when doing a little bit of research about a chef Craig and I saw on PBS the other day – John Besh, only to find out he is a fellow Catholic and was featured on Catholic Foodie…
As its tagline reads, “…Where Food & Faith Meet”, and what a great, food-filled and faith-filled blog this is! Not only will you find amazing recipes like this one:
Just Click The Image For The Whole Post & Recipe
But also beautiful articles like this one:
Click The Image To Go Directly To This Article About The Table & The Altar!
Evangeline has not only provided the world with an uplifting blog for those of us hoping against all hope in the face of infertility, but for everyone! Her Focus Friday posts are a blessing and a reminder to us all that God is bigger, and stronger, and faithful. Today, she wrote this:
“Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!
“So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:10″
Hope Filled Focus is a blog you’ll want to turn to for encouragement, and you can find her hopeful inspiration in the two books she has authored, and in her speaking engagements – as shown below.
I know Evangeline has offered confidence & light to Craig & me, and I believe she will offer the same to you.
We hope each and every one of these recommendations blesses you or someone you know! If you enjoy one of these blogs (or OURS?!?!), share it with your friends and family! Don’t forget to “LIKE” our page on Facebook! Things are a little bit different with a “page” versus a “profile”, so while we can’t accept your friend request at this time, like our page and send us a comment while we figure things out! We can’t wait to hear from you!
Y’all enjoy this beautiful day, and Craig & I are going to go back to getting some rest – Looks like I may be reserving the Meditation Room today at the office for a 30-minute nap during lunch! 🙂 Zzzzzzz…..
I may sneeze my way into 2014 the way things are looking right now, and since I’ve had more than a few people acknowledge they’re suffering the same illness, we decided that today’s “My Choice Monday” should be about cold remedies!
I’ll have to admit, when Craig and I first tried this, we were both a little bit nervous…Intentionally putting water in your nose…Well, that’s just a tad nerve-wracking. However, we were faced with the necessity of having to do SOMETHING prior to boarding the long flight to Rome, Italy earlier this year, and to avoid eardrum-popping madness, we would have done just about anything. This turned out to be step #1 to freedom!
Folks, this stuff is wonderful. I have been dealing with each and every one of these symptoms and this is the only over-the-counter medicine that really helps! Plus, it’s convenient to buy one box and have both daytime and nighttime relief!
I don’t know about you, but one of the things that seems to help the most when I’m really congested is a hot, steamy shower! Add a peppermint tablet to that steam-filled bliss and you’re on your way to congestion recovery!
I also found a DIY option that I think would work marvelously – I just haven’t been able to locate one of the ingredients in a brick and mortar store (Kind of essential when you have a cold now!). Maybe you’ll have more luck? You can see for yourself here, at the blog Rebekah’s Corner. If you have any clue where to find Menthol Crystals, let me know! We would love to try making these!
Hopefully, you won’t be celebrating this New Year’s Eve like this member of the Newlywed Lefebvres – but if you are, try these recommendations to banish your cold before 2014!
Oh. My. Goodness. This weekend was absolutely crazy…but everything ended up working out for the absolute best…Praise the Lord. Literally. I just can’t believe I actually made it back to my desk at work today. I should actually be curled up in bed with Daisy, getting the rest I never got…
Friday, before leaving the office, I heard a tiny thud and saw a blue stone on a printed out e-mail at my desk…Lo’ and behold, it was a sapphire from my wedding band…Never a good way to begin the weekend…Luckily, my sweet husband is working with the guy who made my engagement ring from Craig’s design to re-design my band and fix it all up. After it is all said and done, the ring will be much more structurally sound and just as beautiful as ever.
After work, I began my 42 mile trek home…Yes. My commute is 42 miles each way, and each leg takes me about an hour and a half. Gotta love it…ANYWAY, I rushed home as quickly as I could so Craig and I could enjoy dinner together before he flew to Dulles for the evening…I got home, said hi to sweet Daisy and my amazing husband, and enjoyed a much needed glass of wine as he finished cooking my a delicious, from-scratch, meal of Gluten-Free Chile Rellenos, with the poblano peppers we grew in our own little garden. It was a delicious meal, and before I knew it, it was time for Craig to fly away…So, he left, I did a blog post about our new sofa and then went upstairs to change out of work clothes and slip into my comfy sweats…I came downstairs and watched a great movie, enjoyed another glass of wine and our extra comfortable new sectional…And then decided, since I had a hair appointment in LaGrange the next morning at 9:45am, I should probably head to bed…Well, usually when I get into bed, Daisy is right on my heels…But not this time…And then I realized I hadn’t seen her since Craig left much earlier… I called her multiple times (she answers to her name), to no avail… I looked ALL over the house…No Daisy…Around 11:30, I put on warm clothes and walked all over the neighborhood crying like a baby and calling for my sweet kitty…At 1:30am, I was all cried out, and I went inside to go to sleep with no happy thoughts in my mind…Craig was very worried too and he assured me I should go to my hair appointment the next morning and he would begin to search for her as soon as he got home…Tearily and with a heavy heart, I agreed…I cried the entire hour and a half drive, until Craig called to tell me he’d found her!!!!!! My poor sweet girl had been underneath the ground-floor deck at the neighbors’ house the entire night…She was cold and covered in cobwebs and grass, but her sweet father had rescued her and brought her back inside. Whew.
Daisy was safely at home, so I enjoyed the rest of my hair appointment and visiting with Ralph & Cynthia, but I was concerned about my mother. She had not been feeling well all week…I’d called on Thursday night and woken her up around 9pm…That was unlike her…I had called Friday night to see if she felt any better and my Dad had answered the phone and said she was still not well…Then that morning, I had called to let them know Daisy was lost – before Craig found her – and I spoke with my Dad the whole time because she was so sick…
Well, I got home and Craig and I went to pick out our pumpkin as we had planned to do before, since Daisy was now safe and sound…We went to the grocery store to get dinner ingredients for Sunday evening, and to Target to buy throw pillows and a few throw blankets I had seen on sale. We stopped by Blockbuster to pick up a scary movie (my fave: The Shining), and while we were waiting in line, my Dad texted to let us know he had taken my mother to the emergency room and would keep us posted!!!!! Of course, I was very concerned. My mother hates doctor visits as much as I do, so I knew this was serious…but all I could do was wait. Dad said not to worry about coming down until he knew more… So Craig and I went to dinner at our sushi place, and while we were eating my mother called to let us know they were taking her into surgery around 10pm for an Appendectomy. We were so relieved to hear her voice and know that they had figured it out and she would be fine by the next morning!!!!!!!
With that relief, and the promise of a phone call from my Dad when all was said and done, we went to Folklore – a haunted house in Dallas. Let me tell you. I have been to my share of haunted houses and this one was well worth the price of admission! Extremely creepy and entertaining!! If you live anywhere nearby, this is definitely a must-do for the Halloween season!
When we had heard my mother was safely in recovery, we set to work on carving our pumpkin… Whom we had dubbed “Nerdkin”… So cute! We worked hard on this one, but in the end, I think it was worth it:
I think it turned out really well…and you should SEE all the seeds we got from the Nerdkin! Goodness gracious! An entire mixing bowl full!! We are roasting them with butter, sugar and cinnamon this evening and I am sure they’ll be delicious!!
Sunday we went to early Mass at 8am, met with a man via Craigslist about purchasing our old coffee and end tables (which he did – YAY!!!), and then headed to LaGrange to see my mother! Oh my goodness she looked fabulous! Seriously, like she had had surgery less than 12 hours prior, and looked better than I did. Unfair! 🙂 But such an absolute blessing!!
In all seriousness, we are truly blessed and although this weekend was a whirlwind, and complete insanity, throughout the entire time we prayed and prayed and prayed…Prayers of pleading for help and of thanking God for his mercy! So much happened, but God led us through all of it victoriously! Praise Him!
Please continue to pray for healing for my mother, and for Craig and I as a couple – that we maintain the strength to get through the good and the bad. 🙂 Thank you for all of your kind comments and your love and for reading our blog!! We are sooooo lucky! 🙂
Much Love,
Pier & Craig
PS – You’re all in for a treat…My dear husband told me last week he plans to do a blog post here on his own about our almost-complete bedroom, with pictures of our new bed, bedding, and the nightstands he built. 🙂 Stay tuned! xoxo
The doctors have given me a 3% chance of conceiving on my own but I know that God is bigger than PCOS or any doctor’s report, and through Jesus, I have a 100% chance of having my own biological children.”
Elisha & her blog are reminders that Jesus heals and is more powerful than anything.
The (Not-So) Newlywed Lefebvres 
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