Where two or more are gathered

This past Sunday, October 24, was a special day in our lives and in Bennett's life, too, even though she doesn't know it yet. Ben and I officially joined Fellowship Baptist Church, the church we've been attending for the past eight months or so. I can't describe how good it feels to be part of a church family. We both grew up in church, and I kind of think we took for granted how much it enriched our lives. When we got married and moved to Columbus, church was important to us, but it definitely took a backseat to a lot of the other things crowding into our lives- traveling, time with family, etc. For several years, we attended a good church and made friendships there with several other couples around our age, but we never really felt at home and never really got involved. I'm not sure we ever even met the head pastor.

We decided to find a new church at the worst possible time- right when Bennett was born. Visiting new churches is not an easy task with a newborn in tow. I never felt comfortable leaving her in the nursery at a church where I didn't know a single person, and as she got older, she was too noisy to keep in the service with us. I finally came to the conclusion that a small, Baptist church was where I wanted to be- a place where we could really get to know people and where we would really be needed to serve. I wasn't sure what Ben would think- he never attended a small church growing up and I didn't know if he'd like it. I asked if we could visit Fellowship since I knew a few people who went there. After we visited the first time, I knew that I loved it there, but I was sure that Ben would say he thought it was too small and he wouldn't want to go back. To my surprise, he did want to go back and we've enjoyed attending there ever since.

I didn't realize how much I missed being part of a church family or how important it was to me. Now that I have that back in my life, I feel like something has been restored. I am so looking forward to serving in this church and raising Bennett in it for as long as God keeps us living here in Columbus. And yes, joining a church was also on my 30 in my 30s list. Obviously, it means a lot more to me than just an item to "check off," but it still feels good to see my life changing in one more of the ways I hoped it would after turning 30. Two down, 28 to go. :)

A little hardware goes a long way...

It wasn't on my 30 in my 30s list, but getting handles on the kitchen cabinets has been on my "to do" list for about 5 years! So happy to finally have it done. I love the result!

Before: 

After (with special appearance by Bennett):

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Food Obsession: Chili

I'm pretty sure that almost everyone loves fall. I don't know anyone who doesn't. Football, hay rides, apple cider, cooler weather...and especially soup. Soup is a staple at our house, even in the summer, but especially in the fall and winter. We like to make a big batch of soup over the weekend so we have lunch and leftovers throughout the coming week. And now that I have another freezer in my garage, I plan to freeze a lot this year, too.

One of our favorite things to make is chili. I love chili because there are so many different ways you can make it. If you went down the street and asked each of your neighbors for their recipe, you'd come up with something different from everyone. Even ours is a little different every time. Our chili recipe is something we came up with when we first got married. I feel sentimental about it because it takes me back to a time when we were young and poor and lived in a little apartment. Time goes by so fast! Nothing reminds me of that more than autumn. So, here is our chili recipe- we love to serve it with a little bit of shredded cheese, a little bit of sour cream (fat-free for you WWers), and a little bit of crumbled-up cornbread.

Ben & Sarah's Chili

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped (more or less depending on what you like)

1 chopped green bell pepper

1/2 chopped red bell pepper

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2-3 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes

1 packet chili seasoning (Chili-O is what we like to use)

1-2 tsp. ground cumin

1-2 large cans V-8 or any brand of vegetable juice

Combine the ground meat, onion, and bell peppers in a large saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-high heat until the meat is crumbly and the onion translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, chili seasoning, cumin, and V-8 (until it reaches your desired consistency). Bring to a boil, then simmer until you're ready to eat.

Frozen chocolate-covered key lime pie on a stick

I hope that title drew you in. I've been slacking. I can't believe October is almost half over already. So much for a book review on the first of every month- but I do have one ready (see below). October is one of my favorite months, and this one had a great start- spending time in Key West and Cozumel with Michelle, my best friend since third grade! Key West was gorgeous and warm:

And I'm not trying to be over-dramatic, but eating this frozen chocolate-covered key lime pie on a stick might have been one of the best experiences of my life:

Cozumel was insanely beautiful. We snorkeled and relaxed on the beach- and of course hit up a Mexican restaurant on our way back to our cruise ship. All in all, a wonderful trip!

One of the best aspects of the trip was being able to relax and read. I got through one long-ish novel in the 4 days and did something I never do, which is buy a book in the airport and started on that one, too. Anyone who saw me with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the airport told me it was a great read- I am less than 100 pages in but liking it so far. 

The book I have to review this month, though, is The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin. This is another of those rare books that I actually bought. I found it for like $3.99 at Garden Ridge, and having loved the book it is a sequel to (Mistress of the Art of Death) I was excited to read it. 

The likable protagonist in this series is a medieval doctor named Adelia Aguilar, a Sicilian living in England at the behest of King Henry II in order to unravel crimes in his kingdom. Since female doctors were feared at the time, and considered to be witches, Adelia has to conduct her work in secret. In the first book, Adelia works to solve the murders of several children in Cambridge. In The Serpent's Tale, her task is uncovering the murderer of Rosamund Clifford, the king's favorite mistress, to prevent the entire country from collapsing into a state of civil war. It's a good read. Like I've said before, historical fiction is my favorite genre, and medieval England is my favorite place to be transported to for a while. I recommend this read. You don't need to read Mistress of the Art of Death first, but I'd suggest doing so to get a better feel for the second book. I'm hoping Franklin writes a third!