exciting news!

watercolor by serena mitnik miller | layout by me

It's true.  We are moving come July!  Shortly after taking the boards we will be packing up the moving truck and will be headed back to Hampton Roads.  The Doc will be doing his 3rd and 4th year rotations in Bad News and I will get to hang out with friends and family on the regular.  We are thrilled about being closer to a lot of the people we love and I am truly using this move as an opportunity to p u r g e. 

...true essence of beauty.

This came across my path at the exact right moment.   Lovely how things happen in such a way!  So many of my struggles have been rooted in not believing in myself, not seeing a beautiful face in the mirror, not acting as though I am worth it.  My goal this year has been to take life slowly - savouring each moment, each memory - and to truly celebrate the small things.  Somewhere on the interwebs, I recently saw someone saying that once she started treating herself as beautiful she started to see herself as beautiful.  The quotation below sums up perfectly what I am aiming for.

 

source

How do you see yourself?  Does loving yourself come naturally or is it something you have had to learn?

Sunday Portraits

Mentally, I repeatedly keep composing a few lines to go with this photo and each time it starts with something to the tune of, "it's not Sunday" and "I'm running behind."  I've been very clear with myself that I'm doing Sunday Portraits only so long as I enjoy it  - but I'm one that tends to get bogged down by routine and feeling like I have to do something.

All of that to say, I am enjoying it.  But I'm not requiring myself to stick to the window of posting on Sunday.  Speaking of Sundays, we've been having Sunday Fundays while the Doc still feels like he can take a break from studying for one day a week.  We spent the afternoon gallivanting around Roanoke, doing a little shopping and exploring.  Mostly we just enjoy hanging out.

We also started something really nerdy through the suggestion of a co-worker.  15 minute clean-up sessions.  We've done it two nights in a row and we both get a serious amount accomplished.  Typically, I get overwhelmed by tidying and organizing because I'm going from one random thought to the next.  Putting a time limit on that makes it easier to jump from one task to the next without feeling like I have to completely clean and organize one room before going to the next room.  

Sunday Portraits

The Doc and I have been asking each other these questions for a while now.  At first, it was awkward.  But now, if we go a week without asking these questions of each other, we notice that we feel disconnected from one another.  Last night, we watched a sermon from Mosaic that had to do with Work and our Jobs and the difference between the two and what God calls us to in these respective roles.  It was encouraging to hear that the Doc is still really amped about the work he is preparing to do - even with the daily struggles of being a student.  I'm still praying for a clear direction in regard to what kind of work I should devote my life to.  It can be difficult to feel like my day to day work is meaningless but I have a renewed perspective that God calls me to bring meaning into whatever situation I am in.

Scallops au Gratin

While the Doc and I were visiting family last week, I did some cooking for my Dad because my mom was actually in Europe for the week.  It was fun because every morning I would ask what he wanted for dinner, then I'd go buy the fresh ingredients to prepare the meal and we would enjoy it together.  One morning, he asked for scallops.  I love scallops - I love all seafood, really - but have recently enjoyed cooking with them more often.  I made Scallops Au Gratin - over pasta for the men, as is for me - and it was so delicious.

Scallops Au Gratin

1 lb fresh or frozen scallops

lemon juice

1 c almond flour

3-4 garlic cloves, diced

fresh bunch of parsley

3-4 T butter

Soak the scallops in lemon juice for 20 minutes.  The butcher actually suggested this as a means of bringing out the natural flavor of the scallops which can be altered due to sodium additions.  While the scallops are soaking, melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.  Saute garlic, add almond flour and saute until slightly brown.  Remove from heat.  Place scallops in a baking dish, spoon the almond flour mixture over the scallops and sprinkle generously with fresh parsley.  Cook at 350 for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the scallops.  When fully cooked, scallops appear white through the middle (not translucent).  Spoon over pasta or seasoned quinoa.  Enjoy!

Ombre.

The Doc and I spent a week in Hampton Roads visiting family and friends and rejuvenating for his block break.  Now we're having to get back into the swing of things and I'm dragging my feet.  Warmer temperatures are making it easier to get outside after work and I'm loving that!  Finally some spring!

 

I'm loving how these two different materials mirror each other.  Color is an amazing thing.

 left | right

Sunday Portraits

This guy.  Yes, him again!  These Sunday Portraits really may be variations of the Doc for a while but I love him a lot and am so proud of him for all of his perseverance and hard work.