Pepperoni and mozzerella egg rolls

I can't take credit for this.  I read about them on this blog    http://ourblissfullydeliciouslife.blogspot.com/2010/07/pepperoni-mozzarella-egg-rolls-with.html
But they were so good!!  I just had leftover bottled pizza sauce, that I barely warmed and served with Parmesan Rice a roni.
Yummy!!

A better understanding

I have been studying the Book of Mormon this year.  I was able to read the entire book between January and March.  I then decided I wanted to study it and downloaded a study guide to my Kindle.  I have really enjoyed studying it in depth.  Today I was reading about Lehi's blessings to his posterity before his death.  One of the things the author pointed out is that Lehi taught about Agency versus Predestination.   He talked about our Heavenly Father knowing us so well that He knows what kind of choices we will make.  This bothered me at first.  I couldn't see how this was in any way different from predestination.  He compared it to this:  His child HATES peas.  He puts a plate of peas in front of her.  He knows her so well he knows she will choose to avoid them.  He is not making her make that choice, he just knows her so well that he knows what she will choose to do in that situation. 
I started comparing that to trials that I have had in my life.  I began to wonder why a loving Heavenly Father would ask his child to endure such hard things.  I am not talking about trials that come from our own poor choices, I am talking about trials that come to us because of someone Else's actions. 
So I turned to lds.org and began to read about Agency and Trials.  President Monson said that many of us let the enemy of achievement even the Culprit "self defeat' dwarf our aspirations, smother our dreams, cloud our vision and impair our lives"
So we have to ask ourselves "what did we learn from this trial, from this pain?"  Maybe it was to make us stronger?  President Monson also advises us to 1. Fill our minds with truth. 2. Fill our hearts with love. 3. Fill our hearts with service.
He tells us to be forgiving, stay faithful and pray for the Lords help and comfort.  How well we endure our trials is up to us.  We can grow from them, and stay close to the Lord and once again ask "what did I learn from this?' 
Sometimes we are tempted to feel sorry for ourselves and ask "why me".  This is my definition of Self defeat.  I think the answer to that question is "why not you?"  After all the Savior had to endure it all and he was perfect.
That thought led me to a remembrance that the Atonement was not just about paying for our sin's.  That our Brother Jesus endured it all.  Our pain, our sicknesses, our temptations and our weaknesses.  He also sends the comforter to us when we need it.  We do not have to endure any of it alone.  Some how knowing that he knows what my own personal heart aches and pain feels like, comforts me.  He has a special understanding.
Our trials, the pain, the agony and the endeavors of life refine us.  They burn away the unimportant things, they melt away the impurities and makes our faith brighter and stronger.  It helps us to be able to listen to the whisperings of the Spirit.
I guess the hardest thing to remember when going through hard times is that this too will pass.  I have a favorite scripture that reminds me of that fact. Psalm 30:5  "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Also Matt 11:28  "come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
This reminds me once again, that I can turn to my Heavenly Father for help and for comfort and even understanding and He will always be there.  So yes sometimes we are given trials for reasons we can't always see at the moment.  But we can choose to endure them well, and to continue seek the spirit, read our scriptures, serve others, and seek peace and comfort from our friends and families.
I am so grateful that I am learning these lessons.  I was promised in my Patriarchal Blessing with a great love for the scriptures.  I truly do love them.  I learn lessons from them every day.  I am so glad that today I received a better understanding of those things.

Our Adoption Profile..

Our profile is up!!!  We have been approved to adopt!!! Yay!!! Help us find our forever family!!
https://itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/26261556/ourMessage.jsf

Navajo Taco's

                                           Not my picture... Mine are never this pretty!!

Okay, until I moved to Utah I had never even heard of Navajo taco's.  But Berrett Loves them!!

So here is my recipe.

Filling- or topping:

1 onion diced
2 to 3 stalks of celery
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
*optional- Grated carrot.. sneak in a few veggies!
1 pound ground beef- or turkey- or pork- or chicken
1 to 2 cans of chili
* optional- sometimes I add left over rice to make it spread further!
Taco or chili seasoning- to taste... remember we are mild people
1 cup of salsa- heat of your choice- we are mild folks!
Grated cheese
Shredded Lettuce
sliced Olives
Extra Salsa
Sour cream or ranch dressing if your a "true" utahn!

The "scone" part of the Taco:

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
3/4 cup warm water
Vegetable Oil or shortening for frying

 Filling prep:
In 1 to 2 tablespoons of veg. oil or butter, saute onions, celery, garlic and carrot.
When they are tender, add ground beef and brown.
Add, chili, salsa, rice, taco or chili seasoning to taste, and salsa.
Simmer on low.

Scones:

Mix Flour, salt, baking powder and water.  Dough is almost biscuit consistency.  Divide into 8 balls.
Roll each circle into pie crust thickness.  I usually let mine rest for 10 minutes or so.  Deep fry in medium to hot oil or shortening.  Turn when golden and puffy. 
top with filling and Favorite Taco toppings
Yummy!!!

This is whats for dinner tonight, minus rice or carrots!!

Understanding infertility

I read this recently in our adoption resources book, it is one of the best way I know to explain how a woman feels about infertility.

" A friend brought this similarity of our roles on this earth to light: Women are foreordained to become mothers to children. Her physical and emotional makeup are created for that purpose. Just as men are foreordained to receive the Priesthood. the comparison can be made when children are not able to be born into these mothers arms. Just imagine turning 12 and having a priesthood interview with the Bishop. He tells you that you are worthy and that he sees no reason why you shouldn't be able to become a deacon and receive the priesthood. All your friends have been ordained and you look forward to this so much.  Then he tells you that you cannot become a Deacon, and no reason why. Just that it isn't possible. You just don't understand. The same happens when it comes time to become a Teacher or a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood.  This same feeling for a man not able to become a member of the aaronic priesthood is much like a woman's motherhood. When children can't be born to her, she feels like her purpose on this earth can't be fulfilled. this is where our Heavenly Father has blessed us to have the opportunity to grow our families through adoption. We can raise His children and show them the path to return back to their Father in Heaven."

 I know that infertility affects the men in the church as well.  I don't discount their pain. I know it has been hard for my husband to not have a family.  He watches the children in our family and in our ward and I can see the longing on his face.  But this example offers a special understanding of what it is like for women.
Some infertile couples choose to keep away from babies and children when going through this.  As for me and my husband, we welcome all the children in our lives.  At least we have the chance to enjoy them and be of some good in their lives.  I can " mother" and nurture children who are not mine.  I have had aunts and uncles in my life who have helped lead me, when my parents could not. I have had primary teachers, YW leaders, camp directors and good family friends help me with my struggles.  
I take hope in the statement of another sister who said " My children are my jewels, no matter the circumstances in which they come to me. I was devastated when we were told we would not be able to parent biological children, but not hopeless. We some how knew we would be parents on this earth and just needed to find the way that are all knowing father had planned for us to get them.  After checking several options, we decided that adoption was the right thing for us. The waiting game was long and sometimes painful-- like a child waiting for Christmas--, but it was wiped from our memory, the moment each of our children were placed in our arms."

This Adoption process is like a roller coaster ride. It has its ups and downs, its times of excitement and its times of fear.  I personally hate roller coaster rides, but I will endure a million of them if it means a child will be placed in our arms and in our home.
We are headed into the next up of this roller coaster ride.  We Will soon have our profile up and hope to be led to our forever family.  We appreciate all your prayers and good wishes in our behalf.

My Children's book about Adoption

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/my-abcs-of-adoption/18881327

When Berrett and I first began this adoption journey, I was talking about it to his family.  Our 9 year old nephew was talking to us about adoption and had several misconceptions.  He thought a baby would be placed on our doorstep, or that a child might run away from home and we could then adopt them.
I do a lot of my creative thinking in the shower, LOL!   Anyway, I was in the shower and thinking about all the new words of adoption that are now a part of our vocabulary.  I was contemplating teaching our some day child about Adoption, birth parents, etc and this book was born!  It uses the ABC's to explain simply words and phrases that are common in today's world of adoption.  It is self published and all proceeds will go to our adoption fund.  The books are only $10 and you can click on the link and preview some of the pages.  I hope that it can be used to teach any child about adoption.  I hope a long with a future Life book it may also give us a way to talk about the different aspects of adoption with our child comfortably.  If you have a child in your life who is adopted or may be contemplating adoption, or just want to support a good cause, please consider buying my book.
Please let me know what you think!  Also I would appreciate you sharing this post and Link on your own blogs, emails or social networks you belong to.  We want as many people as possible to learn about adoption.  Thanks!
Kay