So Much Birthday and Christmas Joy!!

Gee wizz this time of the year provides so much to blog about!!

Noah and I trekked down to Omaha where we had another christmas with the Clarks! This wonderful family took Noah in to live with them during his last year of high school - when I finally met them in 2010, the summer after we were married, I fell fast in love with them as well! They truly are just like family. They took us in last Christmas, and I was blown away by how they treated us just like one of the kids. We had our own stockings and just as many presents under the tree as their own children! I was SO excited to experience it all again. One of the most special parts of our time with the Clarks is experiencing family life again - all of us 'kids' (Nate (29), Matt (27), Emily 24)) eating breakfast in our pjs in the morning, chilling in the living room playing settlers etc.... I love living with a family again. I appreciate it so much more now than I did as a kid - sorry Mum and Dad!! Brian and Janet (adopted mum and dad in law) are so awesome. They have lived all over Europe, and I always learn so much from there - especially because Janet is a therapist. She always has such wise insight! I feel challenged, intellectually and emotionally when we visit and all the kids are together. Nathan is completing his PhD in medical technology, Matthew works for the Department of Defense in WA D.C. in Cyber Security and Emily has a degree in Neuroscience and works at a hospital with patients that have inner-ear problems. Brian is a career military consultant for the Department of Defense now, and travels the world attending diplomatic functions( how fun!?!) and Janet is the coolest counselor you will ever meet!
I am always encouraged to face my fears, become the person I want to be and savor what matters in life when I am with these people.
Most of all, I am reminded to challenge mediocrity and be an honest and free thinker - and to LOVE.



{My love and I on my birthday :)}





{On the 23rd, my birthday gifts: New purse & Wallet, Anthro bolero & aquamarine/diamond/white gold earrings....yes I was SPOILED!}



{Em and I showing off our new Anthro tops...I also have the one Em is wearing!}




{Em and I hard at work preparing for our dinner party - recipes to come!}




{Emily and I excited after our Anthropologie purchases on the 22nd}




{Enjoying being together at Johnny's Steak house on the 23rd}








{gotta love group singing in action}






{Handsome's awesome cake :) did I mention that on the morning of my birthday he woke up super early to go get me my favorite coffee? yes I woke up with a kiss of the cheeck and a venti soy caramel latte in my hand - what a good hubby! oh and then he made me eggs benedict for breakfast in bed!}





{I have wanted this puppy for some time...so excited to do some french cooking!}



{present opening frenzy...actually we all opened one at the same time - lots of ooo
s and ahhh's!}



{full stockings on christmas morning...including a starbucks gift card, eeee!!!}


Its now the 29th, and after a trip back to MN to work christmas day, Noah and I made the drive back to Omaha to spend a few more days with the Clarks.

The best chocolate chip cookies!!

I have tried many a chocolate chip recipe and this is by far my favorite. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Not too cake like, and not too gooey. Perfect!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons hot water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup chopped walnuts

1) Preheat Oven to 350 degrees (personally, I do 325 because I like them a little chewier)

2)Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.



3)Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.





4) Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.



Amy's Tips:
- Chill dough for 2 hours or so before baking. It makes the cookies more even!
- Use parchment paper, they just bake better!
- If you like your cookies a bit flatter like me, make the dough balls smaller and flatten them out a bit on the tray. They don't expand too much.
- If you like your cookies more cake like, use 1 egg instead of 2.
- throw in pecans, macadamias, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, cranberries - whatever! its a great basic recipe, and the imagination can go wild!

Desert Road

I love roads. Road trips, runways, brick paths, sandy dunes. Those chosen paths. Sometimes roads are filled with joy and sometimes with sadness. Roads and all of the analogies that involve them fascinate me, they are the inspiration for my blog. The Bible is filled about the roads that people took. The path that led Moses to the burning bush, the garden of Gethsemane, the road to Golgotha, the path were Jesus (then resurrected) spoke with the travelers....
They can lead to wonderful places, if the right one is chosen. Unfortunately sometimes the right roads are the hardest roads. Jesus reminded us that narrow is the road that leads to life (Matt 7).

A road I have become familiar with lately is the desert road. And I am grateful for it. In the desert I have met with Jesus, and my husband, in beautiful and vulnerable ways. there has been tears. there has been pain. but beauty.

the beauty surprised me. I forgot that in seemingly barren places, a beautiful character exists.

When I first moved to Arizona from New Zealand I went into shock with all of the brown.
Brown dirt, brown plants, brown rocks, brown houses. I was used to the ocean, mountains and rolling green hills.
And then, I was mesmerized. The rock formations and the endless desert were fascinating. They invited and challenged. They inspired.







I think in some way my time in Arizona prepared me for our time in the Midwest. During the times of solitude, quiet and loneliness I was able to find inspiration, creativity and peace. I didn't fear the expanse like I used to.

Recently I read this blessing from a book about desert women in the Bible, and it spoke to me.

"May you know the presence
of those who have passed
through the desert before you.
May they point the way
toward freedom
and sustain you
with their stories.
In the wilderness
may there be wellsprings.
May there be wings."

{On this desert road I have found wellsprings}


My husband
My family
Henri Nouewen
Quiet times at Starbucks (ironic, I know)
walks in the park
learning to play tennis
decorating my home
making a home
skype dates with kiwis
pillow talk
deeper understanding
new dreams
completion of dreams
new friends


{I have found wings}

My job as an RN
completeing my education
being a wife, companion and lover
volunteering at the clinic



{Just like a flower can bloom in the desert, among thorns. so can I}



This is a memory of my most favorite dates with Noah, in 2009 when we first got together. We had a magical day in the desert, picking wild apples in the rain, hiking among ancient Indian ruins, eating gormuet pizza, enjoying a picnic with all my favorites amongst the beautiful red rocks, and enjoying discovering all of the new things about eachother. I will treasure it always.

I have a Bachelors Degree!

It was a wonderful day on December 10th, when I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree! Noah and I woke up early He made me a cup of coffee and we hopped in the car! We drove to mankato and met up with our family,Brian and Janet Clark. We had a yummy breakfast then we headed to the University! As you can imagine it was the usual - cap and gown, listening to lots of boring speeches and then my name was announced!
Amy Hensley, Summa Cum Laude
(heck yes, I worked hard for the latin title at the end!!)

Noah gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and other goodies, including a starbucks :)
then we went out to dinner. it was perfect, wonderful and I felt so celebrated!!

It was fun this time around because I already had a job and had passed my nursing boards! last time all of that was still ahead of me (and a wedding, cross country move and new start!). I am so grateful to have completed my education. I have an excellent vocation that I can always use to support my family if need be. It serves others and glorifies the Lord, I am sooooo blessed!!!
I have more plans for school, but even if those never happen I can rest easy having completed a degree of some kind!!!! :)

I am so, so grateful & privileged.

A week in review

What have we been up to??!?!!?
Well, we drove down to Iowa for thanksgiving with Noah's family


Going to see the Scottish ballet at the Orpheum Theatre in down town Minneapolis:


Lunch out at Bun Mi at the University and enjoying the snow!




Not included in photos:
- lots of cuddles on the couch enjoying our TV that we can watch shows with in real time!
- late night games of Uno
- my home made mac & cheese (ok, I have a blurry photo of that)
- enjoying our capuccino maker with morning lattes and old fashioned donuts.