ahhhhhhh, summer. i've missed you. with your hot sun and long days at the pool. thank you for coming back to us this weekend. please stay as long as you like.
yesterday was wild. i knew we were in for some bad weather but didn't realize how severe until the Moore tornado. and that was the system that would affect us. i was in the middle of making dinner, brussel sprouts were in the oven, when the sky turned a sickly green color and the wind picked up. watching the news we saw the shelf cloud just to the west of isaiah's school. then the sirens went off. a big clap of thunder sounded and the lights went out. isaiah ran to me for comfort. it's kinda cute really. i mean, when he's scared, he doesn't run to dad who's bigger and stronger, he comes to me. when reality shows that a big gust of wind would just take me right along with him. but we ran down our stairs and hid underneath them in between our building and the frame shop beside us. i've never seen wind and rain and hail like we had last night. and i realize that if it had been a major tornado, we would not have survived hiding in a stairwell between two 100 year old brick buildings. i saw a video on facebook from a guy driving along the highway about a mile from my house. it showed a funnel cloud forming and trying to drop. it never touched down so we were blessed. still, crazy to think about. our electricity was out for about 4 hours, trees were downed all over town and we were expected to have more bad weather over night. about 1am isaiah came in bed with us. he was still a little scared. three of us, smooshed together in a queen sized bed. but the storms never came, and my family and my house are safe. after what happened in Moore, Oklahoma, i am thankful for the best worst night's sleep.
please pray for the people in that community.
my mom passed away in january.
and i am coming to the realization that, especially in this first year, every holiday, every event, every occasion is tinged with sadness. i can't call her on the phone, see her face, hug her neck anymore to celebrate.
it's strange.
my family isn't the same anymore.
how could it be?
she held it together. and on this particular mother's day, how can we celebrate when our matriarch is gone?
i've been so blessed. she saw me graduate, get married, have a child.
she was there the day i became a mother. in her right hand was my hand, in her left hand was my leg supporting me, holding me when i pushed my baby into this world. she welcomed him and kissed me. she loved like no one else i've ever known.
it was a big love.
i've been so blessed.
but on this particular mother's day, it is tinged with sadness.
a few weeks ago, i went on a lady trip up to the las vegas of the midwest: branson, missouri. my friend's mom lives up there and she hosted all us girls and made us food and gave us drink. for lunch we had this deliciously crunchy, sweet, and refreshing salad that i told gigi i must have the recipe for. and here it is. i've made it a couple times already and it seems to be a crowd favorite.
1 package of broccoli slaw (with carrots and red cabbage)
red onion
craisins
juice of one orange
1/4c apple cider vinegar
1/4c extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
1 tsp sugar
whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, orange, sugar. add to broccoli slaw, and thinly sliced red onion, throw in some craisins, mix til evenly coated and chill for an hour.
super simple, easy, and yummy.
