Lost Photos of a Great Memory

If you are like me, you probably have a hard drive full of digital photos and then printed photos in a box. Ever since my first camera, I have loved taking pictures. Of people. Of places. Of things that I've seen. Some are so random. The best ones are of people when they weren't even looking my way. And sometimes, I even forget about photos. So stumbling on them again is like a flood of memories coming back.

But there were some priceless ones that I recently found. From our trip to Israel. We had asked another member of the tour group to use my camera and capture the moments of my husband and I being baptized in the Jordan River! 

Why was this such a big deal for us? 

My husband and I were baptized in our younger years. I, in the Presbyterian church. My husband, in his childhood, at a Baptist church. Neither of us making a conscious choice, but rather doing what our parents expected of us.

Personally, as I became an adult who was getting back into the Bible and really dedicating myself to the Lord, I came to realize that I needed to be truly baptized. To show that I really had given over to God and was ready to live the way He called me to. But when I came to this choice, we were not in a church that we called Home. And baptisms were not frequently offered. So I kept waiting. 

When were signing up to go to Israel, they offered us the chance to have the pastor that led the church group we went with, to baptize us. In the Jordan River. In Israel! My husband and I both jumped at the chance. First off, it was Pastor Ed Taylor of the Calvary in Aurora, Colorado! He had been the pastor we listened to at home. His church was the one where my husband rededicated himself to the Lord and we called that church our Home away from home. So that was an honor for us both. But even more so, was that we could be baptized in the Holy Land. What an amazing memory to make. For me, to make it with the man I loved, was the best part of all! We decided then and there, that this was where we would really and truly live like Christians are called to. No more halfhearted efforts. 

So having these photos, reminds us of that decision. 

What was it like? 

Cold. And dirty. 

You know that story of the Syrian, Naaman, coming to Elisha and asking to be healed of his leprosy? Elisha told him to go wash in the Jordan River. Naaman was furious! (2 Kings 5:1-14) Want to know why? That is the nastiest water! Smells bad. Your feet squish in slimy mud (even with my water shoes). There were what felt like rocks and sticks as well. And when we went in March, that water was freezing cold! I was glad it was so quick. I was shivering, with teeth chattering by the time I climbed out. The two pastors (father and son), had to wear wet suits to stay warm enough to get through all of us who chose to be baptized.

We were asked why we were doing this. For us both, it was to say with a deliberate mind that we wanted to do this. That we made the choice for ourselves. And that we were proud to have decided this. 

To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. First off, I felt very exposed. Secondly, I'm a bigger woman about to be dunked by a pretty thin guy. I was kinda worried he would lose his grip and it would be an ugly sight of me trying to regain my footing and come back up. And lastly, I did NOT want this water going up my nose! I was almost holding my breath the entire time we prayed before the dunking.

Is it strange that I worried I'd throw his back out? Thankfully, I didn't. Thankfully, he kept hold. Thankfully, it was a smooth journey back upright. And praise God, I've announced in this small way, I'm His child! And I will live like one to the best of my ability through His grace and mercy.

We can rejoice. Not because getting dunked makes us saved. Not because it changed us physically, emotionally or maybe even changed us spiritually. But because this reminds us to be accountable.

If you haven't, I highly recommend you give your life to God. If you have, but haven't been baptized, maybe you should consider it. It is a symbol of going under as a sinner, and coming up washed clean. Then live it out!

Looking Back on Israel

I can't believe it was only last year that my husband and I went to Israel. Surrounded by beauty and saturated with so much history. But here I am, organizing my laptop when I find a folder with more Israel photos I had planned to use in posts. Forgotten among all my other projects as a busy life sped by. But how fitting! As we are sitting on the edge of our seats, watching the terrible things happening to their nation. I have been praying for peace to be restored over there, and that an end to the death and destruction will come soon. I can only imagine how much the landscape and lives have changed since all this began. 

Taking the tunnel

One of my favorite places was the tunnel we walked through. If you know your biblical history, you will know of Hezekiah's tunnel. To bring fresh water to the city even when under siege. My husband and I chose to walk this one rather than David's tunnel, which is dry, but runs parallel if I remember correctly.

The water is mostly just above ankle high, though in some parts it was above my knee. As you go, there are 3 levels of height as well. Most of the tunnel was just high enough that someone about my height (5'9") could walk without stooping, but just barely.

In some places, it was carved as though they expected giants to walk through.

And finally, you reach the height of dwarves! (Okay, so we have been watching Lord of the Rings lately)

This is where my back began to ache from stooping down. If you are afraid of tight spaces, DO NOT enter this tunnel. Almost the entire way is only as wide as my husband's arm, as you can see here.

There wasn't much wiggle room to maneuver. I barely managed to get my jacket off while wearing my backpack. Why did I need to? Well, it gets really warm down in this tunnel. Really. Warm. The only cooling we had was the water flowing over our feet. There is even still an inscription from the time it was carved.

Dating back to Hezekiah's reign. It was as we neared this point that we had begun to sing old hymns. The resonance was absolutely beautiful.

We finally exited to the bright sunshine once more. It ends at another prominent biblical site. The Pool of Siloam.

It was the pool of Siloam that Jesus sent a blind man to wash in after healing his eyes. (John 9) Once the man had washed in the pool, he received his sight.

We wandered around so much of the land in Israel that I cannot pinpoint every location where photos were taken. I can only relate thoughts that came to me or stories that were told at certain areas. One of those, were these steps. 

Are you willing to take His place?

 

They had been buried and later found during excavations. Dating back to the time Jesus lived. But what stuck with me, was that they were in the area where Jesus may have walked while carrying a cross across his shredded back. Jesus didn't take the most direct path to Golgotha. The Romans would make the accused wander through the town as an example to the others as a "This is what we do to criminals". These steps might just be some that Jesus trudged along as he lugged the heavy beam that they would later nail his wrists to. Even if they weren't, it is a good visual reminder to those of us who believe. To be thankful and praise God that Jesus did that. So we can be free of our sins. 

The wheels on the bus...

Most tourists don't think twice about the bus driver. Or the bus. They just think about getting from point A to point B as quickly and smoothly as they can. Not me. This bus driver is Meir. He works with the guide we had, Shraga. I cannot praise the two of them enough! Meir takes driving to a whole new level. He can parallel park this monster as if it was nothing more than Volkswagen Beetle. It was spectacular! And he was always nice. Polite, well versed in places we went. He looked after Shraga like a son would. If I ever go back and want to do a tour again, these two are the ones I want to go with.

Lessons learned...

We checked into our first hotel with the group. Ready for some rest, we trudged to our gorgeous rooms. But then we realized how thirsty we were and that we had forgotten to grab waters from the bus. Our guide would let us take a bottle for free each day and then we could purchase further bottles for a $1. But we forgot.

So we had to call room service... Take it from me! Not worth the $12 we paid. Good water in pretty bottles, but I'd rather spend money elsewhere. On things I'm taking home with me. 

All the food! 

We ate. And ate. And ate some more. But isn't that what vacations are about? You typically view the sights and eat. And then repeat! That is what we did. We would be fairly full, but still eat a little at dinner just to try something new. Breakfast was served at the hotels we stayed in.

We would snack and have lunch while on the tours. These ice creams we got came with spoons that were shaped like little shovels. And they were delicious!

Then back to the hotel for dinners. Each meal at the hotel was a buffet! And they always had good things to choose from.

We even saw places we wanted to try on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, but then we forgot and didn't get to.

Ben Yehuda Street is a popular place to walk and shop. We split a cab with others to get to it, but could also walk to and from the hotel we stayed in. I think it was only a few miles away.

There is an open market all along it with shops as well. I came across this candy stall and turned into a little kid again.

We bought several types and brought them back for the kids to try with us. 

We also tried something that is special for the Jewish holiday Purim. This pastry is called Haman's Ear. (I say Haman, you say BOO!) Purim is the holiday celebrated since Queen Esther in the Bible saved the Jews by going to the King and telling him the wickedness that Haman had planned for her people. The story of Queen Esther was always a favorite of mine. I have learned a lot more of the history of the time and why things were so significant. Take the former queen, Vashti. Why might she have refused the king? Which in turned angered him and triggered his advisors to tell him to get a new queen? Well, back in his reign, women were property. And at these big feasts, they were called to dress and dance provocatively for the drunken king and all his male guests. Maybe she didn't want to be degraded so that night. Or feared worse behaviors due to their drunkenness. Ultimately, we know God was working in the background to get Esther to be the queen. But back to the Haman's Ear (did you say BOO?) This pastry is shaped like an ear on purpose. Why? Because criminals in this time, destined for hanging, had their ears cut off first. Then were marched to the gallows where everyone could see their shame as they went. Haman meant for Mordecai to end up on those gallows. He made them tall so all could see and he (Haman) would feel victorious. But because of the underhandedness and because God used the gentile kings' love for Esther, Haman and all his family hung instead. The Jewish people were allowed to fight their attackers instead of being forced to stand there while being cut down. So during Purim, the Jewish people serve these. When someone says Haman, everyone else says BOO! As in booing his despicable deeds. 

That will be all for today's post. I'll have another one later. But I hope you enjoyed my walk through Israel. Please pray for peace to come there. For those lives lost. And may I just remind you. Every human being is made in God's image. No matter who they are, where they come from, what they do. We don't have to approve of their actions. Or show support in wrong-doing. But we are called to love and pray for each and every one of the people. 

2 More Places to Enjoy in Midland

I convinced my husband and sister-in-law on an outing this weekend. The kids are off in Florida with my family. So why not? We stopped at two other places that were on my list to check out. 

First off, we have a beautiful antique store called The Rustic Windmill. It is located at 2032 W Cuthbert Ave. Not everything inside is an antique or vintage. Some of it is inspired! Which made everything interesting. You could find bundles of Pokemon cards up front, milk glass, vintage photos and postcards, dolls and so much more.

On this visit, we found 6 boxes of RIT dye in a bag for $2 as well as a bag of NASA themed patches for my husbands future jacket for $6.99. 

My take away on this one

This place is so much fun! There is plenty to find. We saw a great amount of unique items as well as older ones that aren't so easy to come across. I would gladly stop by this shop every once in a while to see what new things they might have to offer.  

Time for lunch!

We decided to go out for lunch and wanted to try some Italian. That is where we landed Ray's Italian Bistro. Besides Olive Garden, it was the only listing for Italian that was open for lunch. The outside is unassuming with it being part of a strip mall. Inside was cool, inviting and giving off an authentic Italian vibe. The menu had so many different options to cover all bases.

We had the mozzarella sticks appetizer with the fresh bread rolls they serve. I thought the vinaigrette dipping sauce was a good one. It was like a mix between balsamic and Italian. The cheese sticks had a thicker breading, were so fresh that they were hot to the last bite and came with a thinner marinara sauce.

For the food, I chose the fettuccine primavera with fresh veggies. I was sad to realize that meant a lot of "sharp" olives (as my sister-in-law called them), as well as mushrooms. I'm not a fan of either. I did enjoy the artichoke hearts, bell peppers, squash, and onions. My sister-in-law got the spinach ravioli, which looked amazing. I dipped a piece of the bread into the sauce. It was creamy and so cheesy! I loved it. My husband ordered the large (16") meat lovers pizza. He said he was craving pizza and it would give us some to take home for dinner.

                             My take away

The food was amazing! The atmosphere was calm and relaxing. I loved how they packed away our leftovers for us. The servers are highly attentive and so friendly. You have a homey feeling while dining. Almost one of family. 

The drawback for us would be the prices. A single plate was averaging about $14. While this is decent for the amount of food and the quality, it means that eating here (for us at least) is more for date night and special occasions.

These are the most recent finds in our town! What do you think? Are either of them up your alley for places you would want to go? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time!

Touring Susie's South Forty in Midland

When my husband and I first moved here, we talked about visiting a place called Susie's South Forty. We were given a gift basket from our realtor to welcome us into our new home. And her goodies were included in it. Susie's is situated right next door to the Downtown Library, so we saw it often. But actually going in was difficult with my husbands schedule. So when another homeschool family requested a tour, we gladly jumped in with them! 

Susie's is a confectionery of unique proportions. She, Susie, is still in the lead. There are two locations here. She began this business with the help of a 40 acre pecan tree farm making toffee candies with the pecans on the south side of town. Thus the name including Susie, South, and Forty. But she didn't stop, didn't slow down. Kept pushing forward. And from her labors, she has born quite the impressive business. She even made her factory kid-friendly with glass plate windows that allow you to see the process and drool over the fresh made candies. 

We watched them make a fresh batch of their popular caramel popcorn, hand-dipped chocolate covered sea salted caramels, coating of Winners by the chocolate conveyor, and finally - my previous favorite - how they make the Texas Trash! I say this last one was my favorite until I bought and tried the Kicker Pralines. Interestingly, Susie used to be a dance teacher (thus the classic cowboy boot shape for the box). This is how the name Kicker came into play. They are amazing! Creamy caramels with pecans inside. Mmmmm! Making my mouth water all over again. We tried the Raspberry Bark. It was so creamy and flavorful. I'm usually not a fan of raspberry, but I really liked it. I think I'd love to try the Key Lime Pretzels next time.

Once the tour finished, each kid was given their very own workers cap to wear. Then they were allowed to dip their own cookies in the chocolate fountain. Some of the youngest kids wistfully wished to dip their whole hands, but we insisted that would NOT be allowed. Secretly, these girls take after my own heart. Belgium chocolate is amazing, with or without being a coating. 

Lastly, you step out into a magnificent shop. Here, you can find all kinds of gift-worthy options. Not sure if something is delicious enough? They offer samples to try as well as descriptions of what was included in the making. My kids loved this part! 

I didn't have much money on me when we went, but I was able to buy 6 taffy candies of various flavors. They had so many flavors that it was difficult to choose one for each of us. For the 6, it came to be .70. Then I bought a Kicker Praline for $2 and a Dreamy Praline for $2.50. As far as the pralines go, the adult consensus was that the Kicker was better. Not that the Dreamy wasn't good, just that original was better. 

I hope to go back one day soon. This time I want my husband to join us. Partly because he has the money... Just kidding! I think he would enjoy it! They have a beautiful reception room with tables and chairs. Here is also where you can see the Guinness World Record winning toffee mold they used to make the world's largest toffee. They have maps showing their ability to have shipped orders to all 50 states and 35 different countries! I was impressed to see that they also offer delivery to locals in Midland, as well as Odessa.

So if you stop by Midland, make sure that Susie's is on your list of places to see.

Exploring Midland: Part 2

We finally took some time to go check out more places in this beautiful town we call home. We also wanted to show some favorite places to my sister-in-law. I have to say, we were not disappointed! 

The Cat's Meow:

My sister-in-law had seen this while driving by and asked if we would want to go in. I, of course, said yes! It was quite the antique store. They had vintage postcards, clothing, hats, shoes, even Barbies! Jewelry crowded in cases, furniture was everywhere, books. Most things were out of my price range, though all of it was in excellent condition. I did consider getting some of the vintage doll clothes. Like a suit for a Ken doll that was only $5. Maybe next time. They had a great book that was right up my alley, however, way out my budget. It was costumes from Star Wars, signed by the author! The photos were stunning. The book was mint. And all for a whopping $200! My 6 year old love the mink wrap. Even after she learned that it was a real animal before it became a women's wrap. My sister-in-law lamented at not finding one of the vintage night gowns in her size. What was with women having tiny wrists?? My oldest son wished he could afford a robe that was embroidered with a colorful dragon on the back. So, something to hit every individuals interests. There was even a customer visiting from New York who found goodies to take home. 

The Cracker Barrel:

My husband and I visited this one for our anniversary dinner. He had gotten a gift card for his birthday and it just seemed perfect for the two of us to steal away for a little bit. We laugh every time we go as we remember Tim Hawkins' jokes about southerners and the 'Barrel. 

While this visit was pleasant enough, I was a little disappointed. The server might have been new, as she had to ask about things I questioned on the menu. And then even after saying yes, didn't get the order right. Food was good, albeit a bit more rich than my husband and I were used to. His order was the Steak n'Egg Hashbrown Casserole.

It wasn't anything like what we expected. No tomato, not colby cheese - they had cheddar on it, no green onion, and didn't give us the buttermilk biscuits either. It was a bit on the greasy side too. The beef tips were cooked to perfection, the hashbrowns were lightly seasoned with garlic. They should have crisped the fried onion a little more. Instead they were limp, mushy and greasy.
My food was about the same. I ordered the Cheesy Bacon Homestyle Fried Chicken. No biscuits, I asked for the cheese to be swapped, but was still served the cheddar. Limp and greasy onions. Even the bacon was limp. And no green onion or tomato was brought. And I don't recommend the dumplings. Maybe I'm spoiled from the ones my grandmother made, but these just didn't cut it for me. The dumplings were in a huge clump together and the soupy gravy was almost without taste.

I think we agreed on two things this go around. Firstly, the drinks were the best part. We had the Southern Half'n'half tea and lemonade. Wasn't expecting the strong flavor. Not too sweet, but not sour either. Perfect blend. We also tried a Jack Daniels Watermelon Punch. Delicious! Loved the flavor. The second thing we agreed on, was that the fried pickles (which arrived after the main course), were the best food part of the meal.

Centennial Park was amazing!

This place takes up about a full city block. There is a splash pad, field and grassy hill for kicking a ball around, and a small playground for climbers to enjoy. There was also a large selection of books for all ages to chill with. Tables are shaded for snacking in between play. Benches are placed around the splash pad for parents wanting to watch as the kids play. I was pretty impressed by this place. Parking was easier to find than I expected as well. 

Centennial Library

I told you last time that there were two libraries here. Well, we finally got around to visiting that second library. It is the Centennial Branch. I think this one was built more with kids in mind. Open floor plan with a lot of sensory teasers. There were a lot of faux trees inside that showed kids various trees native to Texas.

The girls and I set up the dolls in one of them. I believe this was the Live Oak tree. 

SK Arms

My husband has been wanting to check this place out since the first time we drove by it. It was a lot cooler than I expected! The guys that work there aren't overly salemen-ish. They are there to help, but not to push. There are so many guns to check out, something they encourage you to do, by the way. They have emergency kits you can get for your shooting outings as well as parts and accessories. I have my eye on one of their bags... The ammo wall was pretty nicely stocked, though I think shortages are still going on for some types. 

Mural City

Midland has murals all over the place. Sides of businesses, on electrical boxes - you never know what you will see. This one was along a highway in town. Not sure what business it was on, but we loved it all the same. 

That is all for this round. Don't worry though! There are still more places on our list. The more we see and visit, the more we want to go out and find new places. Haven't been too disappointed yet. Really love living here! Which place would you want to see? Leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear from you!

Exploring Midland, Texas With the Nerdy Unicorn!

Midland, Texas was nothing like I'd expect it to be. While being a decent-sized town, and perhaps comparable to Waco, it has a different topography and style. We have been exploring little by little, when we can.  I thought that I'd share some of our favorite places around this town. Whether you are just visiting or if you are considering moving, here is a little insight.

Readers need books!

Since first coming to Midland, we started to explore around it. As a home schooling family, there were certain places we needed to establish ourselves with. The library is my favorite place to go to and was the first place we got hooked up for our book needs. While there are two locations, we have preferred the Downtown Plaza location for its distance from our home. The building itself is a work of art. Murals are painted on each side. One side has a metal art installation that looks reminiscent of a steampunk hot air balloon.  My daughters and I love bringing the dolls out to get some new photos. Inside this one, there are also screen walls that sometimes play movies or just have cool changing images. There are historical displays inside too. We even found the old map section in the back of the adult side. Those are so cool! To make things easy, I often just put in hold requests. They hold things for up to 3 days. If we are in a hurry, this makes it easier for us to grab and go. I love our librarians. They are always friendly! And when I have asked for recommendations on books, donut shops or even where to find a park, they were more than happy to share!

Taking time to play

We have also been to the Dennis the Menace Park. This is a large park with multiple sections for various sizes in kids to all play on. I think that is what we love most about this park -  the various sizes in the equipment. They have something for all kids. Even my teenage boys can fit as they chase around their sisters! And they aren't just the run of the mill slides and swings. They are themed to give kids more imaginative play!

Sparking the Urban Explorers in us

Across from the park, however, is some place we have been wishing we could urban explore.

I've had difficulty finding out what it was meant to be. Ever since we arrived, there has been no progress in the build. Sad really. It takes up an entire city block. The only thing I found was that it possibly was started as a housing project of some sort that has faulted on their payments and not done anything since 2019. It may have been recently sold, though. So maybe work will finally resume. It definitely makes us wish we could explore other places like it around town.

This town is in between transitions. From a booming oil town to a shift towards a tech town. They are tearing down old businesses and some new ones have moved in. That is just since we made the move.

Donuts! 

We started going to the local Shipley Donuts when my kids won free donut tickets from the library for a reading program. We were going every Saturday morning while we could. I love how they had a mural painted on the side that incorporated Midland's oil history.

They are not the only donut shop in town, however, and to be fair we had to give other places a try. We went to Jack n' Jill's, but we had gone after 10am so they had hardly any selection left. Despite that, they were the fluffiest donuts I had ever tried! I'm really hoping we can go back, earlier, to try other ones. My husbands favorites were the cinnamon rolls and long johns.  

Wall Street Antiques

I love looking for deals. And this one place has so many! I've found things for the dolls, relatives, husband and even my sons! This place is bigger than you'd expect when you look from outside. So many booths filled with antiques, vintage pieces and even some new items. You could go every week and still find new things that weren't there last week.

This vintage find was from the 90's. Remember the Sleeping Beauty dolls back then? For the entire outfit, brand new in the pack was only .99. Even better was that the corset comes separate so I can mix it with my Steampunk outfit for the dolls. But that is just one thing I've found there! And the employees are always helpful. Don't hesitate to ask questions!

Where's the meat? 

My husband and I gave up eating most meats you get at the regular grocery stores. We can't seem to handle whatever they are adding in, be it the dyes or the gases. So we had turned to farm stores or farmers markets when we could. My husbands coworker suggested Midland Meat Co. for our needs.

He swore their meat selection was not only amazing, but the best quality that could be found around here. After getting some, we are hooked! We have tried their ground beef, hamburgers, Texas antelope steak, lamb and Wagyu hotdogs so far. I would say that the hotdogs received the lowest score among our family members. But the burgers have become a family favorite. We get the ground beef in a larger pack and I split it up for shepherds pie, chili, and even taco night.

Meat isn't all they have though. They sells seasonings, produce, Volleman's milks and side fixings for your next cookout. We liked their local made cheeses too. So many flavors to choose from! 

Steak Express

Okay, so here's one I'd not have thought worthy of trying. However, we had family visit and decided to order out. After checking options and dietary needs, we all settled on Steak Express. What is it? A steak delivery company! No, seriously, they cook and deliver fully decked steak meals. They offer lots of variety in meats and sides. I wouldn't say this is my favorite place, but for the food being so good, I'm adding it the list. We definitely can't afford it often. A little too pricey for our family.

Having it delivered is a pretty cool bonus too. After all, food like this cooked to perfection after a long day is tiresome.

This is all I have for now. There are so many other places we hope to check out. (I'm keeping a list now!) And as I do, I promise I'll share my results. But I'm curious, so indulge me, if you have time. What is the first thing you would look for in a new town? Let me know and maybe that will be the next place I try to go to.