I deactivated my facebook so don’t freak out and think that I unfriended you. I didn’t. I’m just super busy and super stressed and I don’t need the added distraction/drama of facebook right now. I’ll start it up again once I move to Kansas City.

Today is a big day. I’m making a very important wedding cake for my beautiful friend Virginia. It is super artistic and something I have never done before so check again after this weekend for pics! The wedding is going to be amazing. She has put so much of her artistic amazingness into it and I can’t wait to see it all come together tomorrow!

Colton & Kim’s friend Jason made this video. It is awesome! It captures the whole wedding so perfectly. Love it!

This has been a cake week! I made 150 cupcakes, and 5 cakes. I have made Guinness Cake, Amaretto Cake, Tiramisu Cake, and Carrot Cake. I made Italian Meringue Buttercream for the first time, regular buttercream, chocolate buttercream, and whipped cream cheese frosting. Saturday at 2pm I realized I hadn’t eaten anything but frosting samples the entire day. Ick! Here are a few pictures of the end results. Keep checking for pictures of Virginia & Pat’s wedding cake. It is going to be SO COOL! I made a test cake today and I am excited to make the real thing! And my last hurrah in NY will be a wedding cake for Chris & Susan. I don’t even have that one planned yet, but I’ve been storing away ideas.

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I love when what I’m reading in the bible directly correlates with other books that I am reading. As I have said before, I’m always in the middle of 4-ish books and I flit back and forth depending on my mood. One of the books I am reading right now is Lord, Change My Attitude Before It’s Too Late by James MacDonald. I’ve read it before. But I still feel like my attitudes need adjustment! So I’m re-reading it for some reminders. Anywhoo…

Lamentations 3: 19-26

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. YET, this i call to mind, and therefore I have HOPE. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 

James MacDonald is talking about contentment.
“Will we be grateful and satisfied with God and His provision for us? Or will we covet more and better and different?…at the root of my covetous attitude I am rejecting the sufficiency of God in my life…NOTHING is essential but God…God doesn’t want anything substituted for Him in our lives.”

So. What am I learning? I do feel like this keeps popping up again and again. And I must not be learning it well because the Lord keeps reminding me. Our only real hope is in the character and promises of God. We can not rely on anything else. We can not put our hope in anyone/anything else. The Lord never fails. And because of this when we put our hope in HIM, no matter how bitter and downcast we are, not matter how overwhelming our situation, we will be able to say I HAVE HOPE! The Lord is my portion! I will WAIT for Him. What do you need to hand over to Him? What are you hoping in that will fail you? I encourage you, turn your eyes to Jesus. He will never fail you. 

I’m moving to the land of twisters, the wizard of oz, Bonnie & Clyde and the Oregon Trail. I fully expect the wicked witch to pedal her bicycle past my house and I intend to chase some storms and photograph a tornado. (don’t tell my parents). I’m packing up my life. I’m getting rid of lots of things. I’m excited, sad, stressed out, and a little freaked. I can’t wait for the adventures that await me. I’ve been digging up fun facts about Kansas for the past few days. Here are a few highlights.

Kansas State Motto: Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties)
I love that. To the stars through difficulties. Sounds like a great title for a painting. Just beautiful.

Kansas has a few different nationalities… German 25.9%, Irish 11.5%, English 10.8%, American 8.8%, French 3.1%, Swedish 2.4%…But NO Italians. I don’t know if I’ll fit in here!

Home to Wyatt Earp, James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok and William B. “Bat” Masterson. Fun. The famous outlaws come from Kansas!

Kansas City is the 29th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Not too shabby.

One last highlight. Kansas CIty has more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation. Uhmm…isn’t that fabulous? Liz get ready to explore some bbq!

So, back to packing and finishing up stuff for 2 more weddings before I depart. Hope you have a great weekend!

My child, the door is open. You shall go through by my grace and my strength. Never gauge the possibilities of victory by examining your own strength. I am your life, your purity, your wisdom, and your strength. You have built faith for many years through a knowledge of and confidence of my word.

Now, I say unto you, put it into operation by WALKING in the path of action. Only in this way can you come into the full possession of your inheritance. It is not for the fearful, this walk of faith, it is for the courageous…even the reckless soul.

Move out and trust me as you go. Trust not yourself. Lean not on past experiences. Look not to friends for advice and support. Look to me. It its my work I am asking you to do, so it is I who will direct your and provide your needs.

Give me your yieldedness, you’re love, and a pure desire. I will do the rest.

I Corinthians 16:9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. 

Frances Roberts

My good friend Rebecca shared this with me as I was praying about my decision to move. I am so blessed to have friends who support me and encourage me through life!

This is a weird post for me to write. If you told me 4 months ago that I would be writing this, I wouldn’t have believed you. Darci gave me a verse months ago.

Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

I read that over and over. I am READY for God to do something new in me. I’m ready for a change. I’m ready to chase some lions. I’m scared to death!

I am moving to Kansas City. Insane? Yes. Weirdest place I ever thought I would live? Pretty much. Who lives in Kansas? Besides my bff Eliza Bell that is. Who lives in Kansas? Dorothy & Toto. But beyond that…who the heck knows. I’m going to find out I guess.  I never imagined this happening, but God did.

So a little back story. My sister’s wedding was amazing. The two weeks I spent in NC were full of wonderful people, many new friends, encouragement, companionship, and FUN. I haven’t been so happy in a long time. When I was driving home I was so sad. My life in Rochester is not bad. Don’t get me wrong. But I haven’t been happy, really happy, in a long time. My job is frustrating and hard, my living situation is a blessing, but it is also hard. Most of my best friends have moved away. I feel very stagnant here. Alone. So I have been thinking and praying about my next step. What should it be. I have talked to many wise people in my life. EVERYONE has urged me to take a leap, move away, try another place. People I barely even know have prayed for me and told me the same thing.

Liz moved to Kansas City a few months ago. She is my kindred spirit. I miss her dearly. Her living situation is great and she suggested I move there with her. I didn’t really even consider it. But things kept falling into place. Kansas? Really? I was thinking more like Boston, Charleston, something coastal, familiar, not the middle of the country in the middle of flat lands full of corn. But God’s plans are better and as things have fallen into place I have just begun to pray more and more. And everything is fitting together and yeah, I am moving to Kansas.

So this is my big announcement. I’m sorry if I didn’t get to tell you in person. I tried to see everyone and tell everyone, but I know I missed people. I will be leaving the last week of August, so if you live in Rochester, I hope to see you before then! I am EXCITED to live in a new place and be able to have new adventures. I can’t wait to go to Colorado, St. Louis, Dallas, and all the places in the middle of the country that I haven’t seen. I’m excited to be with Liz and to work at a new Starbucks, and to meet tons of new people.

I will miss my family, my friends, my church, my puppy. I am so sad to leave so many great people behind. But I know that I have made friendships here that will last a lifetime no matter where we are. I have made memories I will never forget. And I can’t wait to see what God will write for me on the next chapter of my life. I’ll blog a lot so you can see it too!

This salad is my third favorite next to the black bean salad and the pecorino and bean salad. I just love fresh cold salads in the summer. Especially Healthy ones!

Grill up some corn. I just put it right on the grill and cooked it until it was browning. I love corn cooked this way. It has so much great flavor. You can brush it with a little olive oil if you want.

While the corn is grilling you can start out with fresh cilantro, avocado and lemon juice. Rough chop the cilantro and the avocado. Add some salt and pepper and I did two caps full of lemon juice. (maybe that’s like 3t.?)

Check the corn, don’t burn it!

Yum! When it has cooled a bit, cut the corn off the cob and add it to the avocado and cilantro. I added the leftover feta from my black bean salad and a little more salt and pepper.

It is healthy, delicious, and perfect for summertime eating! I threw in some chopped up grilled chicken and had a delicious dinner. You have to try it!

While I was down in Asheville I visited the Biltmore Estate. It is a huge mansion built by George Vanderbilt II in 1889. Its 175,000 square feet and has 250 rooms. Huge.
I went by myself because Kim was working and no one else was there yet. So I wandered around this huge estate with my thoughts. I read about the family who lived there, the things they did, the food they ate, the people they entertained. There were many beautiful paintings by John Singer Sargent and other famous artists, detailed tapestries, elegant furniture, and books. Oh so many books. Vanderbilt’s library was one of the most breathtaking rooms. It was two stories with shelves lining all four walls. He had 23,000 books in his collection! Made me feel better about my 400. See, I have something to aspire to! The whole thing was quite impressive. The gardens are expansive and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed Central Park in NYC. He considered Biltmore Estate’s gardens and forests his greatest accomplishment. Here are a few pictures from my wanderings. If you’re ever down in Asheville, it’s a great sight to see.

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