Thirty-five years ago, right here in Charlotte, Nathan Andrew Smith came squalling into the world. He arrived four days before Hurricane Hugo roared through the city so we had a newborn and no electricity for about a week. Not a fun introduction to motherhood but his gurgles and smiles made it all worth it.
Saturday the family celebrated the amazing person Nathan has become all these years later.
Gage set up the drinkware with his usual artistic flare.
Nathan donned the vintage Smith birthday hat.
After we had sat around and talked awhile Meagan, who had been up late the night before, decided she needed coffee . . . now. We have a sort of fancy coffee pot we got on Facebook Marketplace and she wasn’t sure how it worked so she was trying to get Steve’s attention to get a pot started.
When he kept on talking she picked up the pot and brought it over to him. You can just hear her saying, “Let’s go. I need coffee!”
Steve is saying, “Just hold your horses, annoying daughter!”
Gage, playing the part of the mischievous sibling, ran over to the coffee machine, plopped on the counter, and as Steve came over to start the coffee said, “So. Why don’t you tell me everything you know about Martin Luther?”
He knew Steve wouldn’t be able to resist a historical/theological discussion thereby delaying Meagan’s coffee even more.
You’ll be glad to know Meagan eventually got her coffee and all was well.
Now that I’m a big city dweller, I have to deal with interstate traffic every day going to and from work. I’m proud of myself for adjusting from small-town driving to this.
(Traffic was stopped when I took the photo.)
One of my favorite things on any driving day is when I get ready to merge onto the freeway and I encounter a traffic bubble. If you aren’t familiar with that phrase, it’s because I made it up. It basically means that as you are getting ready to merge, there are cars ahead of you and cars behind you but–miraculously– no cars in your immediate vicinity.
I always feel an inordinate amount of happiness when that rare occurrence presents itself.
Many mornings when I arrive at work, I am one of the first ones there. The front desk person has to have everything prepped and ready to go when everyone starts rolling in.
Steve has turned into quite the cook since I started working full-time. Along with his usual jobs of house, lawn, vehicle maintenance, and his never ending list of repairs he cooks just about every night.
The first two photos were from a trial box from Hello Fresh and the third one was one of our own recipes.
This recipe was amazing. You could always switch out the shrimp for chicken or scallops. I’ll post the recipe at the end of this post.
I rarely have the time to clothes shop these days but I took a jaunt recently to a GW Boutique which is a Goodwill with much higher quality clothes than usual. This location even has nice men’s clothes, which is rare for a thrift store.
I have been having the worst time in recent months finding clothes that I like and feel good in. I have bought things in person and returned them. I have bought things online and returned them. I don’t know when I’ve ever been more frustrated with my wardrobe. I don’t need or want a vast wardrobe but I want to feel comfortable, appropriate, and confident–especially at work.
I always laugh to myself because I’m sure my co-workers have gotten to the point where they are thinking, “She’s wearing the blue blouse. It must be Tuesday!” Here’s hoping I have better shopping luck down the road.
I get up at about 4:30 every morning and after making some tea and puttering around a bit, I hit my quiet chair by 4:45. It’s so nice to start a hectic day with quiet moments of Bible study, prayer, and scripture memorization. (Tippi used to get up with me, too. I miss her snuffling about.)
I love the early morning quietude and the moments to be still before the day ramps up.
I had a hard day recently and was telling Steve my list of all the things that were stressing me and/or making me sad. The following morning I woke up to this Post-it. Thankful for a husband who understands the power of words and affirmation.
My sister, Ruth, who is our family’s resident poet, turned sixty on Friday. (Ruth, I hope your 60s are the best decade yet.) It boggles my mind that my siblings and I (except for Debbie) are all in our sixties. How did that even happen?
Ruth is also a word lover and sent Debbie and me the following word, “Hurkle-durkle.” It’s a 200-year old Scottish term that means, “To lounge in bed long after it’s time to get up.”
Sad to say, there is no hurkle-durkling in my near future but it’s a goal I can shoot for!
Steve spent some time recently putting up this shelf system which will be used to display certain somethings. Does anyone have a guess as to what those might be?
I recently found this photo of Steve and me from about 1984. Feel free to pause in your reading to give yourself ample time to giggle.
Weren’t we so earnest?
Here we are almost 43 years later.
It’s still amazing to me that we have wound up right back where we started, right back where we met. We’re living in the house where I first met his parents–the house that we brought Nathan and Sarah into within days of their births.
We’ve experienced happiness and hurricanes–both literally and figuratively. But I wouldn’t want to make the journey with anyone else.
What about you?
Where do you have the most luck finding clothes?
Do you ever notice when you encounter a traffic bubble?
What “full circle” things have happened in your life?
Do you have any ideas to what is going up on the shelves?
Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage
(Trade any of the meats out for chicken or scallops.)
This dish is a perfect combination of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavors.
The honey garlic sauce caramelizes beautifully, coating the shrimp, sausage, and broccoli with a glossy,
sticky glaze that’s packed with flavor. Plus, it’s made in just one pan, making cleanup a breeze.
(Note: It’s easier for me to make the rice ahead of time and just heat it up when the meat part of the meal is ready.)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 oz smoked sausage, sliced (We used Kielbasa: turkey, pork, or beef would work.)
2 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons honey
3 cloves garlic, minced (I used the jarred garlic. 1/2 t equals one clove)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Adjust to taste.
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
Prep Ingredients
Thaw the shrimp according to package directions.
Slice the sausage.
Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets
Mince the garlic (if not using jarred garlic) and set everything aside.
Cook the Sausage, Broccoli and Shrimp
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the sliced sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to become slightly crispy. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside.
In the same skillet, add the broccoli florets.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is bright green and just tender. Remove the broccoli from the skillet and set it aside with the sausage.
In the same skillet, add the shrimp
Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are pink and opaque.
Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
Make the Honey Garlic Sauce
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet.
Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes (if using).
Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy
Combine and Serve
Return the cooked sausage, broccoli, and shrimp to the skillet, tossing everything together until well coated with the honey garlic sauce.
Cook for another 2 minutes to heat everything through.
If desired, finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright, tangy flavor.
Serve over steamed rice, noodles, or on its own.
Garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds for an extra touch.
Happy Birthday Nathan!!! And many more! Steve. you are definitely a keeper – fixing supper (thanks for the recipe) and giving your wife encouragement notes. Sigh!!! I know of a fellow that has been married several years, has 6 kids and didn’t lift a finger to help his wife – housework was woman’s work! A dear friend but so way out in left field! Beautiful sunset picture! Ah thrift stores and estate sales – be still my heart. Have found several items that were brand new (clothing wise). There is one that I appreciate because with the clothing they hang the reds, blues, blacks, greens, etc. so that if you’re looking for a specific color – there it is! Thank you, Becky for your posts – even when you are not feeling up to par you keep us informed.
Sharyn,
Yikes. Six kids and the husband doesn’t help? Not a good thing! I’m glad Steve is different than that; he got it from his dad.
I know. I love a thrift store when they hang the colors together. That way I can skip 70% of the racks and just zero in on the colors I wear. Perfect!
Happy birthday (late of course) to Nathan!!!
The recipe sounds delicious even though I am not a huge fan of shrimp. It IS the only seafood I will eat willingly though!
The picture of younger you & Steve makes me think he cracked some silly joke and you were in the middle of the thought, “Oh geez, you silly man!” You know? One of those dad joke moments. 😂
Lizz,
Well, there have been a lot of those “silly” moments in our marriage so that very well could have been what was going on in that picture. It’s hard to believe how young we were. Seems like a century ago!
Thrift shops all the way for my clothing. I save a lot of money, plus it’s like a treasure hunt! And I agree about feeling comfortable in my clothes – now that I’m in my mid-sixties, that’s WAY more important to me than it used to be.
Kudos to you for driving in that kind of traffic. I do disaster relief work for Samaritan’s Purse sometimes, and may be sent anywhere in the world. And I have to say, I’d much rather fly to Timbuktu than drive in even a medium size city! I’m so proud of you. And hooray for “traffic bubbles.”
The shelves are lovely, and my guess would be… family photos through the years.
Blessings to you and yours.
JennyJo,
I have ALWAYS been a thrift store gal but since I started working (more than) full time, I don’t have the time I used to have to just putter through the shops and find clothing treasures.
I’ve always thought that driving in a foreign city would be a huge driving challenge. You do well to make all those driving/living adjustments in different countries. Thanks for all you do to help those in times of crisis.
Photos is a great guess; but it’s not it! 🙂
Well, happy birthday Nathan!! 35 is BIG!! And I’m so glad that Meagan got her coffee. Lol
I have no idea what might go on the shelves but really like the look. Can’t wait to see!
I have never heard of a traffic bubble and I grew up in Denver. I learned to drive by leaving a lot of distance in front of me at all times. Hard to do because someone always has to squeeze into it and take it up.
Your recipe looks amazing! I will definitely put that one on my ‘to try’ list! We like that kind of food.
I usually find most of my clothes at Kohls although I really don’t like to shop much so when I do go, I’m on a mission for something, find it, get it and get out. Heh, heh.
LeeAnne,
Yes, I also try to leave as much distance as possible in front of me and, you’re right. People see all that space and say, “I’m just going to jump right in there.” I know it especially drives semi truck drivers crazy when people do that because they are allowing the space because they need it for stopping.
I’ve gotten a few good things at Kohls over the years although I’m like you. I’m ready to get in and get out!
Hope you like that recipe; we absolutely loved it!
Lately I get most of my clothes from Belk, but even that can sometimes be frustrating. (I think part of the reason for that is needing to firm up around my midsection and batwings). I can’t wait to see what’s going on the shelves. The only thing that popped into my head was matchbox cars, and I don’t think that’s what you’re going to display. Fortunately I don’t have to do much freeway driving anymore as I now enjoy a 3 mile commute (for which I am EXTREMELY grateful – I spent 10 years driving to the other side of Dallas on their always-under-construction highways). As always, I thoroughly enjoyed your “Thing” post and hope you have a wonderful week.
SueEllen,
The grandsons would love to have Matchbox cars up on that shelf. Good guess! 🙂
You have a THREE mile commute? I am beyond jealous! Of course, you have earned it after 10 years of driving in Dallas.
I’m adding that recipe to our “let’s try this” list! Looks amazing!!
I’m a Goodwill shopper for clothing. I’ve never heard of a GW Boutique! That sounds like it would be a fun place to browse. 🙂
So very sorry about your little dog. I know y’all must miss her terribly!
I call the “traffic bubble” a cushion. My dad taught me how to drive so there would almost always be nobody immediately in front of me or behind me. It’s so much safer to have that buffer zone. The trick? Drive at a speed that doesn’t end in a 0 or a 5. Most people drive 55 or 60 or 70 or 75 (for example) but if you drive 58 or 62 or 73, whole clumps of cars will pass you at about the same time, leaving your cushion intact in a very short time. 🙂
Not sure about full circle here. Not sure I want to go back to where I started out this life. 🙂 You are so fortunate to be in a place you love. 🙂
Stefanie,
Interesting theory about driving at a non 0 or 5 speed. Never would have thought about that concept.
I think for some people, full circle doesn’t start till later in life–you find a good starting point that everything points back to.
Yes, we miss Tippi so much. She was the perfect little dog for us–especially for Steve. We are already looking around for a replacement but that’s going to be hard to do.
The recipie sounds amazing, I will have to try it. My husband does most of the cooking but I dabble once in awhile.
I find half of my clothes at thrift shops, but also sometimes at Kohls or Pennys clearance racks. Never pay full price.
I love your traffic bubble wordage. I do love a traffic bubble too. I am heading for Chicago to pick up a friend and hope to find many traffic bubbles in the city traffic.
I haven’t had many full circle events. I do remember the once when I heard my mom, from a few feet behind me, say “Don’t walk so fast”. I was taken full circle to remember the times I followed her and tried to keep up. How I wish I could still walk with her.
No idea what is going on the shelf unit, but I love the shape of it. Can’t wait to see the outcome.
Patti,
I miss having the time to shop at thrift stores as much as I used to. They are always one of my happy places. I don’t think we have a Penny’s nearby but I have hit some Kohls along they way and found a few things.
Driving in Chicago is not for the faint of heart. Here’s hoping for many, many traffic bubbles.
I love your full circle memory with your mom. It’s amazing how the roles change and then, one day, they’re not there anymore. Walks with mom–precious memories!