Changes

Last night I started back to school for the first time since graduating from college 22 years ago! I was surprised to find that I wasn't really nervous about it. Sometimes age is a good thing...it can give you some confidence and helps you put things into perspective. Yes, I'm a student again, but I'm a mom & a wife first. (My nerves were replaced by "mommy guilt", so I made brownies for the boys before I left for the evening!)

Since it's a graduate class, I figured there would be people around my age in attendance. There are only 8 of us taking this course. Two of them seem to be my age and are married and have kids. The others are in their early to mid 20's. Two of the younger girls are preschool teachers like me. My professor and I figured out that Cooper's 5th grade teacher was one of her students!

All in all this first time back was a good experience. The environment is relaxed since it's such a small class, and we all seem to have things in common with one another. I don't think the course will be a breeze, but I'm looking forward to the challenges.

I had to go back over to the campus this afternoon to buy my books ($155...UGH!) The bookstore is located in the University Center, which is basically the student center. Now I did think I'd feel a little weird going in there, but actually I didn't. It was a very nice building; the girl who waited on me was very sweet and wished me luck in my class; and nobody looked at me like, "Who is that old lady?"

It's definitely a very different experience the second time around; especially when you have to hurry home after buying your textbooks because you want to get there before your kids arrive home from school!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I've had a request from Julieanne over at From the Beginning for my peanut butter cup recipe. I got this recipe from the February/March 2008 issue of Taste of Home magazine. Here it is:

1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided

4 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 oz. bag) semisweet chocolate chips

4 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each), coarsely chopped (I just got one of the really big Hershey bars)

Colored sprinkles, optional

In small bowl, combine 1/2 peanut butter, butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until smooth; set aside.

In small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips, candy bars and remaining peanut butter; stir until smooth.

Drop teaspoonfuls of chocolate mixture into paper-lined miniature muffin cups. Top each with a small teaspoonful of peanut butter mixture; top with another teaspoonful of chocolate mixture. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container. Yields 3 dozen.

**I had difficulty dropping the chocolate mixture into the paper muffin cups. It just took a long time. I then tried putting some of the mixture in a baggie and snipping the corner of the baggie so that I could just squeeze the chocolate out. This was kind of messy. If anyone has a better way to do this, please let me know!! Thanks Julieanne for requesting the recipe!

I didn't do my "I Get To Tuesday's" post today because I woke up with a migraine this morning, and I had to go back to work after my nice 5 day weekend. I still have a headache. UGH! Praying you all had a better day than I did!! Blessings!

Peep Sunflower Cake

Here is the Peep Sunflower Cake that I made! Originally, I was going to take it to church on Easter. At the last minute we decided to have some friends over for dinner on Saturday night, so I served it then. Everyone thought it was cute and yummy!

Some Easter Pics

Sam & Coop's Easter baskets.

The boys hunting for eggs! It took them forever to find the last two!

The Easter Beagle brought Otto some Snausages and a new frisbee!

Eric and I before church. Not sure what's going on with Eric's hair!

I got my Hyacinths!

The Lily and Poinsettia People

The lily and poinsettia people. That's what my coworker called them. It took me a brief second to get what she meant. Those people who only attend church on Easter and Christmas. She said that she was hoping they would really hear the gospel this weekend and begin a relationship with Christ.

As I pondered this, the thought came to me that it will probably take more than an interesting sermon to reach this special group of people. It will take us. Those of us who call ourselves Christians. We who are God's sons and daughters. We who are the body of Christ.

We are to be His hands. His feet. His voice. His heart. Jesus' last command before departing for Heaven was: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15

I know. This command is difficult for me, too. However, on this day, Easter Sunday, let's try to do what our Lord & Savior has commanded us. It can be as little as shaking hands and genuinely welcoming "Lily" to your church or as big as inviting her over for Easter dinner. Let's just be obedient today of all days!

Lily photo from FreeFoto.com

Update: I'm in our church choir. Today we sang at both services. Our choir pews are on the alter facing the congregation. So during the services I looked at all the faces to see if I saw anyone unfamiliar. It took me a few minutes, but I finally found a few. All of them were in the back pews! I didn't stand a chance in trying to greet them when I was at the front of the church and they were at the back!! Thankfully, Jesus' last commandment is meant for EVERY day! So even though I wasn't successful today, I'm sure I'll have plenty of other chances. I did at least introduce myself to the woman I'm supposed to teach Sunday School with in April & May! She's fairly new to our church, and I hadn't met her beforehand.