Off and Running

Happy New Year!

Act of Life is off to a strong start already. We have already touched 39 people with adoption information! We've educated clients who have called in or submitted email enquiries, educated residents of Houston's LifeHouse maternity home and trained counselors in 8 Dallas/Fort Worth pregnancy centers. All of this activity has been accomplished in the first 11 days of 2010! Praise the Lord!!

Along the lines of training, we want you to be aware of an upcoming training that will be held next Thursday, Jan. 21 at Source for Women here in Houston. It will run 11 - 5 and will include lunch. This particular seminar is fully underwritten by Gladney Center for Adoption, so there is no cost to attend.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity ~ Details are as follows:

When: Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Registration and Lunch: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Training: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: The Source for Women
6009 Richmond Ave. Suite 130 Houston, 77057
In the Galleria area

CEUs will be available upon request. This is the perfect opportunity to train your staff and volunteers on how to best present the adoption option with knowledge and confidence!

RSVP by January 18 to Amber Stoffer Thomas at 713-780-0030 or athomas@thesourceforwomen.org so we can prepare for this wonderful day of
fun, fellowship and learning.

Hope to see you on January 21!

Merry Christmas

From our home to yours ~ Merry Christmas to one and all!

Blessings for a properous and peaceful new year!
Julie

Make a Smilebox slideshow

With This Ring I Thee Wed

Our family has been awaiting December 19, 2009 for a LONG time. This was the special day Conor Thomas Farrell and Bekah Mae Grisham got married. Sagemont Church was decorated beautifully in white with blue accents. These were perfect colors in the sanctuary, for it highlighted the blue and silver that the bridesmaids wore. The stage had multiple Christmas trees on various levels which added a festive flair to the occasion.



Both Connor & Katherine were pleased as punch to participate in the wedding, and I was honored to be able to sing a song Bekah wrote the lyrics for. It was a touching service - one my cousin, Havard Grisham (father of the bride) performed. There was not a dry eye in the house that day.





A jolly reception followed where family and friends gathered for good food, lots of fun, super tunes and much dancing! Yes, our entire family was cuttin' a rug and kickin' up the sawdust. Well, okay, there was no sawdust literally but figuratively. . . . man oh MAN!





Bekah and Conor are a beautiful Christian couple who exemplify the love of Christ and all that the joy of living for Him entails. The Stobbes bless the Farrells and pray for many years of adventure and happiness.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like. . .

CHRISTMAS!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Just hear those sleigh bells ringing!

Silent Night, Holy Night.

These are the opening lines from a few Christmas music favorites. I imagine it is looking a lot like Christmas at your home too. I'm a little tardy in posting an update, but alas, those cookies, cakes and candy don't bake themselves!

Two weekends ago our family began decking our halls inside and out. Doug brought home a high lift machine to make it easier to hang lights on the edge of our eaves. The kids loved getting a chance to go up pretty high to see things from a bird's eye perspective. Inside we've put up not one tree but two. We have a large open space above our front door with a picture window that frames our lit tree perfectly. It was fun climbing the ladder, hoisting the tree, stringing the lights and placing the decorations just 'so'. The downstairs tree features our favorite ornaments we have collected and the priceless treasures our children have made throughout the years.


Out of all the fun that decorating, baking and exchanging can bring, one of my most favorite moments is at the very beginning as we bring out the boxes of decorations. One by one I hear my children exclaim, "Oooooh! Remember THIS one?!" or "Mom, look at THIS!" Hearing the excitement in their voices and seeing this special holiday through their eyes is the most rewarding and renewing thing for my spirit.


We have several traditions in the Stobbe Household. Here is a mere sampling of some of our family antics, I mean, activities:


1. Santa Dust
This is a combination of glitter and oatmeal that we sprinkle on our front lawn so Santa will know where our house is. The glitter reflects the moon's rays while Rudolph and his friends smell the oatmeal. This little recipe is from my dear sweet MamaGayle! (p.s. Our children are still giddy with glee each year even though they have both made THE discovery about the Man in Red.)

2. Santa's Goody Plate
Most families place cookies and milk fireside for Santa to sample. That's too ordinary for this house apparently. Each year is different. One year we offered lemonade and a granola bar, another it was pretzels and a Capri Sun pouch. You catch the drift, don't you? (nota bene: The p.s. above holds true for this category as well.)

3. Christmas Morning Present Exchange
After tearing open our gifts and snapping more photos than we will ever look at, we open the final gift remaining under the tree. It is always the one that is the least decorated. The final gift is always the same. It never changes. It is a plain little tin. Inside we find scriptures and symbols that represent the story of Christ's birth and the story of salvation. The reason we celebrate His birth is not for the store bought gifts, but for the blood bought gift - salvation. The life of Jesus is the greatest gift of all because when we accept Him as the gift from God then we will receive salvation forever. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving.

What does your family do at Christmas to help you remember the reason we celebrate? Why not share a tradition with me? Who knows, we might just incorporate one of your ideas. And, hey, if you have an idea for what food and drink to offer Santa this year - please consider this the "suggestion box".

Much love to you and yours during this festive time of year! Now, go get to it!
Julie

Christmas has Gone to the Dogs!

Have you decorated your home for Christmas? Are lights hanging from your tree and wreaths from the door? Have you completed all your shopping and are now able to enjoy bouncing from one party to the next with minimal stress?

While this might be true for a minority among us, most still have several things to do before placing the milk and cookies fireside for the man in red. If you are one of these people who need a little extra help to complete your decorating look no further! Have I got a deal for you!! Why not consider hiring this team of experts in home decor?



Looks like they did a fantastic job, and very tidy too! I bet they even travel with a sound track of Brenda Lee!

Hope you and yours are enjoying the Christmas season!
Ho, HO, HO!!

Choral Festival

Today, Katherine sang at a marvelous community festival. The children's choirs from Buckalew Elementary and Bush Elementary converged and sang Handel's Hallelujah Chorus as well as other Christmas Classics.

The fair highlighted many services, businesses, and groups in The Woodlands. Clowns, jugglers, face painting and balloon makers abounded! People strolled the grounds all bundled up in their scarves and jackets taking in the festive surroundings. Believe it or not, we had snow the night before. Yes, I know...Global warming is running rampant in SE Texas!! :)

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning! We even hit Starbucks on the way out for a cup of hot cocoa...extra whip, por favor.

Deck the Halls, Everyone! Welcome Christmastime!
Fa + (La x 8)

Joyfully,
Julie

Peppered Cranberry Relish

Every year our family gathers for a delicious Thanksgiving Feast. The table is set, the air is full of delightful smells and our mouths water as we pause in a circle holding hands to give thanks for our many blessings. Each year there is a new dish that somehow stands alone grabbing our attention. This year it was the Peppered Cranberry Relish my sister-in-law made. She is a great cook and this year she really hit this recipe out-of-the-park!!

After our elastic waistbands could no longer expand our family prepared to go our separate ways. Before waving goodbye, we divvied up the leftovers so each family could continue to enjoy the feast that seemed to keep on giving. Somehow I was fortunate enough to land the cranberry relish. Perhaps my good luck was due to it being my birthday on turkey day! Whatever the reason I brought it home and served it to some house guests who also raved about it.

Since it is SO good I thought I would share the recipe with you. Here goes...

Peppered Cranberry Relish

2 bags fresh cranberries
1 c. fresh lime juice
include the zest from at least 8 limes
1 bunch green onion washed and minced
2 tsp. salt
2/3 of one bunch fresh cilantro
5 fresh seeded jalapenos
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
2 1/2 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. cracked pepper (no typo....1/2 cup)

Place all ingredients into food processor and voila! You will have a tremendous dish to compliment turkey. I promise it is as good with ham too! Heck, I put it out with an appetizer tray that included cream cheese on crackers ...scrumptious! Not only does it sport great flavor it adds a flash of color and a tremendous texture for your tongue.

Whip up a batch for yourself and let me know what you think. You won't be disappointed.

Just in time for your Christmas menu,
Julie