Tasty, tasy Southwestern pork chops

I've had a major revelation this week: I'm not much of a cook, but now that work has slowed down and I have more time to be domestic, I've realized that I actually like to cook. I've never disliked cooking, but I've never been overly fond of it either; I've just thought of it as a means to an end, not as something particularly enjoyable. But evidently I do enjoy cooking as long as I have enough time not to feel rushed while cooking!

The dinner I made for us last night is quite possibly my most impressive culinary feat yet. I was already marinating pork chops in a tequila lime sauce, so I decided to search online for a Southwestern pork recipe. I found one here. See the recipe I actually used below, since I modified it some because of the ingredients I had and because I had to scale up the recipe since I had a lot of pork to cook. It was AMAZING, and I don't even like pork (or I didn't think I did until last night)!

Southwestern pork chops

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 9 thick pork chops (not sure how much they weighed; it was a big thing of pork chops from Sam's Club), marinated in tequile lime marinade (but I think I could have skipped the marinade and probably will in the future)
• 1.5 cups of long grain rice
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (I didn't really measure, just guestimated!)
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp taco seasoning
• 1 can green Mexican salsa (found in the Hispanic food section, I think my can was 7oz)
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2 cans chicken broth (I think it was about 4-5 cups maybe?)
• 1 can tomato sauce (I used a 15oz can of plain tomato sauce, though I think it would be tasty if you got one of the Southwestern-flavored tomato sauces)
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper, chopped into small-medium pieces
• 1 cup Colby & Monterrey Jack cheese (to be honest, I probably used more than one cup since I think cheese makes everything better)

Recipe:

1. Heat oil in frying pan.
2. Brown pork chops on both sides. (I just had them browned slightly, about two minutes or so each side.)
3. In a baking dish, combine rice, chicken broth, tomato sauce, corn, green salsa, bell pepper, and spices. (I did this in advance during Jocelyn's naptime, and put it in the fridge until I started making dinner.)
4. Place browned chops over rice mixture.
5. Cover and bake for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees.
6. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Put back in oven for a couple minutes until cheese is melted.

In Lee's words, "This is a restaurant-quality dish!" Plus Jocelyn loved the rice, even though it was a little spicy, so it worked for the whole family. (She wasn't too interested in the pork, though, and just filled up on rice and veggies.) As for me, this is the first meal I've had in Raleigh that made me feel like I was in South Texas when I closed my eyes and just savored the flavors. I love the food in Rio Grande City, so that's the highest compliment I can give!

The latest on my RA

I had an appointment with my rheumatologist on Monday, and - before I dive into the update - I first want to say that we are so blessed with a knowledgeable doctor who really takes time to explain results and treatment options and answer any questions we have. It is such a comfort!

As I posted before, I do have rheumatoid arthritis. My MRI showed a lot of joint swelling consistent with RA and some bone deterioration at those joints. Basically RA is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system, which is designed by our Creator to fight off bad stuff in our bodies, starts attacking joint tissue, which then swells - thus the inflammation and pain - and can then - due to the friction between bones and swollen joint tissue - can wear away at the bones in those joints. RA can look very different from person to person, so it's hard to know what the progression of my disease will be. God has brought two sweet women into my life who have gone this road before me, one who was diagnosed with RA ten years ago (Mary) and another diagnosed seven years ago (Nicole). The way I met these two ladies is so "coincidental" that God's fingerprints are all over it! Read below, and you'll understand what I mean (and why I don't believe in coincidences being accidents!):

• When my joint pain first started getting really bad, I was in a prayer group at Bible study with two ladies I had just met that night (Kristen and Tracey - now dear friends!), and Tracey asked me if I knew Mary, a friends of hers at our church who also has RA; I didn't, so Tracey gave Mary my contact info. Mary had already emailed me when I got the call confirming the diagnosis of RA. It was comforting to know that I had someone to talk to who had gone through this before. When Mary and I talked on the phone the other day, we realized that our experiences had been very similar: first diagnosed with a thyroid autoimmune disorder with doctors thinking that our joint pain was related to that and then, not much later, getting diagnosed with RA. I think Mary was as excited as I was to have someone to talk to about this stuff, since she hasn't met anyone with exactly what she has, so we are being able to mutually encourage one another.
• Last Sunday Lee and I asked our Sunday school class to pray for us and our decision regarding treatment since there are a few different drug options for RA. After class, a new couple to our class, Nicole and Dave, came over to talk to us. Nicole shared her experience with RA and then - get this! - tells me she's a pharmacist. So now I have someone else to talk to who has been through this, plus she knows all the drug stuff, so she's a great resource for that too! Also, Dave and Lee are excited to talk to each other about what it's like to have a wife with RA, since neither of them knows anyone in this situation (especially another couple that's been married less than five years).

You may call it a coincidence or happenstance; I simply call it God's design.

Without going into much detail for now, we have determined a course of treatment for the time being, and we have no doubts that we've made the right choice. Praise God for answering that prayer, and thank you to those of you who had been praying for that on our behalf! I'll go back to see the rheumatologist every three months, so my next appointment is in late October (two days after Jenelle's due date, so if you're reading this and willing to babysit for me during the appointment, let me know since I'm thinking that Jenelle won't be available to do so!). Please pray that it will be unnecessary for me to see Dr. T any sooner than that scheduled appointment, since the only thing that would make us schedule an earlier appointment would be an increase in pain, swelling, and/or stiffness in my joints.

Keeping in the spirit of my last post, a lot has changed in a year. A year ago I was a little tired, but just attributed it to being a new mom. Since then I've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and I've had wrist surgery. I didn't expect my health to change so much in the past year! Even though I like to plan everything out, I'm glad that I had no idea how much would change because it would have been tempting to worry about tomorrow if I had known a year ago what my tomorrows would hold!
I'll close with a couple pictures like Jocelyn's then and now post. Both of these are "now" pictures of what my left thumb (without arthritis in it) and right thumb (with arthritis) look like; I don't have any "then" pictures to share since I didn't used to go running around taking pictures of my thumbs! (I still don't, actually; these wouldn't have been possible without Lee's assistance!) While you'll notice inflammation in the pictures, it's actually much better - about 50% less inflammation - than it was two weeks ago (which may make it a little hard to see what I'm talking about). Please pray that trend will continue!

My left thumb is fine; my right thumb is inflamed (and a little red, but that's not showing in the picture) at the base of the thumb. When I held my hands like they are below, there used to be a mostly straight line from thumbnail to wrist (like there is with my left hand) and the bump at the bottom of my right thumb just above the bottom of the picture wasn't there.

Below you can see the same thing at the base of my thumbs, plus you can notice that the muscles in the palm of my right hand has atrophied somewhat (thus the area below the joint between my thumb and hand looking flat on the right and rounded on the left) since I've not been able to do as much with my right hand ever since the RA kicked in full-force.

By the way, you can expect several posts this week since work has slowed down and since I've been writing posts in my head for weeks now! Among the topics to come: Slydial, what I learned on my business trip to Houston, Wordle, the green movement, why I think I spoke too soon in complimenting the Raleigh PD about how they handled the mall brawl, and "Home Sweet Renovation" parts two, three, and four. So get ready!

Kids begging for some direction

How hard-core can you really be if you and your gang buddies choose a populated mall with a noticeable security presence as your spot for a rumble? When you teach in at a public high school, you realize that the most dangerous gang fights are those that go down outside of school and away from any earthly authorities. The ones that happen at the school are problematic, certainly, and can interfere with the education of other better-behaved students, but those kids fight at school because - at least at some level - they know it's a safe place to fight since someone will intervene quickly.

Tonight's fight at Triangle Town Center is already hitting the news (http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3285401). Since we were making our way back to our car after getting new glasses for Lee (yay!) at Lenscrafters, we had a front row view ... that is, until we realized what was happening and promptly turned in the other direction. Since the mall was being cleared, we had to walk around the outside of the mall from Dillard's to Macy's - no small feat for those of you familiar with the mall's layout. Having observed the beginning of the altercation, I can tell you with near certainty that a) it was a gang fight and b) it was planned. There were clearly two different groups, each with distinguishable attire typical of a gang, and there were far too many people, both participants and onlookers, for it to have started spontaneously.

I must compliment both the mall security and the Raleigh PD for a quick response. The situation could have become much worse if they hadn't done their jobs well. Which brings me back to my original point ... these weren't hardened gang members. These were kids. Kids who were making very bad choices but who wanted direction enough that they made those choices in a public place where the consequences couldn't be too terrible. Kids who probably weren't getting that direction from the places (parents, community, church) that they should have been.

While many people walked away from Triangle Town Center tonight talking about the hooligans who were out of control, I'm praying for the kids who need direction. And praising God that we were only on the perimeter and were able to get away easily when the fight broke out.

I know which side I'm on

If you know me even a little bit, you know I like facts. I feel incomplete if I haven't read the paper cover to cover (minus the sports section). If I hear about something I haven't heard about, I research it. I like statistics. I like reading research and determining whether or not it was well done (the study size large enough, the conclusions sound, and so on). When I was bored as a child, I read the encyclopedia and copied sections of the dictionary. (I only wish I were lying when I say that I copied from the beginning through the word "kite." Yes, I am a nerd.) I read every non-fiction book in my elementary school library, some twice. I considered writing two research papers in ninth grade, one for a grade and one for fun, because I was having trouble choosing between two topics. I was the kid on the high school paper who wrote the articles that the teachers read and students ignored (like coverage of the most recent school board meeting). My cousin and her husband were disappointed when I, during a visit in middle school, asked if we could visit an old military fort instead of going somewhere else (can't remember where, maybe an alligator farm?). My favorite section of the newspaper when I was little (yes, my newspaper addiction started young!) was a column that came out once a week and listed stats from the week; I can still picture the one when the Florida Aquarium opened, listing the number of stingrays (5 at that time) and the number of gallons of paint used (can't remember that one, but it had at least one comma in it). I think you get the picture. I like facts.

Today I'm praising God that there's a difference between facts and the truth. Here are some examples:

• Fact: Jesus was dead. In a tomb. Broken. Lifeless.

Truth: Jesus is alive. Raised from the dead. Healing the broken. The ultimate life-giver.
• Fact: On February 21, our friends Tim and Jenn were told that their baby girl had a heart defect. In Jenn's words on their blog on the 22nd, "So overall, medically speaking, things don't look too great. There is a chance that her heart could give out before she is born."

Truth: Charlotte Ruth is a week-and-a-half old. She has made it through one surgery and is holding up well in the NICU. She will likely leave the NICU very soon. (Keep praying, though!) As Jenn wrote in that same blog post, "As my Mama shared today, these are the facts. BUT, our God is big and he alone knows the truth of this situation."

• Fact: Yesterday our friends Neal and Heather were told that their unborn child might have one of two different genetic issues. They were also treated by medical professionals as if the twin of this sweet child, who passed away early in the pregnancy, was not a loss of life.

Truth: God created both of their unborn children, the one who died early on and the one whose test results next week will tell Neal and Heather whether or not the genetic issues are real in their baby (and we're praying that they aren't!). Psalm 139:13-16 is true for both of them.

• Fact: Ruth, a delightful woman I sat next to on my flight to Houston on Monday, has cancer. For the third or fourth time. Surgeries have left her looking remarkably different than what she used to look like. She was flying with her husband for treatment. I've seen pre-surgery pictures on a brochure she carries with her of her testimony and on her blog, and she was beautiful by the world's standards then. Now, the world would say that she has every right to be bitter and that she isn't representative of our culture's (warped) definition of beauty.

Truth: I don't know if I've ever met a woman as beautiful as Ruth. She sparkled and glowed with the light of Christ. While the world says she should be bitter, she carries brochures proclaiming the hope she has in Christ to pass out to people at the cancer center, in hotels, and on planes. Ruth is the very antonym of the word bitter.

And, finally:

Fact: My MRI results from Monday are back, and I have rheumatoid arthritis. It sounds like the MRI showed that the bones in my right hand have already started to erode due to RA in the seven months that I've been having joint pain. I'll know more after my follow-up appt on the 28th, but for now I know that RA is a nasty disease.

Fact: RA is known as the crippling type of arthritis. Many people with arthritis become disabled, unable to use certain joints or whole sections of their body. It is a bad sign, medically speaking, that my bones are already eroding this early.

Fact: While there have been major breakthroughs in treatment for RA, there is no cure. It can go into remission, but even remission is defined as morning stiffness for no more than 15 minutes in the absence of joint pain and swelling, so it is unlikely, medically speaking, that my joints will ever feel the way they used it. Medically speaking, RA doesn't go away on this side of heaven.

Fact: Those major breakthroughs have provided drugs that make a significant difference. However, these drugs often require addition drugs to be taken to counter their harmful side effects.

Fact: I cannot currently wear regular shoes (woohoo for Crocs!), get dressed, or bear much weight on my wrists without pain, often severe, tear-inducing pain. I've had to learn new ways to turn the ignition in the car because it hurt so bad to do so normally that I considered giving up driving until all this improved. When I wake up in the morning, I lay still for as long as I can because I know my joints will begin crying out in pain as soon as I move; in those still moments, I can pretend this disease doesn't exist. I could go on, but that paints enough of a picture.

Fact: Even though RA has been on the table as a possibility since December, I deflated when I got the news. I had about thirty minutes feeling relieved that we finally know; after that, the "knowing" hit me hard. I can't talk about the diagnosis without starting to cry. Don't get me wrong; I know the truth (see below). You can know and trust the truth and still be daunted by the facts. That's where I am right now.

Truth: I could go on and on with the facts (remember, I'm a fact-lover!), but the truth is that God is still on the throne. He is still King of this kingdom. He is still in control. I still trust Him.

Truth: The truth is Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (NRSV)

Truth: The truth is Isaiah 55:8-9: " 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." I don't understand this, and part of me is screaming, "This is not the way I would have it!" But I know God's ways are infinitely better than mine, and I want His way not my own.

Truth: The truth is John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." I want His abundance, His full life, not that which I would prefer or consider better. Nothing is better than the life Christ offers. I'm not going to allow the thief to steal, kill, and destroy my faith and hope; I will not be bitter about this. I'm taking the full life path. Who's with me?

Truth: The truth is Philippians 4:11-12: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." I can't honestly say I'm content with this diagnosis. But this tells me that it is possible to be content whatever the circumstances. I want that contentment, that is my new prayer. (My prayer earlier this week had been that God would not allow me to become bitter and that He would cut away any bitterness that had started to form in my heart. I'm not okay with just praying not to become bitter; I want contentment. That's my new prayer.)

Truth: The truth is Philippians 2:14-15: "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." You know that saying, "I can't complain." Well, it's usually a lie. We usually can find something to complain about. I know I could complain. But I'm not going to. I'd rather shine.

So there you go. It's facts vs. truth. I'm siding with truth. This doesn't mean I won't acknowledge or respond to the facts. (On that note, please pray for us as we choose the direction for my treatment.) It just means I know which side is going to win, and I know which side is right.

Which side are you on today?

God uses email

Specifically, God used an email from my friend Karen to encourage me today. Our usually laid-back sweetheart has an independent streak a mile wide and at least as deep combined with a determination rivaling her mother's and a plethora of energy ... which equals one strong-willed little girl! That mixed with one tired mom today equalled trouble ....

I was tired this morning, so I made bad choice #1: trying to skip out on playing in the yard this morning (which has become a morning ritual) and instead substituting Sesame Street. While Jocelyn loves Sesame Street, this morning she really needed yard time to burn some energy. I knew that; I just tried to take an easier path.

Then I made bad choice number two a little later: letting her run around with the phone while I talked with Lee. She wanted to listen to his voice on speakerphone, so I was inconsistent with one of our rules: Jocelyn doesn't play with the real phone. She has a couple of play phones that she enjoys, one that she especially loves that Grandma and Grandpa gave her last Christmas to help distract her from her desire for off-limits phones. I could have given her that phone, but I didn't want to spend the energy finding it.

Then, moments later, came bad choice number three: giving in to letting her play on my computer (another no-no). Once again, she has a keyboard (not plugged into a computer) that we give her to play with when she wants to play with our laptops, but I didn't bother getting it for her.

The rest of the day included tantrum after tantrum when she lost it every time she wasn't allowed to play with another piece of technology, be it the computer, the phone, my camera, or the remotes (all of which are off limits). Her old tantrums weren't bad, and I would just let them play out and not give them a lot of attention. Her new tantrums involve hitting me, which requires a response to train her that hitting is not appropriate behavior. It broke my heart to see her throw several tantrums today (I say several because I honestly lost count!) that were the result of my lack of consistency in playing with her and sticking to our rules all the time so she knows what to expect. It wouldn't have been hard to play outside this morning or to say no the first time when she asked for the phone or the computer; it was much harder in the long run today to skip outdoor play time and to give in when she tested the rules.

Which brings me to the title of this post ... God uses email. In the midst of a particularly trying day, involving tears from both my dear daughter and her mommy, I got an email from a friend that included this paragraph:

Oh, how quickly our toddlers and babies grow up. Kiss them this morning. Take a moment to pull them in your lap and pray for them and then pray aloud with them. The time is fleeting and our opportunities, given by His grace, to impact them for His glory are very short. Blink...and then they will be 13!!! (or pray for the mamas you know who are struggling with the "dailyness" of life...that they will glimpse the bigger picture)

I needed that reminder of the preciousness of even the most trying days. With her this little, it feels like 13 will never come, but it used to feel like eighteen months wouldn't come and now it's right around the corner. I don't want to miss this sweet time because I'm praying for the day to be over or because I'm getting preoccupied with other things and not being the mom that Jocelyn needs me to be, the mom that God designed me to be. Tomorrow, with God's guidance and strength, I intend to make better choices. But no matter what, even if I fail or if Jocelyn has countless tantrums despite my best efforts, I will still kiss her, pull her into my lap, pray for her, and pray with her. I will focus on the bigger picture of what God has in store for her rather than letting myself become encumbered by the "dailyness" of raising this energetic, independent, and determined toddler!