What's Up Wednesday?!

Since it is the last Wednesday of the month, let's see whaaazup 'round these part!  I'm also linking up here.

What we're eating:
Let me tell you, since joining Pinterest, I am always trying new recipes.  I was never that way with cookbooks, but for some reason, I seem to try a new recipe once or twice a week now.  It's all good, right?!

First off was caramelized sweet potatoes, kale and fried rice.  This was soo good.  The girls chowed down on it...um, hello?  rice--'nuff said.  The pepitas gave a nice, crunchy, salty counterbalance to the sweet potatoes and maple-Dijon vinaigrette.  It was also colorful to boot and pretty easy to pull together on a school night.

Next was rainbow Pad Thai with peanuts and basil.  Sunday night, this was what was on the menu.  I don't have a spiralizer, yet, (perhaps maybe down the line?!) so I just cute up the veg and went with it.  Again, another homerun hit with everyone (and it didn't incorporate 'beans-n-rice', which J teases me about!).

Last up was a sweetie which elevated a basic box brownie mix into the heavens.  Suuuuper rich but delish.  Toffee-coffee brownies.  Yes.  I packaged up a few plates of these bad boys to give away to friends and they all raved too.

What I'm reading:
I didn't read as much this month since I was taking an on-line class, but I still managed to finish one book.  An easy British chick-lit book that I thoroughly loved called Thinking of You.  I've read a bunch of other books by Jill Mansell and they are always light and fluffy, just like your favorite blanket--that relaxing too!

What I'm reminiscing about:
I've been thinking a lot about "gotcha days" lately.  We just celebrated 7 years with the Noodle on Sept. 15.  We went from this

to this.

Wow.  Talk about transformation!  What a blessing!!!!  If you are at all thinking about adoption, please please please don't dismiss it as being "too hard" or "too expensive" or "something that other people do".  Listen to the Lord and just take one step to learn a little bit more.  Feel free to contact me--I'd love to bend your ear on the topic;)

I also finally finished Mei Mei's adoption video.  Compiling all those photos together brings me right back to the Civil Affair's office back in February of 2014, where one little girl went from orphan to daughter in the blink of an eye.  It is nothing short of amazing!
What I'm watching:
Usually the answer is "not much", but this past month one of the DVDs I had ordered from the library came in--I'm old school like that--no Netflix or Hulu for me, ha!  The movie is called The Drop Box and it was so moving--again with the adoption theme (and it's not even November, National Adoption Month).

It is a documentary about a South Korean pastor and the decisions he makes to protect orphans who would be abandoned on the streets of Seoul if it were not for him.  This is such a message of hope--that all children deserve to be loved and taken care of, no matter what.  Go watch it.  You'll be inspired, I promise!!

What I'm looking forward to:
All the best that fall can bring!  I love the changing of the seasons--the bright, blue sky, the crisp, cool air, the warm sun and of course the changing leaves!  Our area really knows how to put on a fall show!  Good thing, because a few weeks later, winter roars in with a vengeance and doesn't know when to leave!

What is my favorite Halloween tradition:
Last year we tried a little something new with the girls.  In a way to help make the concept of the tithe more tangible and real for them, we decided to try it out with the Halloween candy.  We asked them to give 10% of their candy away as a way of honoring God.  They were both very receptive to it and I definitely plan on doing it again this year.  You can read more about it here.

So there you have it...what's happening here!