I is Tye-Red.

Remember when you were a kid, and you would take off running down a hill, only to realize you were going so fast that your legs were running ahead of your body? Remember that feeling? That my friends, is how I am feeling right now. Exhilarated and exhausted all at the same time. We are staring down our final 3-4 weeks here in the 'Ville, which means we are stuffing every moment full. Birthday parties, dinners with friends, church events with some work thrown in make for busy days for the Bentleys.

So, I feel like the best thing I could offer right now is a delicious recipe. Ever since we got back from Mexico I have CRAVED guacamole, and avocados magically continue to appear in my fruit basket each week. Love the things, I've been stickin' em on anything that's edible these days. This recipe I have made a few times, and since it includes the avocado, it worked its way into our food rotation this week. Easiness, meet deliciousness - its dinner time.


And I'm sorry, but this picture was just too funny. An avocado with a gun, really? What's not to love? And don't worry, avocados are our FRIENDS! Good fats, people, good fats!

Cumin Dusted Chicken Breast w/ GUACAMOLE SAUCE!!!!
courtesy of a personal fave, Cooking Light

Ingredients
• Sauce:
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed
• 
Chicken:
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray

Preparation

To prepare sauce, combine first 8 ingredients; set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare chicken, combine sugar, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven; bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done. Serve chicken with sauce.

Enjoy, I'm off to catch up with my legs and make them slow down! SLEEP!

Flying Solo

Since Wednesday of this past week, my dear of a husband has been out of town. Per usual, our time apart started with whiny text messages and pleas for him to put me in his suitcase . . . but after I realized I really wasn't going to be invited to tag-along to the bachelor party at the beach (the nerve!), I gave up, baked him cookies and sent him on his merry little way.

I have to admit, it's been kinda nice to eat whatever I felt like for dinner (CEREAL=SCORE!), lay in bed much longer than my "hops out of bed at the first ring of the alarm clock" spouse would ever deem appropriate, and basically do whatever I felt like whenever I felt like it. Other than the obvious working part of my week (bummer, huh?) I have used these days of self-indulgence in the following ways:


Hosted a dinner party with delightful company and delicious cuisine,


slept uninhibited in the glorious MIDDLE OF THE BED!!!!


Did some shopping in Ft. Worth (on the way I saw a SECOND appearance of the STEAK BUS!!!) and meet up with mi familia at the muy delicioso Joe T. Garcia's . . . (and yes, this is a stock photo. Dad hasn't taken up the straw golf hats just yet).


I spent a majority of my Sunday afternoon trying to remind my skin that we had in fact just a month ago been in the Caribbean and we should look like it. (And yes, that is more Harry Potter, bless his heart - what a brave little wizard!) While it has been a full but relaxing few days, I was officially over it as of yesterday morning.

I've realized that when Triple B is gone, I'm just a bit off in all sorts of ways. One example is that I lose track of time and stay up way too late doing Lord only knows what, and subsequently sleep late and have to rush off to work less than well-groomed. oops. I've realized I am perfectly fine by myself, I'm just better when he's around. He balances me in a way that I need (like the whole bathing thing), and I feel like I'm a better me because of him.

I love how in each phase of your life - be it married, single, babies, no babies, the Lord gives you exactly who and what you need. I know that I needed these few days to rest, reflect, and reconnect. I know that Baxter & I needed these years of just us so that we are well grounded and connected for this next season of our lives. I know that there are days ahead where trying to exist in a foreign country and culture will scare the beejeezus out of me, and I'm so thankful to have a partner who knows and believes in me deeply, even on the inevitable days when I won't believe in myself.

Well, I could go on forever about the kid, but that could get annoying to everyone but his mama. So, for now I'm off to listen for a truck to pull in the driveway and make it look like I showered today. I'm so thankful I get to be the one who he comes home to, and who pretends like hygiene is a priority. : )

Lest I Forget.

While I have busy pondering the meaning of life and woo-ing you with sweet baby pictures, I realized I have forgotten some important, albeit occasionally strange events.

Example numero uno:


Just in case we forgot we lived in Texas, we passed the "Steak Bus" on our way to Oklahoma. Weird, absolutely. Did we consider stopping? Maybe.


Have you ever tried to get directions over the phone in another language? Or realized that "the trailer by the airport by the dairy" describes about 80% of Dublin, Texas? Or showed up to a Hispanic friends' sons' 3rd birthday party a day late? Well I have. And it was awesome. I think my favorite part might have been when I heard the phone being run to the neighbors house, where some lady was trying to tell me to turn by the "machines de construcciones". Could have been helpful if we were within 5 miles of those machines. We had a great time despite my goof-up, and decided it was simply a taste of things to come.


And finally, my dear one and I went to see Patty Griffin on Friday evening. Her and Buddy Miller were beyond fantastic, and she has absolutely boo-koos of talent in that tiny little body. A wonderful evening topped off by running into seminary friends who told us they are expecting!! Congrats Pyles!

So there you have it. Not emotional or earth-shattering, but my life none the less. Random, hilarious, and just how I like it.

This weekend we celebrated the birthday of my sweet baby niece:


Except I don't think she had any fun,


and the poor baby didn't get a single present,


and no one paid her a lick of attention.


There's always next year, right?

Bittersweet and Beautiful.

That's what life is to me these days. Absolutely so full of good times and people I can hardly stand it, but with a twinge of sadness stewing in it all. It's funny really, and not what I expected. To be honest, I truly thought that by this point - staring down the proverbial barrel of the gun of our big move - I thought I would weep for at least a good solid chunk of the day. Not because I am distraught martyr, trudging towards obedience; but simply because that's what I do during the major changes of my life.

Take our wedding for example. I started crying Thursday morning-ish, and wept my way down the aisle and out the door on Saturday afternoon because of the absolute, overwhelming joy of it all. Moving - both from Birmingham and Waco, boo-hooed my way down the interstate. (Don't you know a new husband just LOVED that?!) Maybe it's just me or that sneaky X chromosome, but its just what I do. Cry like a baby, and then put on my big girl panties and jump into whatever comes next. I don't think its because I'm scared or sad, but rather just full (my heart - not the panties. Although that could be the case sometimes, hmm?) Full of memories, gratefulness, hope, and sure, some fear as well. So to not be weeping daily, is a bit weird for me. But hey, June is still several weeks away, right? There's still time. ; )

This past weekend we visited some dear friends of ours in Norman, OK. They took a job at a church there, bought a house, and are planting their lives in a new place. While the boys did this in the new backyard:


The girls did this in the newly beautiful inside:

These guys are life friends for us. There's something about walking through times of transition that just bond you to people - and they are some of those friends for us as we shared our seminary years in Waco. As we pulled away after church on Sunday, the inevitable tears did come, but it was a different kind of cry. Sure, there is the surreal "I might not see you for Jesus knows how long" cloud over each goodbye, but this time I realized my emotion was a spillover of the simple goodness of it all. Norman, their church, their house - it all felt just so right, such a beautiful fit and beginning for our dear friends. It is such a joyful thing to see people you love walking in the confidence of a life lived obediently, and on the brink of our own adventure, I found great hope and assurance in that.

I will always love this picture below, because in it I see the hope and excitement of new beginnings all over our sweaty faces. God is so good to allow us not only these friends, but the chance to step into what He has long been calling us to. It's good for me to look at this and see fellow travelers, following the Lord - lots of small and occasionally big, steps at a time.


This weekend gave me hope in knowing that in each step of the journey, we are not alone; that the very God who calls us is the same God who sustains us with His depths of strength and joy. That although friendships may fade from view, they never disappear, and that taking a leap into the unknown is a risky, but rewarding business.

I'm Serious.

Let's recap.

• Signs went in the yard 8:00 am on Tuesday, March 30th


• Received a call by about 10:00 am to schedule a showing


• Showed the house that evening, and multiple times throughout the week


• Received an offer Thursday, April 8th from the first caller/looker


• Countered, accepted and met at the title company to sign papers on April 9th


• Buyer WANTS OUR FURNITRE


• AND CAN CLOSE AT THE END OF MAY (exactly when we needed)
  

To say it could be any more perfect is an understatement . . . and something tells me this next big move is the right thing for Team Bentley. Ya think?

Its Your Birthday. Go Party Like Its Your Birthday.

Dad. Padre. My Old Man.

Today is my Dad's birthday. He and mom are off on a romantic hill country get away (ew), but I had to take a moment to reflect.

The parental department is one of many ways in which I am EXTREMELY, SIGNIFICANTLY, blessed. In my job at the Pregnancy Care Center I see so many girls looking for love - from a boyfriend, a baby, whatever or whoever they think will help them feel whole and complete. So many studies point to the father-daughter relationship as the core of a female's sense of identity and self-esteem. Just by the nature of who my Dad is and the way he has chosen to love me - I know that I am that much more deeply secure and established, simply for having known I was loved since day numero uno (as pictured above).

Dan the Man is one heck of a guy. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who works harder with greater discipline or energy (the mans alarm clock goes off at 3:27 - NO LIE), who gives more of themselves to others (my brother says Dad is a "joiner", he loves him some committees), or who truly is a picture of character and integrity.

The older I get, the more I realize that a man who still deeply loves and cares for his wife, is honest in his business, and is an example to his children - is a rare and precious thing.


So Dad, Happy Birthday.

Thank you for loving mom for 30+ years, the woman is nuts about you.

Thank you for working so hard, for so long, to give us so much.

Thank you for being so faithful to so many things, namely the Lord you taught me to love.

Thank you for being available, whether its a running or real estate question - you always seem to have the answers.

Dan, you ARE the man. Hope your #$th birthday was rockin'.