another weekend in the Granite State

It feels strange to think back to before the marathon; it seems like a lifetime ago instead of merely weeks. Much of Boston is returning to normal, but everything is different, as if the explosions jarred a kaleidoscope through which we view the city. The light now reflects and multiplies tumbling bits of grief, pain, and anger, but also unity, resilience, forgiveness, and hope.

Now more than ever, it's important to appreciate what we have. So I can't skip over the time we were able to spend with Ren at the end of March as he took an extended layover in New England on his way to Germany. He'll be living there for a while to gain fluency in German in preparation for grad school.

Ren arrived late on Friday evening, and we headed straight to New Hampshire for a quick weekend with his friends from Boulder who are now in Boston for grad school and work. We connected with Erin and Michael over a year ago thanks to Ren, but it was the first time they had seen us and Ren in person at the same time.

The next morning, after a late breakfast of bagels and lox, we bundled up and hit the trails for our first snowshoeing experience. A friend told me snowshoeing was like walking on clouds. I was skeptical at first, but as soon as I stepped off the compacted trail and into fresh snow, I knew exactly what she meant.

We headed back to Boston Saturday evening after dinner and a movie, and had fun the next few days catching up with Ren and experiencing our first Passover Seder, which was not only sans leavened bread, but also gluten free and vegetarian (and still delicious). Thanks to Erin and Michael for hosting!

Wednesday evening, we drove Ren back to the airport and sent him on his merry way to Germany. Even though we don't know yet when he'll be returning stateside, Ian and I will get to see him very soon during our bucket list trip to Paris/Europe in just a few weeks. Since he'll be visiting all the cities we plan to see, he even promised to do some scouting for us.

Ren, thanks for visiting. We can't wait for you to introduce us to your new city!

Marathon Monday 2013

It's the sort of thing you see in the news, happening somewhere else. Not here. Not on those streets you walk almost every day. Not in front of stores you frequent on a regular basis. Not on one of the city's biggest holidays. Not at the annual event you use to mark how long you've been in the city.

Yesterday I got in to work after very long commute from mile 17, where that morning, alongside old friends, I cheered on a new one. I had just settled in at my desk when suddenly a coworker looked at me with concern, "There was an explosion at the finish line. Are your friends still there?"

A text message soon confirmed they were all safely on their way to the airport. But this was now only a start to the mental list I began to compile of everyone we knew who was running the marathon, watching the marathon, volunteering at the marathon. Calls, texts, social media messages, all after just one bit of information: are you okay? In between were messages from our friends and family, looking for the same answer.

Slowly we heard back. There were close calls. A coworker's wife finished the marathon ten minutes before the explosion, and said coworker was already home after cheering her on at Coolidge Corner. He learned the news only when she called to assure him she was okay. A friend was headed to the finish line and arrived downtown just before the blasts, but someone on the train had convinced her to get off at Arlington instead of Hynes, putting her beyond instead of potentially in the middle of it.

I thought of my own story. If we weren't saving vacation time for our upcoming Paris anniversary trip and DR mission trip, I might have taken the whole day off instead of just the morning. I might have joined our friends near the finish line to cheer on Levi. After they left for the airport, I might have stuck around.

And then there was the commute home last night, the air heavy with rumors of suspicious packages littered around the city. We caught a ride with a friend but closed roads forced us to walk the last stretch, listening to the distant hum of helicopters and wail of ambulances.

So far everyone on our list is safe, but my heart aches for those who had a very different end to Marathon Monday. I am praying for the victims and their families and friends, and trying to figure out what we can do to help.

In the meantime, may we live as agents of your Kingdom—showing and sharing the love of Jesus to a broken and lost world. Running toward the blast, toward the suffering in order to help, instead of away from it—like the first responders did in the incredible video of bomb blast at the finish line.
     —Ed Stetzer

I am also thankful to live in a city filled with incredible people. Those first responders who rushed to the side of the injured. The marathon runners who crossed the finish line then kept going to donate blood at Mass General. The strangers who shared their phones so families and runners could connect and send the message they were safe. The people who opened their homes to those in need of a bed last night. The restaurants and food trucks providing free meals for anyone who needs it. And many more whose stories I have not yet heard.

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.
     —Mister Rogers

I am also resting in Psalm 34:18: "If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath." Amen.

If you are in Boston, [REUNION] Christian Church is holding a prayer gathering at Ruggles Baptist Church (874 Beacon Street near the St. Mary's T stop) tonight at 7 p.m. You are welcome to join us.

Ricefield Collective: knitwear from the Philippines

photo via Ricefield Collective's Kickstarter campaign

I look forward to my weekly Projects We Love email from Kickstarter. It's always fun to see highlights from the wide range of projects that pop up. But a few weeks ago, one stopped me in my tracks: Ricefield Collective.

Overlooking rice terraces in the Philippines, Meredith Ramirez crafted a plan to combine knitting and tradition with local Filipina women. Together, they're creating a collection of knitwear inspired by the ascending lines of the mountains they call home.

Thanks to my Filipino heritage, this project pulled my heartstrings. Ifugao is not terribly far from the areas we toured while visiting my family in the Philippines a few years ago, where we saw people struggling to maintain their culture while navigating in a changing economy. The women in this knitting collective are desperate to make enough money for their families to stay on their ancestral farms. Growing up in Kansas, this too is a story I understand.

On top of the emotional draw to this project, the hats and scarves look amazing. I already had my eye out for a cute new winter hat, since my trusty go-to is beginning to look the worse for wear. What could be a more perfect replacement than a beautiful piece handcrafted by a Filipina, supporting her and her family as they carry on an important piece of Filipino heritage? I backed the project at the Spiral Slouchy level (photo below), after deliberating between all of the well-designed options.

photo via Ricefield Collective's Kickstarter campaign

The project is already fully funded, which means Ricefield Collective is getting the money needed to expand operations and help more women (and backers are guaranteed their rewards!). But they aren't done. They've created new gifts as motivation to reach a new goal: $85,000. This would allow them to create a permanent home base in Ifugao and employ even more women. They have one week to reach this goal, and still need another $18,600 to make it.

Today, on a cold and gloomy spring day in Boston, it seems like the perfect time to spread the word about something so warm and cozy. If you could use a stylish new hat and/or scarf next fall, make a difference with your purchase! Meredith, Jean, and the other members of Ricefield Collective will thank you.

our love story: a New Year's Eve to remember

This past New Year's Eve, we celebrated our five-year anniversary. Those five years have been harder and better than we could have imagined. And with this big milestone on our minds, I thought it would be fun to share our story. (You can read previous installments here.)

When Ian and I got engaged, I was a new graduate with an awesome job at our church, and Ian was still in school. Which translated into a lot of guests we wanted to invite, and a very modest budget. Challenge accepted.

We decided on a New Year's Eve wedding in our college town. Who doesn't want to have exciting plans for New Year's Eve complete with fireworks and official countdown mirrored ball apple drop?

To stick to our budget, we kept things simple. Glitzy isn't really a word that describes us anyway. And we looked for deals. We got our reception venue half off because it was a weekday and not technically a holiday. Our venue allowed outside vendors (unlike hotels) so we catered some of the food, and family made the rest. We opted for a 7 p.m. wedding with a fancy dessert bar in lieu of dinner. We designed our own stationary. Instead of ordering a dress in my size, I looked at last season's samples off the rack and got the dress for half off.

Our six months of wedding planning were busy thanks to school and work, but everything went as smoothly as can be expected. I had five wonderful bridesmaids along with other friends to help out, and Mom pitched in as much as she could from across the state while undergoing chemo (yes, she's a supermom). A few days before the wedding, she came to help finalize everything. I woke up one morning to find her in the living room, surrounded by tulle circles and ribbon, putting finishing touches on our favors (mint chocolate kisses).

By the time the holidays rolled around, we were ready.

Sunday after church, we started decorating the sanctuary for the ceremony and the ballroom for the reception. Our entire wedding party and families all pitched in to transform the spaces. After the wedding rehearsal, Ian's family served us hot soups and the best cornbread ever. Ian and I stayed up late finalizing the playlist for the reception (unsolicited wedding advice: if you don't hire a DJ, don't wait until the night before your wedding to compile a playlist).

The next morning, I was up bright and early to finish with decorations and setup (while Ian ran around doing errands like picking up the rented sound system), then headed to the church to get ready. It was so much fun hanging out with my lovely ladies, getting pampered while watching wedding-themed movies.

Our photographer arrived mid-afternoon to take photos. It was cold with a blanket of snow, but Gina loves taking photos outdoors, and some of our most memorable moments, like my bridesmaids warming up my arms and the groomsmen shoveling a space to take photos, are thanks to the slightly uncomfortable environment.

Ian and I did decide to see each other before the wedding, and I don't regret it. Especially with a DIY wedding, it was so nice to have a few moments just the two of us to savor the day.

We took a small break after photos for some dinner, then headed to our respective posts to await the magic hour. At seven sharp, the ceremony started. The waiting room slowly emptied until it was just me and my dad. I confessed that I was nervous to be the focus of attention with so many people, and he reassured me saying I looked beautiful. He took my arm and we headed down the stairs to the sanctuary.

Our ceremony was amazing, and so perfectly us. Our friend Ben arranged our music for a strings quartet (composed of friends), and I walked down the aisle to songs from Pride and Prejudice. Our college minister performed the ceremony. The message was so personal, full of amazing advice. Good friends, whose wedding was almost a year prior, sang our favorite Bebo Norman song and also led "Be Thou My Vision." We walked out to "You've Got a Friend in Me," which solidified our joint obsession with Pixar.

After the receiving line, Ian and I detoured with our photographer for some additional photos before joining the party at the reception hall. All the strangers we ran into downtown congratulated us (and some joked we should get out while we can, but we told them it was too late and flashed our rings).

We had so much fun, and have a renewed sense of appreciation for our family and friends. So many people pitched in to help make our wedding day a success, and so many people joined us to celebrate. After five years of being married to my most favorite person in the world, I can no longer say our wedding was the best day of our lives. But it's up there, and we are still so thankful to everyone that made it amazing.

All photos by Gina Dreher Photography.

---

makeup + hair: my lovely mother-in-law + my friend Kerra
ceremony venue: University Christian Church
reception venue: Houston Street Ballroom
catering: Edesia's (bake and brew in peace) + my mom and grandma
wedding gown: Ginza Collection, Private Label by G from Livingston's Bridal
alterations: Bonnie Payne (she took in a size 12 for me and you couldn't tell)
bridal jewelry: earrings from Livingston's Bridal + Grandma's wedding pearls
bridesmaid jewelry: ribbon and pearl necklaces made by me
shoes: wish they had been TOMS
bridesmaid dresses: Alfred Angelo in grape from Livingston's Bridal
suits: Joseph Abboud from Borck Brothers
ushers: barong-tagalogs from Josie's Jusi & Piña (in Manila)
stationary: designed by us, printed by Copy Kats
rings: Danenburg Jewelers
ceremony music: string quartet of friends, music arranged by Ben Worcester
DJ/band: playlist compiled by us, additional DJ-ing by our friend Geoff
flowers: Maryjo at Errington's in Burlington, Colorado
photography: Gina Dreher Photography
videography: Micah Kafka
ceremony officiant: Chris Herrington

Great Grandma Michelson's never-fail dinner rolls

My grandma is an exceptional cook and baker. Because we live so far away and I miss her food, I'm motivated to learn how to master the recipes that are, to me, quintessentially Grandma. One of those recipes is her dinner rolls, which I'm sure I've eaten since I was old enough to handle solids.

My first two attempts at Grandma's dinner rolls were for Thanksgiving potlucks. I used her recipe from the centennial edition of her church's cookbook. The concise directions are fine if, like these lovely church ladies, you know what you are doing. I didn't. They were edible, but a far cry from what they're meant to be.

So while we were home for Christmas, I took advantage of our time on the farm for a hands on workshop with Grandma. She pulled out her worn recipe card and told me she thought her mom picked it up from the newspaper. She started up her trusty KitchenAid and began measuring while I inundated her with questions. Each written step seemed to be shorthand for a collection of smaller tasks and descriptions: "knead until smooth" or "shape into rolls," understood in full by a well-versed bread maker but over the head of a novice like me. I wondered if she felt the way I did when I had to explain to a retiree at church how to attach a file to an email. How do you elaborate on directions that to you are perfectly adequate?

With Easter this past weekend, I had my motivation to try making another batch of dinner rolls. I pulled out my now-annotated recipe for our community group's Easter dinner. The rolls still weren't quite up to Grandma's caliber, but are significantly better than my first two Thanksgiving attempts. I have a newfound confidence in my bread-making skills, which will only improve with more practice. Thanks, Grandma!

Mom's (Great Grandma Michelson's) never-fail dinner rolls
makes 3 dozen

2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 pkg. dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp. dry yeast measured)
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 c. flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c. melted Crisco (can substitute butter or margarine)

Measure 4 cups of flour into the bowl of your stand mixer and attach the dough hook.

Separately, mix the milk, sugar, and salt, then heat to 100°F. In another bowl, dissolve the yeast along with 1/8 teaspoon sugar into 1/3 cup of 100°F water and wait until the mixture has doubled in size (proofing). Add yeast to the milk mixture. Temper the eggs by stirring in a small amount of the hot milk mixture, then add the eggs and melted Crisco to the milk mixture.

Add the liquid to your bowl and mix well. Scrape the sides to help incorporate the flour. Add flour in 1/2 cup increments, waiting after each addition to see if the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. As soon as this happens, stop adding flour and let the dough knead until smooth (about 10 minutes).

Place the dough, covered, in a greased bowl then let it rise until doubled in bulk (20 minutes in a warmed but OFF oven). Punch down the dough. Allow the dough to rise for an additional 15 minutes (without re-warming the oven).

Cut into appropriately-sized pieces. Half pound pieces divided into eight are a good dinner roll size, while 3/4 pound pieces divided into six make good hamburger buns. Shape by rolling each piece on a floured surface, using the pressed palm of your cupped hand (see top photo) in a circular motion.

TIP: Grandma laughed at how delicately I thought I needed to treat the dough and said that unlike biscuits, "you can't overwork it." If it feels like you're just rubbing the dough into the board, increase pressure until it begins to roll under your hand.

Place on greased baking pans (or use Silpat baking mats), allowing room between to rise.

TIP: Grandma puts half the batch on the first pan, then allows them to rise in a warmed but OFF oven while rolling out the second half. By the time she's done, the first pan is ready to bake and the second pan, rising more slowly on top of the oven, should be ready when the first batch comes out of the oven.

Bake at 375°F until golden brown (8-10 minutes), then rub the tops with butter while they cool on racks.

TIP: Grandma swears by AirBake cookie sheets, but I went with America's Test Kitchen recommended (see for yourself here: 1 2 3) Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Size Heavy Duty Sheet Pans (13 gauge, model 5314) because ATK's testing showed it is more foolproof (and versatile). And I need that.

Rolls will stay fresh for several days or you can freeze them in an airtight container and reheat a few in the microwave (wrapped in a tea towel) on demand.

To have hot rolls for dinner, begin preparing them 2.5 to 3 hours ahead of time.

thankful list | March

01. an impromptu hot beverage date with a friend.
02. the lovely foam heart in the top of my hot chocolate at Crema.
03. catching up with REUNION friends at leadership community.
04. weather that allows us to enjoy a walk home.
05. an insane K-State/Baylor game with an unbelievable last-second win.
06. a smooth morning running media.
07. a trip to Super 88 to stock up on the good rice.
08. butternut squash ravioli.
09. a crock pot big enough for community group dinners.
10. Ian avoiding any weather delays on his way home from a business trip.
11. time with friends and their new baby.
12. a productive day at work.
13. a road trip with good friends.
14. a weekend in New Hampshire.
15. delicious meals.
16. an amazing cabin.
17. a quick stop for brunch in Manchester.
18. snuggling on the sofa while watching an epic episode of Castle.
19. garlic rice and longanisa.
20. finding Feedly via c|net after panicking that Google Reader is retiring.
21. a relaxing evening to recuperate from our colds.
22. finishing our taxes, with a nice little refund.
23. a great book club discussion.
24. an awesome evening hanging out with friends + baby.
25. taco pizza.
26. new friends via my copyediting class.
27. a happy snowman after a long trudge to work in slushy snow.
28. Ren's flight arriving safely in Boston.
29. a cozy bed in New Hampshire.
30. bagels and lox (for the first time!).
31. a short but sweet weekend in NH with Erin + Michael and Ren.
32. snowshoeing for the first time. it really is like walking on clouds.
33. soup dumplings at the Dumpling Cafe in Chinatown.
34. Chinese bakery treats.
35. sharing BBQ and biscuits with Ren at Sweet Cheeks.
36. an awesome night of discussion at community group.
37. Boston cream pies (at their birthplace) with Sean + Kathryn.
38. a quick and easy night of laundry thanks to Ian.
39. designing the REUNION message slides in ProPresenter for the first time.
40. a free visit to the Gardner Museum with good friends + baby G.
41. Sweet Cheeks (again) with said good friends + baby G.
42. watching KU lose AND WSU advance to the Final Four.
43. community group Easter dinner.
44. catching up with Wen on the walk home.
45. again, an evening of Castle while snuggled up with Ian.
46. solid progress on our spring houseplant refresh.