All of the Change

I could say that we are busy–but if you know me at all, I never like to admit that Andrea and I are busy.  I could be wrong here–and I’m not trying to be dogmatic–but I have noticed that people who are truly busy never go around saying how busy they are.  I never hear my pastor saying, “Oh, I’m just so busy!  I don’t have time to do anything!”  And I know that he is one of the busier people that I know.  So, it’s hard for me to confess business…

A baby is on the way, due on February 6th, and we are overjoyed and blessed to have this responsibility to raise a child for God.  Summer at church has been full of our camp, Vacation Bible School, and a blossoming bus ministry, all of which we love serving in.  Along with the baby, which will change our way of life completely, we have been in the midst of another huge change.

It all started in 2008, when the bottom started to fall out from under the housing market, which caused housing prices to drop dramatically.  Two years ago, soon after we were married, we moved into a beautiful apartment right on the main drag in Red Lion, PA.  We could never complain about how nice it has been for us.  We created a multitude of memories here, and it has always been more than we thought we deserved.

Earlier this year, I started to get curious about actually purchasing a home.  We then started to save at or above half of what we make for whatever God might have us do with it–whether it be a home, or vehicle, or something else.  I talked to my parents and many others about what our options might be with buying a home and what we could responsibly afford.  Starting in May, I began to gather every last bit of personal financial information I could find to begin the pre-approval process.  We waited several weeks; then sat on it, took a deep breath, and observed what we could and could not do.  In early June, I was convinced that we would wait for another year or so.

Camp was coming in a little over a week.  The mortgage company that we were dealing with called and said that we were “pre-approved” for a certain amount, and the interest rate was actually much better than I expected.  I began to look intently at neighborhoods that would like, and then specifically at houses–and without a real estate agent: we did not feel quite ready for an agent yet.  In late June, just before camp, my parents came to bring Adam and Catie (my brother and sister) to camp.  Just after church and bus Sunday afternoon, they said, “Hey, let’s go look at houses.”  So we piled into the car and left.  I had neighborhoods that I liked, but nothing particular in mind.

We came to a brand new neighborhood about a mile and a half from where we live now.  There was a model home open as well.  We went into the beautiful home, of course knowing we could never afford it.  The neighborhood manager that worked for the builder told us the price range for it, which was less than I expected, but still well out of my range.  Then, he told us of a house just across the road that had been custom built by someone, but in the end, that person ended up not purchasing the house.  It was close to perfect from the moment we stepped in.  My parents even said that the styling of it is very “Dustin and Andrea.”  The manager told me the price, which was still out of my range, but fairly close to what we could afford.  He then said the magic words, “We really want to sell this house.  I’m willing to take any reasonable offer, especially if you can close within a month or two.”  Hey, that was us!  Our lease expires on our apartment, we have no property to sell or other contingencies.  If we can get the price within our range, we could definitely do this.

Well, camp started the next day–all day and night every day for the next week.  That was a perfect time for me to take a step back, think, pray, and get advice if this was the right path and right timing for us.  I was sure that it was.  I called the builder on Wednesday of camp, and told him that I wanted to meet with him and make an offer right after we get back–two hours after we got back home, in fact.

So I wrote up the proposal (I wanted them to build a deck and get us a refrigerator as well, on top of our price).  I wasn’t really low-balling either–reasonable is the word.  We met with the builders, handed them our proposal, and then I expected to wait over the weekend before they countered.  Nope.  She called her manager right there, and five minutes later, they had a counter proposal, and still with the 10 foot by 10 foot deck and refrigerator!  And only $5,000 more than we had offered!  I came back $2,500 less right there.  She called her manager again, and a couple minutes later, they were $2,000 above my proposal, and still with the added things.  Then we left.  Just for 15 minutes though!  We wanted to take one more look at the house.  We still loved it.

We came back, I gave her a nice little speech about compromise, and we ended up settling right in the middle, still with the two things that I wanted as well.  It was all done in an hour: offer, counter-offer, counter-offer, counter-offer, sign papers, make a deposit, done.  We had a tentative closing date of August 10th!

Now, over the last month, we have jumped through all of the financing hoops, and now, as of last Wednesday, our loan is approved with contingencies. (They still want to see that we have the cash for closing, as well as one clarification on tithing, of all things!  They thought it was undeclared debt at first –well it kind of is!)  So, as of now, the only thing left is to pack, close, and move.  I have a few pictures below.  We will have more as we start to make this house our home in less than two weeks!

The front of the house.
The kitchen, and part of the dining area.
View from the back, looking out into the PA countryside
Looking out the back from the living room area.

 

Baby!!!

Yes, if you have heard a rumor, it is true…We are expecting a Baby!  The due date is February 6th.  We do not know yet if it is a girl or boy, but will be happy with either.  One of Mom’s favorite verses was Psalm 68:19:

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.”

It seems appropriate now…

Baby's First Picture!

 

Meet My Friend, the Poblano Pepper

I was hungry for real Mexican food last week, and so my wonderful husband took me to our local ethnic store (more Puerto Rican than anything), and I found some good poblanos for Chiles Rellenos and Rajas Con Crema.  The great thing about the poblano pepper is that it is not too hot, and by extracting the seeds and inner veins, you can make it hardly hot at all if you like, or you can leave all of that in, and it gives you a definite “bite”!  Two of my favorite Mexican dishes are made with the poblano pepper.

1. First we’ll take on Chiles Rellenos (i.e., Stuffed Chile Peppers)!

Roasted Poblanos

First, roast the peppers in the oven until the skin is blackened about as shown in the picture.  Be careful the stems do not touch the heating element, or you could start a fire! Then place all roasted peppers on a plate inside a plastic bag –or probably any sealable place –for a few seconds so the humidity can loosen all the skin.  This is magical, because if you omit this step, it will be a hot, hard, and tedious job trying to peel the skin off.  I have been there!  (Maybe that is why I haven’t made these in such a long time!)  After a short time of being closed up, open the plastic bag and the skin easily peels right off.  (The skin has a bitter taste, and so is better if removed.)  Then slice open the pepper and remove as much of the seeds and veins as you want.  Leaving them will probably make your chiles rellenos more picante.  Removing will likely yield a milder flavor.  But don’t blame me if they’re spicy…you never know from pepper to pepper how hot one will be!

Stuffing the peppers with cheese

I stuffed them with provolone, because that is what I had.  I think the best cheese to stuff them with is probably Queso Oaxaca, a Mexican cheese you might find in an ethnic store if you have one nearby.  Oaxaca cheese comes in a knot shape, and you can unravel it.  It is stringy like mozzarella.  You can probably use just about any cheese you like, though.

Stuffed and secured with toothpicks

Next, close the peppers with round toothpicks.  The toothpicks are easy to detect and remove when you begin to eat!  Try biting into a wooden toothpick!

Then, batter and fry the critters.  I followed a video tutorial and whipped egg white until very foamy, then stirred in the egg yolk.  After that I coated the pepper with flour then dipped it into the egg mixture.  Carefully drop it into a frying pan with plenty of hot oil and fry until golden brown (when egg batter is completely cooked).

Chiles Rellenos ready to eat with tomato salsa

These are usually eaten with a simple tomato salsa (not picante at all).  You can just puree a little tomato, garlic, and onion to make your own.  (You’ll probably want to salt everything before eating.)  I like to pour the tomato salsa all over the chiles until they are almost “swimming” in it!  Then add a little crema on top if you have it, –Que rico!

Closest immitation to Mexican “crema” I have found in the USA!

Crema is one of Mexico’s delicacies.  I developed a taste for it while living there.  It is not just watered down sour cream, but actual cream.  If you go to some villages and get the more natural, fresh stuff, it is actually almost as “set up” as butter.  Then you use it as a condiment on your dishes, and it melts into the hot food, cools the picante a little bit, and adds so much rich taste!  This table cream made by Nestle is a pretty good imitation to the real thing.  Of course it is no comparison to some crema found in Mexico, but it is the closest thing I have found in the U.S. that is not just water-y sour cream!  Hmmmm…

2. The next dish I made with poblanos is actually one I prefer above Chiles Rellenos.  This one is Rajas Con Crema.  Rajas are simply sliced strips of pepper.

These are made by roasting and peeling the poblanos in the same way as before, but then slicing them in long, narrow strips.  Next you sautee a few onion strips in butter, then add the rajas (strips of poblano).

Onion and poblano rajas sauteeing…with plenty of seeds for spice!

When well heated, add a little of the same tomato salsa mentioned above (a simple puree of tomato, onion, and garlic).  And at this point, you can add a bit of canned or fresh corn if desired.

Rajas, onion slices, and tomato puree

Lastly, remove the mixture from the pan, and add a good amount of crema (discussed above).   Serve with warm tortillas (I fill the tortilla with the rajas con crema, and eat it like a taco).  This is one of my most favorite Mexican dishes!

 

Fill the Earth with Praise

I came across the hymn, Fill the Earth with Praise recently, and have come to really appreciate it.  I love how doctrinal the words are throughout it.  On occasion, I believe that it is very beneficial to dwell on an old, perhaps more “lofty” anthem, with words that require you to think.  Isaac Watts wrote the text for this hymn, and recently, Soundforth (yes, I know, Bob Jones University, but bear with me here) set a melody composed by Sir Hubert Parry called Jerusalem (essentially the UK’s un-official national anthem) with the text by Isaac Watts.

Preview of Fill the Earth with Praise –It is the sixth track in the album.

by Sir Isaac Watts, Robert Spence, Sir Hubert Parry, and Richard Nichols.

From all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise;
Let the Redeemer’s Name be sung
Through ev’ry land, by ev’ry tongue.

 

Chorus: In ev’ry land begin the song;
To ev’ry land the strains belong;
In cheerful sounds all voices raise,
And fill the earth with loudest praise.

 

Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;
Eternal truth attends Thy Word.
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Until suns rise and set no more.

 

Your lofty themes, ye mortals, bring,
In songs of praise divinely sing;
The great salvation loud proclaim,
And shout for joy the Savior’s name.