This season's Top Chef winner is....

Yes, it's true, amid fierce competition from Hung, Dale, and Casey, H has taken this season's title of Top Chef!

Some quotes from her competitors: Hung said, "As hard as I tried I just couldn't match her skills and technique in the kitchen"; Dale was heard saying, "Her knife skills are amazing and her palate has to be the best in the world!"; and last but not least Casey was heard crying, "I can't believe I lost to a 10 month old! She's a genius."

H is quoted saying, "Hi", and "more please" but the exclusive interview will have to wait...at least until after she cooks some dinner for her mommy. :)

Hi, my name is

I guess it's time to call a lawyer, I'm still reluctant mostly because of my own pride. I hate that now I'll be Arika S..., 27 years old and divorced. People will say to others on the phone, "You know Arika, she's 27, she has a little girl and she's divorced..." I feel like it might be posted on my forehead or on a sticky name tag, "Hi, My name is Arika. I'm divorced." Like I said, pride.

It's strange because at the beginning, when we first met, I didn't think that anyone could be better suited for me. He knew how to make me laugh, and smile and also how to confront me out of love so that I would grow. Then we got married and he was exactly the opposite. He knew how to make me cry, and hurt and said ugly things that one day I'll hopefully forget. Instead of loving me the way I was meant to be loved he killed me more and more each day. I never knew what depression was like until we were married and I never felt like I would be happy again.

When we talked on Friday, I asked him about reconciliation and he said he didn't think it would work because 'he knows himself and he isn't sure if he could be faithful and most of all he didn't want to hurt me again'. Well, it still hurt and when I said that he would be living in sin he said he doesn't know if he believes that anymore. I'm sad, for me, for him. I'm sad that he is choosing to be selfish and won't-not can't- he won't control his desires and lusts and is choosing to walk away from the Lord.

It seems so cut and dry to everyone else. He won't be faithful so just chop him off like he's excess baggage. It's not so easy, it's more like major surgery than it is a hacking process. I'm scared, once I go under will I wake up again? Will the surgeon do a good job or will he hack out an extra organ in the process? Will I lose a part of me that cannot be recovered or will I walk away from the surgery unburdened and light hearted?

Well, I know that God is my great physician and with the surgery in His hands I know it can't go wrong unless I insist on taking the scalpel from Him and try to do it myself. So, God, I think I'm ready...still scared but ready so if you can count with me, backwards from 100. Here I go, 100...99...98...97...

Death-Warmed-Over-Mommy

My fever broke sometime yesterday morning and I'm finally feeling human again instead of like death warmed over. Thankfully H is fine and hasn't come down with any symptoms of the bug.

Death-Warmed-Over-Mommy is not very fun though, she can't play with H or hold her too much. She can't carry her everywhere because her whole body feels like it'll fall apart. And worst of all DWOM can't cuddle and kiss her baby for days and days! This is why I'm so happy to not be sick anymore.

I used to handle being sick so much better when I didn't have a baby to care for. Then you just crawl into bed and don't get up for days/until you feel better. Now, I still have to get up at 7 am and feed and try to play and love on H so she doesn't 'wonder' what's wrong with her mommy.

Talk about bad timing too, tons of my friends from my graduating class at BCOM were in town for the weekend and I wanted to stay up late and all that fun stuff but chose to miss out instead of contaminating everyone else and getting worse myself. Ok, so now I'm done having a pity party.

Last weekend was so fun though in spite of being ill. It was great to catch up with old friends and see what was new and hear about what is to come-Lord willing. I was encouraged by what the Lord is doing in each of their lives and to see how He is changing us to be more and more like Him. Granted we all struggle but it is so incredible to see His refinement in everyone. It's also so fun to see the different stages of life we go through, mostly referring to parenting as so many of us have children of our own now.

All this to say, I'm well again and blessed by the weekend...well, the friends that were part of my weekend! We love all of you!

Our visit with Angela

Here are some pictures of our time with Angela. We had so much fun and were so blessed to be able to spend some quality time (my first love language) with her, as well as meet everyone she's been talking about for the past year!

Exploring Angela's room and new toys mom brought

Opening presents from Ang

The red tent-like thing in the background is called a PeaPod** and it's the best thing since sliced bread for traveling parents.

Eating presents from Ang

Ang and H

Of course, being in the south I had to dress her in her Southern Belle outfit! Poor girlie...:)


At The Marble Slab for ice cream the night before heading home

Chris, Angela and me...being weirdos


Anyway, we're sad that she's so far away but excited to see her in Florida at Christmas time! Woo-hoo!

**Notes on the PeaPod: H sleeps well wherever we go but, I can't put her on a blanket on the ground anymore because she'll explore and get into things she's not supposed to instead of sleeping. So, I did some research and found a baby tent, it's confines her while being super comfy, it comes with a blow up air mattress and everything and folds up small enough to fit in a back pack, weighing a mere 2 lbs!!! Anyway, if you travel extensively with mobile babies I definitely recommend the product.

Fall

Autumn, Fall
The most wonderful season of all
Crisp air, bright trees
I'm so easy to please

Orange, red so much color
the season I became a mother
Pumpkin muffins and bread
with cream cheese spread

Layers and sweaters
nothing's better
I love, love fall
or I wouldn't have written this dorky poem at all! :)

Reunion!

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word reunion?

Friends, of course but, food is a fast second! :)

Well the original class of 2005 is having a mini reunion this weekend and I am so excited. Jenny, Heather and I got together last night to plan this weekends events. And of course, one of the biggest topics was F O O D. I think we have some of the best "chefs" in our class and we are going to take full advantage of that fact. So, if the pictures below don't make your mouth water enough to come and join us I don't know what will...











Anyway, if you're in the area please be sure to let us know and join in the fun!

If you need the details, please let me know and I'd be happy to get the info to you.

A la maison

We had a wonderful time visiting Angela once we finally arrived...very long story made short- 2 hour and 20 minute flight turned into 6 hours on the plane = miss the flight to SC and stay the night in the Hilton eating a kid's meal of grilled cheese and fries for $20.

Anyway, once we finally got to SC we had a good time. I don't know how my friends with children did it while at BCOM (except that they had 2 rooms) but it is HARD to live/stay in a dorm with a baby! Extra props to the Dugans, Johnsons and others that finished school while living in such cramped quarters.

Angela had a great room and even her own bathroom so that was wonderful, and she even learned a little about baby-proofing for the future! *wink* H is very curious, as most babies are, and so we had to block things off and hide other things and basically make every day living a little more difficult than usual for Ang. Thanks for hosting us on your birthday weekend, I hope and am sure that you enjoyed having us as much as we enjoyed being with you!

Since being home H has been re-exploring her home and even when I'm on the phone she doesn't seem to care...very unusual for anyone with small children. So we're having good times and we're also heading out again for two days this weekend to be with family so hopefully that'll be relaxing.

I always forget how much I love my bed when planning a trip and so it's been nice to get back into our daily groove. I'll post pictures in the next couple days or so!