so here I go..

so here i go…

Approximately 12 hours ago, i kissed my wonderful wife at the security counter in Harrisburg. Once through security, I looked back one last time before I went to look for my departure gate.

Now I am flying at 35,000 feet, somewhere over the Black Sea about to fly over Iraq then on to Doha.

My body is telling me it is about 8am, but the watch on my arm says 3pm, which will be my new local time.

The last 3 months have been very intense. It started with simply accepting the job overseas, then waiting. Waiting to get the approval from the client, waiting to get the approval for the visa from the consulate, waiting for movers, waiting for airplanes, and next I’ll be waiting for the day I can bring my family along on the trip to our new home.

I am very thankful for all the love and support we have received. This has been a goal of ours for 7 or 8 years now. Kelsie and I have continually worked towards this goal and it is amazing to see it come to reality.

I won’t pretend to think that it won’t be difficult, I know there will be very difficult hurdles to overcome. The bottom line is… Wherever you go.. We will follow.

Kelsie and I talked about that subject this week, we believe we have been called to travel the world, meet new people, love on people wherever we go and follow God.

fudge

I haven’t been cooking or baking anything in a while.  In Washington, as we got busier and closer to moving, I didn’t have time or the energy to make food.  We were eating a lot of frozen, easily prepared food or take out.  Now, I’m living with people who cook and bake, and I find it a lot harder to spontaneously cook in someone else’s kitchen.  We’ll have to work something out because I might get used to being lazy and not want to make any food for Stephen when I get to Saudi Arabia.

One thing I did make a couple  several times before we left Washington was fudge.  It was a stressful time.  Fudge helped. Yum.  I remember calling Stephen and telling him about the craziness of my day.  “This is why I eat fudge,” I told him.  He was very understanding, even though he didn’t get much of the fudge. I ate it far to quickly.  Sorry about that, Stephen!

Anyway, here’s the recipe!  Maybe you are having a stressful moment or a family gathering where some fudge would be helpful.  I recommend the family gathering – it forces you to share.  Plus, your waistline will appreciate that.  I speak from experience.

Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners’ sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8×8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

(Original recipe is from AllRecipes.com, but I have adjusted the amounts of certain ingredients.)