My Daughter the Chef!

 I'm a little late in posting this wonderful news about my daughter but the trip to Miami, Fl was so traumatic for me it has taken a week for me to recover! 

That will be another post ;)

Thursday we all arrived at the airport at 3 different times from 3 different places. Us, coming from Ohio, Liz, our oldest daughter coming from Chicago and Miranda flying in from her internship in Jamaica. 
Yeah, what a hardship!

She has spent the last 3 months at the Couples Resort in Ocho Rios Jamaica
http://couples.com/tower-isle/index.php?a=00626522&b=DML%20Vacations&c=866-360-5119&d=http://www.dmlvacations.com/
This was a wonderful experience for her. One of her other instructors recommend her for this internship and it was truly a great learning experience. She made several friends there and would have stayed if they had offered her a job. She really enjoyed the island lifestyle of the people there.

 Sat. Miranda graduated Magna Cume Laude  from Johnson & Wales University with her asassociates degree as a chef.  She has made us so proud with her dedication to all her classes, projects and cross country endeavors.  She tends to be a perfectionist so her accomplishments do not surprise us.

On Friday we attended an awards ceremony.  Miranda received the award for high achievement in Garde Manger from one of her chef instructors.

This award is for one of the hardest courses and one of the hardest instructors at the university. 

I am adding a link for those of you who are not familiar with what Garde Manger is, like myself, LOL http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Art+of+Garde+Manger&qpvt=Art+of+Garde+Manger&FORM=IGRE

 I remember when she started this course, she was very nervious about being able to do a good job. 
I think she pulled it off very well!

Here we are with the proud graduate!

Things just seem to happen in great ways for Miranda.  God has truly blessed her and one thing she has learned from all of our difficulties over the last few years is to just sit back and wait for God to act.

(Don't worry, be happy!)

We were leaving Fl. on Monday to fly home. At this point Miranda did not have a place to live or a job but she has a car and it is warm in Fl so we weren't worried.

Tuesday she took her stuff and crashed in on her old friends and roommates from last summer, did her laundry and just bummed around.  Wed. a guy from the school called to see if she wanted to try out for a job at a new resturant in downtown Miami? 

She went in to do the 2 hour trial and was asked to stay till 5:00 at which time she was asked if she would like a job!

This new resturant ended up being Cipriani

a highly successful Itialian family owned line of resturants all over the world!
http://www.cipriani.com/

I think she has a bright future ahead of her and I can't wait to see what God has instore for her now!

My 2 beautiful daughters.  They make me so proud!

Congratulations Miranda!

Our Collage Graduate

After 3 full years of classes our oldest Daughter Liz graduated from the International Academy of Design and Technology with a bachelors in Fashion Design!

She has had quite a lot of moves through the last year but she finally got her own studio apartment in North Chicago.

The ceremony was very nice.

Luckily it wasn't a huge school so they only had around 200 graduates. Everyone was extremely glad to receive their degrees.

The guest speaker reminded the students of the difficult times they are graduating in but encouraged them to press forward and not loose hope. I thought that was a good approach and he was very wise in his other advice.

It's a hard thing to have to do, speaking to college graduates when 9% of Americans are unemployed.

He should be commended for taking that job on!

He did say "if women shop for clothes like my wife the fashion students should be OK. No woman is going to go around out of style."

Family

Liz with her sister who leaves to start her freshman year at Johnson and Whales in 2 weeks in Miami Fl. and Mom and Dad who are looking forward to being alone again for the 1st time in 21 years!

My Awesome girls! I am so proud of both of them

Aunt, cousins and grandparents who all took the trip to Chicago to witness this great day.

I'm feeling Pressed

This poem was in my devotional the other morning and I wanted to share it with you. I was waiting till I had time when I got home to add a pretty photo coz I hate post without photos.

But...

I am feeling Pressed!

I have NO time when I get home to do my blogging right now.

I am in a frenzy to get as much made for my up coming craft shows so I am putting way to much pressure on myself and I am not really enjoying the process as much as usual. I just want to help with the finances with my creativeness. I NEED to do this. It brings me satisfaction.

I haven't had time to read my books and we won't even address the house cleaning, except for the fact my craft stuff is all over the place so dust can't find a place to land!

My temporary job is ending with in the next month so I am trying to find something with insurance, but at this point a pay check will do.

My husband has been having chest pains almost daily, nitro pills help so we are biding our time.

Oh yeah and, my daughter is graduating from High School next Wednesday and we have a party to plan.

I am sorry I have not been here. I only like to share happy, uplifting post but right now I don't have a brain cell left to pass along. Then I feel like no one is reading these anyway so it really doesn't matter. Things will settle down soon and I will get back to posting regularly. Until then here is the poem from my Devotional Streams in the Desert.

Pressed beyond measure; yes, pressed to great length;

Pressed so intensely, beyond my own strength;

Pressed in my body and pressed in my soul,

Pressed in my mind till dark surges roll.

Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.

Pressed into knowing no helper but God;

Pressed into loving His staff and His rod.

Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;

Pressed into faith for impossible things.

Pressed into living my life for the Lord,

Pressed into living a Christ-life out poured.

This entry really comforted me. Trials and difficult times are needed to press us forward and to be able to be sympathetic to others in need. God has truly provided for our needs so far and I will trust that He has everything under control. We may not be able to see it right now but in His perfect timing and in His way, all will be well.