Learning to Enjoy

As I'm sure you've noticed, I haven't really blogged in a while... and by a while, I mean MONTHS. The last couple months have been a whirlwind of excitement, stress, preparation, planning, searching, love, encouragement, & lots of prayer.

On May 4th, 2013 just as the sun was starting to go down, Rafael Hernandez asked me to be his wife - ring in hand, down on one knee, sunflowers and candles surrounding us. He did it right, ladies. And immediately, I said "OF COURSE!"

It has now been about two and a half months & we are in full planning-mode! The first thing I learned (and the hard way, I might mention) is to ENJOY! The time goes by faster than you can imagine.

Enjoy the planning - It will be frustrating, time-consuming, and exciting at the same time. But when things start coming together, it really is the best. Oh, and definitely don't forget to plan for your marriage along with the wedding. The wedding is just the start! And in reality, having a successful marriage means a whole lot more to me than worrying about the wedding. God has blessed me with an amazing man to have as my husband & that is my focus.

Enjoy the time you have - Don't get me wrong, the wedding could not come fast enough for how excited I am. But I fully understand that my life will change drastically when I get married. These next couple months are the last moments of just dating, living with some of my best friends, being (relatively) single. I will enjoy the time I have to plan.


Now, I'm halfway through the engagement and definitely still learning to do these things. There will be moments of all kinds of emotions, but I keep going back to two thoughts:
1. God is my rock. And soon, He will be OUR rock.
2. In 91 days, I'm marrying my best friend. (WHAT!?)

These two things keep me grounded & keep me focused on the positive. Also, my amazing, wonderful, giving friends and family have rallied to support me. They are amazing & are an army of peace for me.


Bear with me through this process... time is cray.


xo,
Mrs.H-to-be


P.S. This is adorable and so sassy - I have learned to love GOLD.

This weekend, I'm home... like parents house home. I'm from Pembroke, which is pretty much as small-town as Massachusetts goes. Its a tiny town, with not much to do. Basically all this means is that I have an abundance of free time and a beautiful kitchen. This wonderful combination means that the southern girl in me won today - I BAKED.

Are you surprised? Probably not. My parents were definitely not.

Well, here's another recipe post, taken from Real Simple! My roommate Michaela found the recipe. Unfortunately, my wonderful baking friends are away this weekend. Therefore, this was a solo adventure.

Toffee-Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies

And yes... they are just as delicious as they look and sound.

And they have the most basic ingredients!

Here ya go.

2 Cups Peanut Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Cup Pretzels [crushed]

1 Cup Heath Bars [crushed]

...

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, throw the first six ingredients together [peanut butter, sugars, eggs, baking soda, & salt] and mix well. This is pretty much the peanut butter cookie base. 

Now add the crushed heath bars and pretzels. This is where you really have to put your back into the mixing. Try and mix well so the pretzels and heath bars are distributed throughout. I'll confess I put in some extra heath bar...

Form the dough into pretty good sized cookies and place them on the baking sheets with a couple inches between. Keep in mind that the dough doesn't really spread all that much so no need to worry about them hitting each other.

Take a fork and press the cookies with a crisscross on top. If you want [and I did], you can sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on top for flavor. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through. I baked for 6 minutes, rotated, then baked for 5 minutes. Once the cookies have browned a bit and solidified, they're ready to be eaten... I mean, taken out to cool. 

If you're wondering what happened to the last cookie... I was eating it as I took the picture. These are perfect for a free afternoon or a last minute dessert. They are DELICIOUS and super easy.

Who wants some!?

ENJOY.

Peanut Butter Cup S’moreo Bars

Haven't posted baking pictures in a while so I thought I would keep you posted with a couple recipes that were hits! The first is a Peanut Butter Cup S’moreo Bars recipe! I found this recipe from Top With Cinnamon, which is one of my favorite blogs to browse! She's entertaining AND her recipes are amazing.

[A little tip with finding recipes to try... find a blogger that knows what they're doing! We've tried some recipes that sounded great or had good pictures, but turned out to be blah or blech. If you find a blog that has been around for a while and has great reviews, that's usually a good clue. OR if you find a great blog that recommends other blogs... follow the trail! It probably leads to great places.]

ANYWAY, back to the bars... These things are amazing. Like, finish-and-eat-the-whole-pan-on-your-own amazing. Try them and customize them with a topping of your choice! And since there is nothing in them that technically is necessary, try your own version! I tried it a little differently a couple days later and they were equally amazing! And with this... here it is...

Delicioso.

Peanut Butter Cup S’moreo Bars

BASE:

24 Oreos

2 tbsp Butter (melted)

2 tbsp Milk

TOPPINGS:

1/2 cup Peanut Butter (warmed)

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate

2 cups Mini Marchmallows

6 Peanut Butter Cups (or whatever topping you'd like)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees & line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. 

Crush the oreos - either with a food processor or with a rolling pin. I put them all under parchment paper and crushed them with a rolling pin - effective, but had the potential to be messy. Try and get them pretty fine, but some chunks definitely will not hurt anything!

Mix the oreos, butter, & milk in a medium size bowl until it is completely combined. 

Scrape the oreo mixture into the 8x8 pan. Spread it out evenly, making about a 1/2 inch crust in the pan.

Put the oreo base in the oven for 6-8 minutes until it has solidified a bit.

Immediately spread the warmed peanut butter across the top of the oreo base. Honestly, this is the toughest part - the oreo base is still rather soft and will start to mix with the peanut butter. Don't panic! This is totally fine. Just do your best to spread the peanut butter out as much as possible.

Sprinkle the chocolate over the peanut butter layer. 

Next comes the fun part! 

Spread the marshmallows over the top of the whole thing! Set the oven to Broil and once its heated up, put the pan in the broiler for just a couple minutes. Seriously... keep an eye on them. As soon as the tops have turned a beautiful golden brown, TAKE IT OUT! 

Crush the Peanut Butter Cups and sprinkle them over the top. Let it melt a bit.

[Quick tip: Since they are a bit messy, I recommend sticking them in the refrigerator - much easier to cut. ]

You have just finished the most delicious bars. Look at you, makin' things! Now enjoy! This is what I call southern comfort.

xx,

CB

My Wonderful, Interracial Relationship

As I think of things to write about, I start to look at my life - the way I live, the decisions I've made. I can't guarantee that every post will be interesting to you or that you'll be entertained enough to read the whole thing. My hope is that maybe somewhere one person will read the post and relate. That being said...

A big part of my life is my relationship with my boyfriend. For those of you who have never met either of us OR creeped on my Facebook, I am one half of an awesomely interracial dating couple. 

I am [excuse my bluntness] probably one of the whitest people out there.

My boyfriend of just under two and a half years, Rafael, is Dominican.

I know, I know... we're adorable ;) 

And believe me, race is not the only difference between the two of us. When we started dating, I think the majority of the people who knew both of us were mostly just confused. 

I grew up in the suburbs. 

He grew up in the city.

I grew up riding horses. 

He grew up playing football.

I adore country music. 

He loves his John Legend.

I am the definition of talkative. 

He could sit and think for hours.

When we first met, I honestly didn't think about it at all. If anything, it made me more interested. It wasn't until we started dating in mid-October that I really thought about what that meant for us to have such different backgrounds and cultures. For the most part, we live in a pretty accepting age. But when we started dating and I began to get to know his family and friends, doubts and concerns started going through my mind. As sheltered as it may sound, I had never been in a situation where I was the minority, especially not one where I was trying to impress! I grew up in a predominantly white community and went to a private Catholic school, which was again predominantly white. Race had never been a big deal to me at all. But choosing to yoke yourself with someone that closely is different. 

About a week into our relationship, Raf tells me that his family wants me to come to Thanksgiving. What I was thinking sounded something like... WHAT!? Wait... seriously? But that would mean that I would have to meet them. And charm them. And then they would tell you what they think.. What if they don't like me? Will you not like me? Will they care that I'm white? Will they care that I don't speak Spanish? Will they approve of my dating their beloved son?

But of course I just said, "That sounds great!" *anxious smile*

One month into our relationship and I'm driving down to Providence to meet his family. Now, his family is amazing and I absolutely adore every one of them. But getting out of the car and walking into the house to meet them was terrifying. Their traditions are different. Their family dynamic is different. Spanish is being spoke [and my Spanish extends as far as Gracias].

Frankly, it was a tad overwhelming. 

I don't think I really understood that its okay that we're different. Its okay that we both grew up in different homes and were surrounded by different cultures. And its even okay that we're dating each other :) Thank goodness.

Since then, I've learned that it doesn't necessarily need to be one culture or the other. Our relationship itself is the combination of two cultures. Two people that are very different [emphasis on the very] can learn from each other and become better people together. And it can work! 

I've learned to dance bachata, merengue, and salsa. He's learned to put up with my country music [but only during the summer].  Thats just the little things. I've learned to be grateful in all circumstances. He's learned to look at things more positively. 

From the outside, it may seem like we have nothing in common. But race, culture, upbringing, and appearance have very little to do with a successful relationship. As we get to know each other better, we learn from one another. We have not let the fact that we are two different races define our relationship. Add in our wonderful God and we're golden :) 28 months later, I could not be happier with him. Not only do I seriously have the most loving, adorable boyfriend, but I also have gained so much. And I could not imagine my life without my Raffy. 

x,

CB

Ps. I still don't speak Spanish... I should get on that...

Deciphering the Pieces

Decisions decisions.

Growing up, it seems easy to picture life as a puzzle. And with every step of the way, you fill in another piece. Easy peazy, as my coworker would say. What I didn't realize is that instead of life being one of those 10-piece puzzles for children, it's actually a 500-piece monstrosity. You know, one of those puzzles that seems like a good idea when you pull the box out. But then, you realize you're only half-way through and all you have left is the sky. 

Finish high school - corner pieces all found. 

Finish college - border done. 

Now comes the hard part... the decision of where to go from there. That is exactly where I am in my life. I finished college. Now I get to choose what I would like to do. But what happens when I'm given endless possibilities? I am unable to choose any of them. The amount of directions that I can choose from seems overwhelming. If I knew my dream job or had the perfect way to spend my life figured out, I would be going after that full force. Instead, I'm stuck trying to rack my brain regularly to find some profession that I would want to dedicate my time and energy and life to. During this time, I find myself clinging to the things I do know.

These are a couple things that I know:

I know that I want to do big things.

I know that I want to live in the suburbs.

I know that I want to work with people.

I know that I never want to live an hour from my job ever again. 

I know that I want to travel. 

I know that I want to be a good friend. 

I know that I want to make my family, friends, and boyfriend proud.

And [most importantly] I know that God will never leave me or forsake me.

While these may seem meaningless to everyone else and somewhat of a random grouping of thoughts, these truths stick with me and ground me in a way. I don't have much figured out. But in a sense, that's okay. God is molding me to rely solely on Him. Its almost like I keep finding pieces of the puzzle that I recognize. They just don't have a place yet. Someday, I will figure it out. Someday, my puzzle will start to become more clear.

You may be asking yourself Why is Catherine rambling on about a puzzle and truths? I am convinced that I am not the only one going through this weird time in life... mostly because I've already talked to at least four people this week having these same thoughts. What I really want people to hear is that this is completely normal and completely OKAY. Take your time, think about what you want. Cling to your truths. Have patience. Did I mention have patience? You are not alone. Pinky promise!

Jeremiah 29:11-13

x,

CB


P.S. Find some wonderful people and don't let them go. See below for some of my wonderful people. [emphasis on some :)]

I love him.

Lessons from the Unknown

May 2012, I graduated from Boston University with a degree in History with a focus in European culture surrounding the two World Wars. I know what you're thinking... Oh, so you want to teach? Actually, the truth is that after four years of taking classes, I didn't really know what direction I wanted to go in. It has now been nine months since I walked across a tiny stage with my fellow history graduates and accepted my diploma. It has been nine months since I was thrust into what people refer to as "the real world". And you know what? I still don't know what I want to do. What I did not realize for about six months is that not knowing is totally and completely okay. Is it unnerving? Yes. Is it normal? Absolutely. In actuality, being in the unknown has pushed me to grow more than ever before. I had to accept that this stage is a necessary chapter in my life. 

1. WORK HARD. Whatever you're doing - whether it is serving coffee, managing a huge company, or answering phones - find pride in working hard. [Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..."]. Honestly, I do not love my job. However, I strive to work hard. It creates a sense of meaning that might not have been there before. This doesn't mean that I leave my job every day whistling and jumping for joy. Most days, I'm exhausted. But I know that I have done my best.

2. HOLD ON TO THOSE WHO LOVE YOU. I don't know about anyone else, but when I'm overwhelmed and confused or feel left out in the slightest, my first reaction is to shut down. But after a couple months of doing that and realizing that it was hurting everyone [including me], I decided to open up. When you're in the unknown, cling to your loved ones with all your strength. Tell them you're scared and anxious and annoyed. Whether they have the right words to say or just a hug to give, you need them. Humble yourself! That was mostly for me :)

3. FIND A HOBBY. When you're working 40 hours a week and pretty busy the other hours too, find at least one thing that is just for you. I have taken up baking and crocheting. Two things I immensely enjoy. Two things that do not require that much brainpower. Two things that I can see pretty immediate results for. Two things that make me happy. Find one hobby... or two, three. It doesn't matter. Just find something that will make you happy.

4. BE JOYFUL ALWAYS. This one was my biggest lesson. I was miserable for a solid couple months - going through the motions and stuck in my own self-pity. Believe me, self-pity gets old real quick. But with lots of prayer, lots of advice, and lots of tears, I slowly learned that joy is a decision. It is a choice whether to find joy in my life or not. My friend Hannah encouraged me to find joy in small things, to really search for things to look forward to. And you know what? It worked. Now, I'm still not joyful always. But I'm striving to be, just like 1 Thessalonians 5:16 calls me to be. 

5. Finally, PRAY. Sounds basic. But believe me, it takes continuous prayer to conquer the unknown. Pray when you're waking up. Pray when you're tempted to join in with the gossip at work. Pray when someone is disrespectful to you. Pray when you have a great day. Pray when you're going to sleep. Even when you don't think you can, have someone pray with you. I cannot tell you the amount of times I've called others crying and had them pray on the phone for me. Allow God to work when you're at your weakest. As I've heard other say - let go and let God.

These are some of the things that got me through the first nine months. And I'm absolute positive that God isn't done working on my heart. But for now, I will continue to work hard, hold on to my loved one, enjoy my hobbies, find joy in my life, and pray that God leads me through it all.

x,

CB

Southern Baking

Some of our baking creations from the last couple months:

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

These are amazing - sit down with one of these and a hot cup of coffee. It will change your life.

Popovers

What is not to love about buttery bread!? They are thick, yummy, and delicious.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Biscuits

Fry an egg and put it on one of these. Whoa. That is all.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

We got a little out there with these ones. The combination is more normal than you would think! 

Talk about some southern comfort! 

Shoutout to Michaela, who baked these with me! :)