Christmas Letter 2015

Hello! Another digital Christmas letter -- this time to recap 2015. I love updating folks and wish I could write on the blog more. Sadly, or not sadly, just matter-of-factly, letting go of my blog for awhile was something I decided to do as I continue to finish my M.Div. and serve in ministry at Southwestern. I am grateful and excited about the other platforms that have enabled me to write this year, as it's something I love doing. But, I am excited to recap the year here now as I am finished with school for the semester and as things are slowing down in my job for the holiday season. Recapping is sacramental for me and it's been a beautiful year! So without further ado, here's how 2015 panned out for the Justs...

I've had the opportunity to return to Wilmore a few times since we've moved and I love that! Last January, I took an intensive term on the Life of Prayer. It was an amazing class and being back in Wilmore felt like home. I also had the opportunity with another one of my colleagues at Southwestern to take four students considering seminary on a campus visit to Asbury in September. From there, we drove to Nashville and attended a Wesleyan conference. That trip in particular has made me reflect on how transformative seminary has been for me. Kyle and I have changed in so many ways because of our time at Asbury, It's widened our lens, and has invited us to view the world in different ways. I am aware of my constant talk of Asbury; but it's rocked mine and Kyle's world. While I look forward to being DONE with my M.Div. and graduating in May, a part of me is sad to let this part of my life go. Ya know? 

However, as I (and we) let that part of life go, we continue on in our life here in Winfield, which Kyle and I relish and enjoy. We adore the house we're renting right now and have enjoyed settling into a rhythm of life. Kyle started working at Ark City Middle School as a math teacher this year, and is enjoying his time. He's found the work challenging, but in a good way. He's going through all the first year teacher stuff -- planning curriculum, grading tests, tweaking things, preparing for state testing, organizing math projects utilizing In-N-Out Burger scenarios (think, what would be the height of a 1 patty cheeseburger?; Now, a 3 patty cheeseburger?; Now, a 20 patty cheeseburger). He thinks it's hilarious. I say, "Who in their right mind wants to teach math?" He comes home and works and works on all of the things. 

As for me, my job has enabled me to travel a lot, which I love! Last March, I attended a conference for independent colleges in St. Louis with some of my colleagues and learned about how other schools are engaging students in service-learning and vocational exploration. Then, in May, I took Discipleship students to Costa Rica for ten days for our annual mission trip. What an amazing time that was! We served with a ministry called the Abraham Project and thoroughly enjoyed our time learning about Costa Rican culture and observing how God is on the move there. It was the perfect trip! Then, this year we're headed to Dallas for another mission trip. I'm loving all the traveling, and I love working with students. Being a part of their formation in college is the highest privilege to me, and while it's not always easy, and while I definitely feel like a rookie 99% of the time, I find it to be some of the most meaningful work that I could do; it's work worth doing to me. 

This summer, Kyle and I spent time working and taking class. Kyle worked for a landscaping company in town before he started his job in Ark City, and I beast-moded my way through a full seminary course-load. Both of us couldn't wait for summer to be over. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't all that fun either. We came out on a high note, though -- extra $$ to help us finish paying off Kyle's student loan  (we're getting ready to make our last payments like now!!!!) and competency in Biblical Hebrew. Both journeys of diligence, but successful none-the-less. 

This Fall, though, has been the most fun! Kyle and I were invited to be a part of a supper club in August and we've been enjoying the intentionality of that community. There are four couples and we take turns hosting meals at our homes! It's a blast. We also enjoy playing games with our friends on weeknights. We were Catan addicts for awhile there. We love our Sunday School community and enjoy the way that it's challenged us to "believe, belong and become," and to explore what it means to be generous, and engage in mission. And finally, we enjoyed going on a trip to practically tour the Northeast during Thanksgiving Break! We had been saving our money for awhile in hopes of visiting one of our good friends, Lucas, at Yale Divinity School. Yale is in New Haven, Connecticut, which is geographically in the middle of New York City and Boston. We've always wanted to go to NYC, and visit Lucas, so it was a great opportunity to do all of the things.

Lucas was beyond kind to us and made a whole tour of the Northeast out of our trip. He took us everywhere and was the best guide! We toured New Haven and Yale University. Then, we took the train to NYC for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (so FUN!). We had New York bagels, toured the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, all the shops on 5th Ave., the World Trade Center Memorial, rode the subway, hailed a taxi, ate NYC Cheesecake -- man, you name it and we did it. I always thought that I'd love to visit the city in either late spring, or early summer, when it's nice out. Or, during the holidays, when everything is decorated. I am SO glad we visited during the holidays. It was magical and made me want to move right to the city! We also enjoyed roadtripping through Newport, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod. Then, we ended our time in Boston, touring the city. We enjoyed amazing food, friendship and rich conversations along the way. That trip was the highlight of our year, by far, I think. So fun. The older I get, the more of a desire I have to travel and see the world. Not to get all poetic on you, but every time that I come back home after a good trip, I am changed. There's something really beautiful about that to me and so Kyle and I try to make travel a priority in our life together.

Well, if you made it to the end of the Christmas letter, good for you. I know this has been a long update, but like I said earlier, I relish this moment each year to recap and thank God for the ways that he has been with us, worked through us and opened our eyes. May you and yours experience God's great love in this season of Advent; this season of quietly and patiently waiting for Christmas. And may you experience the richness that comes with the remembrance of Jesus' birth -- truly a reason for the weary world to rejoice, for the soul to feel its worth. 

-Kyle and Molly Just 

 

A Kentucky Derby Party with some of our Winfield friends who also spent a considerable amount of time in the South. This was SO fun! Hats, Red Roses in honor of American Pharoah, and Custard with Berries because I'm all about the food.

Discipleship Students and company in Costa Rica...this was the morning of our Rainforest Hike. Casual, right?

SC Students at the New Room Conference in Nashville, pictured here with President Tennent of Asbury Theological Seminary.

Supper Club. Woot woo! 

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC.

Touring Boston!

The most amazing cannoli in Boston's Little Italy. 

My favorite picture from our trip. We were standing under Lord and Taylor's holiday lights on 5th Ave., eating chestnuts that had been roasted over an open fire. I mean, seriously. Does it get more picturesque?

Discipleship 2015! Adore these folks. 

Christmas Letter 2014

2014. Two-thousand-fourteen. What.a.year...tra la la. My blog notes that I haven't written a blog since July-twenty-fourth-two-thousand-fourteen, but  the truth is, I've written a few blogs in-between and have left them unpublished. It's been awhile, but I went back tonight to re-read them. They're good. At the time that I wrote them, I think they felt too raw to share, but perhaps I will share them in the nearer future. I'm a word girl. You all know that. I experience God in w-o-r-d-s. So, here are a few words for you to recap the year! Consider this Kyle and Molly's digital Christmas letter that saves the earth.

In order to review two-thousand-fourteen, that would require me to begin somewhere and I'm not even sure where to begin. How about March? In March, I received a phone call that my *dream* job was coming open at Southwestern College in Kansas. To make a really long story short, I applied for the job, interviewed for it and was offered the position in June. Kyle and I said good-bye to our beloved Wilmore, Asbury Seminary and wonderful friends in July and moved  our booties back to Kansas. This was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. I'm tearing up like a baby even thinking about it now...not because I didn't know that we would leave Wilmore one day, but because we left Wilmore earlier than we had planned. I'm not done with seminary, folks (although I've slashed through an additional 15 hours since we talked last...PRAISE THE LORD ABOVE *insert praise emoticon here*). Kyle, while sad to leave, was rather ecstatic to return home. That part of our journey has been a blessing this year! It was difficult to leave Kentucky, but what made it easy to leave were the people back at home. We've spent just about all of our waking hours with family. I think we've seen our families more in the last few months than we have in the last two years. That's been really fun! We're grateful. Despite missing Kentucky, we're grateful for the boundaries of God's love that have led us back to Kansas. We feel very confident that this is the direction that God called us. Never have we doubted that. 

When we moved, Kyle was still job searching. It was hard for him to leave his job at The Providence School in Wilmore. He loved working there and he really loved his colleagues. Thankfully, right before school started here, Kyle found a job as a math tutor with the Intermediate School in town. He's been enjoying his job. Turns out that he does a smorgasbord of things, the man teaches art, practically runs chess club and then, oh yeah, he tutors students in math. His school has snow cones after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and he stays late to play dodge ball with the students on Fridays. Precious boy. He lays in bed every Thursday telling me he can't wait for dodge ball the next day. 

My job is going well at Southwestern! One of the things that I love is that I get to both pastor and teach. And my students, well, they're fantastic. I couldn't  have made them up! This past week, I had a meeting for ordination with my district committee on ministry and they asked me what I've learned so far this semester...I told them a lot of things, but one of my interviewers said it well when we were wrapping up, she noted: "It sounds like you're learning who Molly Just is in ministry." I think that's right. I'm learning who I am as a pastor and leader, but also as an image bearer of God that is called vocationally. That's been a good adventure. 

Other than work, Kyle and I have enjoyed adjusting to this different life. We've enjoyed getting to know people around the area and are grateful for connections we've made. Transition has the potential to be lonely, but God has provided wonderful friends in Winfield! We're grateful. We've enjoyed being back in the land of good Mexican food and we absolutely ADORE our house. I can't believe I haven't given you a virtual tour yet. I'll fix that today with some added photos. We've enjoyed having students in this space. It's PERFECT for such a need. Gosh, we've had some great times here already.

All in all, we're grateful for God's sweet, sweet Spirit that constantly leads and guides us...we know He guides you all, too. We pray blessings over you, dear reader, especially this Christmas season. May the true gift of the incarnation be realized in your life and heart (as Dr. Tennent has said in Asbury's alumni Christmas card). And I think that's a wrap for this year. For the past few years, as I've written Christmas letters, I've always wondered to myself, "Where will we be next year?" I never thought 2014 would lead us back to Kansas, but it has! So, I end this letter with wonder...where will we be next year? I'll look forward to answering that question again in a year, but until then, we look forward to the year ahead and trust that God is with us on this journey that we call life.

They were out of the "O Joy!" falalalala signs at Target. But you know what? Myquillin Smith says that "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." The nester against Joy Cho. I don't know who wins, but I saved $4. 

Somehow this fireplace managed to stay on my chalk board since last winter. That's both impressive and embarrassing. 

I figured out how to take a panorama with me in it. Skillz.

The house! Woodwork, be mine forever.

Christmas Cards!

Fifteen Pairs of Hands

Well, we made it to Kansas! Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as easy as clicking our red heels together and appearing in Winfield (an ongoing joke from our Kentucky friends especially), but I do have to say that things went VERY smoothly. One of the things that humbled and impressed me the most was the Church.

Let me tell you -- one of the greatest things about the Church universal is that no matter where you go, God's people will be there, somewhere. I am moved by this truth.

Our sweet friends in Kentucky had a surprise going away party for us on Thursday evening last week (was that seriously a week ago!?). So many of our dear friends came to hang out with us one last time and say goodbye. Before things wrapped up, many of them asked us what time they needed to be there to help us move. Additionally, our country church that previous Sunday asked us what time they needed to be there to help us move. We never had to really ask for help because the Church asked first and showed up ready to go. We packed at 7 AM on Saturday morning and we were not only finished packing everything at 9:30 AM, but we were also finished cleaning the house. We left Wilmore and were on the road to Kansas shortly before 10. As someone who has moved time and time again and has watched others move, 2 1/2 hours is amazing time to have everything done. But, then again, things happen almost as fast as clicking red heels when you have 15 pairs of hands!

We spent two days driving to Kansas and arrived on Sunday afternoon. Of course, the first thing we did was eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants here in Winfield -- El Maguey. Hashtag priorities. Then, we moved into our new-to-us bungalow! While we had 15 hands to help us move on the "going" end, we had just as many, if not more on the receiving end. Again, God's Church showed up and even asked us how they could help before we even had to ask them. The move went quick, quick, quick. What a blessing.

John Wesley wrote a phenomenal sermon called "Of the Church" that I read for a class prior to moving. His words have shaped me, especially as we've moved and have been on the receiving end of the Church's love and grace several times during this last month. Wesley notes about the Church:

"How much do we almost continually hear about the Church! With many it is matter of daily conversation. And yet how few understand what they talk of! How few know what the term means! A more ambiguous word than this, the Church, is scarce to be found in the English language. It is sometimes taken for a building, set apart for public worship: sometimes for a congregation, or body of people, united together in the service of God. It is only in the latter sense that it is taken in the ensuing discourse..."

Wesley goes on to talk about how the church is where two or three are gathered together (Matthew 18:20) or how Philemon's household was considered to be a church. For Wesley, the Church is a body that is vocationally called to the services of God. Surely, then, 15 pairs of hands and hearts that arrive at 7 AM on a Saturday morning are the Church! And 15 hands that spend their Sunday afternoon unloading a moving truck are the Church!

I think I will let that speak for itself. All I can say to God and the Church is "thank you;" what happened on Saturday and Sunday should be an expectation for anyone that moves! This is a beautiful example of how the healthy Church should function at all times. Of course, life isn't all about the Church helping people move (unless you're at Asbury Seminary!), but the Church is about helping people period. There's a special type of hospitality in our world that can only be given by the Church and the Spirit. Thank you, Church and Spirit, for giving us that hospitality in abundance these last two weeks. From Kentucky to Kansas, God's Church is alive and well. I learned this through at least fifteen pairs of hands. Amen.

Some of our hands on the Kentucky end! Thanks Isaac Chua for photos of this amazing adventure.

Moving always means leaving people that you love a lot! Lauren and Michelle -- two gems I met at Asbury.

Our new bungalow! Isn't it cute?

The Dads ready to go and pretty proud that absolutely nothing shifted in the trailer during our 13 hour trip. Awesome or what?

How much do we almost continually hear about the Church! With many it is matter of daily conversation. And yet how few understand what they talk of! How few know what the term means! A more ambiguous word than this, the Church, is scarce to be found in the English language. It is sometimes taken for a building, set apart for public worship: sometimes for a congregation, or body of people, united together in the service of God. It is only in the latter sense that it is taken in the ensuing discourse. - See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-74-Of-the-Church#sthash.gEBD4cRb.dpuf

How much do we almost continually hear about the Church! With many it is matter of daily conversation. And yet how few understand what they talk of! How few know what the term means! A more ambiguous word than this, the Church, is scarce to be found in the English language. It is sometimes taken for a building, set apart for public worship: sometimes for a congregation, or body of people, united together in the service of God. It is only in the latter sense that it is taken in the ensuing discourse. - See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-74-Of-the-Church#sthash.gEBD4cRb.dpuf

5 Things

I thought a blog was due before we leave the great state of Kentucky.

We're currently packing our house. Let me just say a few things about this. First, this is the sixth, yes sixth, summer in a row that we have moved. Second, my idea of eternal damnation is packing, moving and unpacking on repeat. Third, once we began packing, my sad feelings about leaving Kentucky were extremely fleeting. Now, I'm begging to be back in Kansas! The disruption, the mess, the chaos. It's not for me. Get me outta here (my house, that is)!

 Now, I have to give a shout-out to our awesome parents who are coming to Kentucky to help us move. Kyle and I were about to rent a moving truck when my dad told me "No!" he is going to bring a trailer from the farm to move us because his truck gets at least 14/15 mpg pulling a trailer while moving trucks get like 2 mpg. Oh my gosh. Can I just say that I love my dad? This is what my whole life has been like. Farmer man to the rescue. I love it. On the flip side, both of our parents ask us if we're packing every time we talk. And they both have told us that we better have everything packed when they arrive. This is when I became convinced that everyone must agree that packing/moving is a source of eternal damnation. No one wants to do it. And you only help people move because you either love them or they're giving you free pizza. Or, often times, both. I guess I will just use this blog to publicly assure our parents that I don't expect them to help us with the packing -- just the loading, driving and unpacking ;). Seriously, though, we're really happy our parents get along so well and are coming to Kentucky, together, to help us move. We're so grateful for such awesome people. While many members of our family made it out to visit us while we were here, for our parents, this visit is a little too soon. The last time 3/4 of them were here is when they moved us out here! Sorry, for that. We're feeling the moving love, though.

As we plan to move cross country, can I say that for me the equivalent to having children is having plants? Moving plants. What a chore! You take them with you because you love them, even though they're so fussy. You can't leave them in a hot car, their sun/watering/temperature schedule gets wonky and they get to looking pretty beat up after a couple of days. Is this what having children is like? At least plants can't ask the never-ending question of "Are we there yet?" But, I love these plants and they're DEFINITELY coming with. So, I better just get over it now. I'm just kidding about kids by the way. I can't wait to have perfect, squishy babies.

Now, onto the main purpose of this blog. What an experience Kentucky has been! I am convinced that everyone needs to live out of their home-state and culture at least once in their lifetime. Kentucky is very different than Kansas, y'all. Now that we're moving back, I honestly feel like I am a Kentuckian moving to Kansas rather than a Kansan moving back to Kansas. Of course, I've always been a Kansan at heart, but here are five things that I am going to miss about Kentucky (besides the seminary, duh):

1. The appreciation for wine, bourbon and food that they have around here. Now, I'm not really into the whole bourbon scene, but I love the state pride that comes with producing your own wine and bourbon. Not to mention...bourbon balls. Little chocolate truffles that you might jump off a bridge for. Eating cheese/drinking wine, pairing beer with food...it's what people do on Friday nights around here. Whole Foods has an entire shenanigan dedicated to this type of thing on Fridays. I'm in love with it. I've gained such an appreciation for creating drinks, growing food and thinking about the ethics of it all.

2. Trader Joe's, Meijer, Aldi, the Farmer's Market. I turned into a real grocery snob here. I'm not sure I can recover when I move back to Winfield. I'll go down fighting, I just know it.

3. Horses, Derby things, fences, white rocking chairs on every porch, and amazing southern homes. The scenery! Don't make me go.

4. Our church. I'm weeping now.

5. All of the towns that we're near -- Cincinnati, Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, etc. 

Life in Kentucky is incredibly fun! So different and sweet. I'm SO glad so many of our friends and family were able to visit us while we were here.

To be fair, here are five things that I am looking forward to upon our return to Kansas (besides being close to family/friends):

1. El Maguey, College Hill Coffee, Neives and legit Mexican cuisine, in general.

2. The Leoti Fair. Magical.

3.  Visiting the farm more often. (Did I tell you that Kyle and I have been talking about exploring the possibility of having chickens when live in our own house in Kansas someday?)

4. Seeing Southwestern/Winfield in the Fall.

5. Watching the sun set.

Please pray for us as we make this transition. Also, please pray that the Lord will lead Kyle to the perfect job. Other than that, we will talk to y'all on the flip side.

BIG NEWS

I can't believe I am writing this blog. So much has happened over the past few months and I am incredibly excited and honored to update all of you. How do I say it!? Well, I'll just say it! I've accepted a position at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas as the Director of the service learning organization, Discipleship Southwestern. Give me a minute.

WOWOWOWOWOWOWWOWOWOWOWOWWWWWWW

I still can't believe it. As many of you will remember, Kyle and I were both a part of the Discipleship program when we were students at Southwestern. This ministry shaped my life and my calling in an incredible way. It was there that I met Rev. Ashlee Alley, the current Discipleship Director and Campus Minister. Ashlee identified gifts within me and encouraged me to think about a vocation in ministry. Long story short, I entered Southwestern as an elementary education major and graduated as a religion and philosophy major.

Then, when the job position for Director of Discipleship Southwestern came open, Ashlee was the first to let me know about it.

I tell you all these stories about Ashlee Alley because the Lord has worked through her to get me to where I am today! And, this is not just my story. This is the story of many other students who have been impacted by her and campus ministry at Southwestern.

I am convinced that college is one of the most important times in any student's life. It is most often the place that calling, vocation and character intersect. Students learn who they are, process where they've come from and decide where they want to go in the future, all while they're in college. There's an abundance of things going on in a collegiate student's life. And, often times, the decisions students make in college will affect the trajectory of their lives! It's an important time. To me, there is no better time to invest in students. College students are curious, transparent, waiting to be molded. How incredibly exciting to be a part of that. That's what I get to do, people. It's my dream job. It's the job I've prayed for since I was in college. I'm not kidding, I have journals full of prayers asking God to prepare a place for me at Southwestern to serve in ministry someday. 

So, the good news is: we are moving back to Kansas for my dream job.
The bad news is: we are moving back to Kansas for my dream job.

We are incredibly sad to leave Asbury. I'm not sure if I can communicate our level of sadness. The moment I said yes to the dean on the phone, a part of my heart sank. This is bittersweet. I can't imagine leaving Asbury early. It wasn't in our five year plan and we love it here. I have a theory that it takes at least two years to be fully settled in a place. The first year is all new -- you're experiencing things for the first time and getting into a rhythm of life. The second year, normalcy sets it and by the end of the second year, you feel like you're really "home." Here we are, at the end of our second year in Wilmore and that's how I feel. There is no doubt about it, we are leaving our home. We are leaving people we love and will remember forever. We are leaving a church we LOVE. I will have to finish seminary online. We are leaving the South and all of the features of Southern hospitality that are embedded in our community. We're leaving it! All of it! But, last night, I had a thought: I was glad that I was so sad. It means that this community, this place -- Asbury Theological Seminary, has been incredible to us. We leave it honored that we were able to be here for two short years. And we know that we leave ATS totally changed. Praise God for that!! This has been an amazing place to nurture our marriage and our life over the past two years. So, I keep telling myself, that we will be back, because my unfinished degree requires trips to campus. We will see people again. And you know what, I think heaven must be somewhat like seminary and especially Kalas Village (where we live). I learned to like tea here because it meant getting to know people. I will carry it back with me to all my Kansas folks.

Second to last of all, I must brag on Kyle. Somehow I convinced him to marry me and move everywhere with me, sacrificing career opportunities along the way. He's incredible. I couldn't do this without his support. Really, we couldn't be married and in ministry if he didn't support me like he does. So, pray with me that Kyle finds a PE job as we move back to Kansas. He wants it and I want it for him. He's pretty stoked about returning to Kansas, by the way. I think he's really happy to be going home. He's forever a part of my ministry. I know he will be the first one out there playing ultimate frisbee with my D-ship students one day soon. That's a true blessing. He loves students as much as I do.

Last of all, I must thank all of those who have supported us on this journey. To our families and friends in Kansas, thank you for all the love and support. To our friends here at seminary and Mt. Zion, our church family, who have both been on this journey with us since we found out about the job early this spring -- thank you so much for praying with us and being excited for us. You were some of the first ones we were able to share our news with! We'll always remember your support and your excitement! We know our path will cross with many of yours in the future and we're SO excited about that. The seminary experience is so fleeting -- people are coming and going all the time and things are constantly changing. However, one thing remains and that is Christ. We are one in him and through him. I look forward to spending eternity with all of you and I mean that very seriously.

Ok, I have to stop rambling. I would love to end this exciting announcement with a picture of what my new job will look like. These are from when I was a student in the Discipleship program. I can't wait to create more memories like this.
 

My covenant group, "Imago Dei!"

The entire Discipleship team.

Sweet Southern Spring

My second year of seminary is officially over! I am so excited. This semester was very fun, but seminary can be exhausting. I learned so much and when the end of May rolled around, I was glad to finish out strong. In addition to normal life, Kyle and I had such a fun spring doing things around Kentucky! We had an incredibly long winter, so when spring arrived in mid-April, we were stoked. Kyle and I saved up our Christmas money and decided to go on a weekend getaway for his birthday in the Smokies. We went to stay at a B&B, Blue Mountain Mist, in Sieverville, TN. It was so beautiful! We enjoyed roaming around Cade's Cove, shopping and eating some delicious food. Our B&B was also very sweet. The family that owns it is a Christian family so they led us in prayer before breakfast and prayed over us as we traveled. They also made late night desserts and sweet tea for us! We enjoyed cake, cobbler and tea on the patio each evening. All in all, it was great to travel and see Tennessee and Smoky Mountain National Park.

The weekend after our Tennessee trip was Holy Week and we went on a Good Friday retreat with our Church out at Aldersgate Camp, a couple hours away from Wilmore. We had a wonderful time of reflection and fellowship. We also enjoyed hiking up to a cave. We wandered through the cave for a short while until we ran into cave crickets that looked like spiders! There were also bats! It was a fun experience and the weather was perfect.

In late April, I enjoyed going to Keeneland with my friend, Jenny. We dressed up and watched 10 horse races. We didn't do any betting, but we enjoyed the atmosphere. Going to the races is the one experience that made me feel like a authentic Kentuckian! People were all dressed up -- hats included and the horses were beautiful. Going to Keeneland was a blast. It's beautiful. Most would agree it's more beautiful than Churchill Downs. Also, during Derby Weekend we attended a small Derby get together and Kyle made a famous Kentucky Derby Pie. It was delicious -- so delicious that I took the leftovers with us to church because I could have eaten the rest by myself.

Another fun activity we did at the end of April was attend the Highbridge Film Festival at Asbury University. Random fact: Asbury University has one of the best film schools in the nation. Their students go to the Olympics to film every couple of years! How neat. Also, many of their alums have been involved in producing various well-known films. They have movie posters in their Media Communications building, all representative of films that alumni have been a part of in some way or another. Secretariat is one film that AU alums helped produce and film (imagine that) :). So, because they have such a great film program, every year they host a film festival where students show off their work in short films/animations. All the students dress up and attend, along with community members. Going to the festival was incredibly fun, partly because I was amazed at how awesome their films were! They were fantastic -- such great quality. I don't even know how to run a video camera, so to see students put together films that are equivalent to Disney "shorts" is pretty incredible. Plus the evening was complete with an after party and free Chick-fil-a. I mean really, they had me at "film festival" but free "Chick-fil-a" stole my heart.

Outside of Wilmore, in a small town called Nonesuch, there is a fancy Antique store called "Irish Acres." In the bottom of the store is a spiffy lunch restaurant called "The Glitz." All of the food is made in house, fresh, everyday. The experience includes a homemade "Spritzer," an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The menu contains two/three different options for each course and changes every couple of weeks. Kyle and I went with our sweet Kansas friends, Aaron and Rene. The atmosphere and the menu were fantastic. I had stuffed new potatoes for my appetizer, chicken salad on a croissant with spinach/strawberry and almond salad (the strawberry dressing was to die for), and the "Nonesuch Kiss" for dessert -- chocolate/coffee type ice cream with cream, a cherry, and hot fudge all on top of a meringue. Delicious! Also, our awesome waitress let us try the carrot/ginger soup. Again, a home run. I'm so glad Aaron and Rene took us to this fun place.  We had a great day with them.

We had such a great Spring at Asbury and really enjoyed a little bit of what Kentucky has to offer! The only sad part is Jenny left to move back to Mississippi. I was excited for her, but sad to see her go. We ate breakfast at a Coffee Pub that we had been wanting to go to. It was so cute. And that's a wrap for the Spring.

Baking Sunday: French Macarons filled with Raspberry and White Chocolate Ganache

Jenny and I decided to make French Macarons this past Baking Sunday. Macarons are notorious for being tricky and complex. We had a real adventure! Jenny studied abroad in France while she was in college so she found legitimate recipes (one for the meringue shell and one for the ganache) online because you can't make macarons the American way! No butter allowed. Our first batch of meringues turned out okay, but they were sticky and we couldn't figure out if they had baked long enough. The second time around proved a whole lot more successful. We lightly greased the pan, which was actually really helpful and I turned the oven down to 300F instead of 275F as the recipe called.

In addition to being tricky in general, macarons require you to pay attention to detail. We used the food processor to make our own almond meal and Jenny strained it through a mesh sieve twice. It's important for the almond meal to be very fine. I also learned that when you're making the sugar syrup, you cannot stir it or touch it with a spoon once it has boiled. Stirring it allows oxygen in, and in turn makes the mixture solidify. I was in charge of the sugar syrup and did that! Oh jeez. I learned a baking lesson the hard way and had to re-make the sugar syrup. I told Jenny when we were baking that macarons wouldn't be fun to make alone! I think our total baking time (we made two batches) ended up being 3 1/2 hours or so. But the little jewels were well worth the effort and it was a lot of fun. Our second batch wasn't too shabby! Plus, the raspberry/white chocolate ganache is to die for. And now we can say that we've made macarons. Ladies and gents, our baking has ascended to a new skill level and that's a good thing, too, because the semester is almost over and Jenny is going home! What am I going to do without her? I told her we will have to have Skype Baking Sundays. Otherwise, I'm trying not to think about her going back to Mississippi :(.

I know it seems silly, but Baking Sunday has been one of best ways that I've experienced God! It's been so fun to anticipate fellowship each week and create. Baking Sunday often reaches farther than Sunday, too. It enabled me to make a GREAT friend (Jenny), have some really fun and meaningful conversations along the way, and to share our baking goodies with others in the Asbury community. My bosses at work benefit the most ;). Baking Sunday has truly been nurturing for my soul. What a wonderful sabbath activity it has been. 

Besides what I listed above, I have no extra critiques about the macarons. I am just going to leave you with links to the original recipes that we used. They worked out pretty well for us. Enjoy!

 - Recipe for the meringues here
 - Recipe for the raspberry ganache here

Bon appétit my fellow Sunday bakers!