Reason for Recent Weather

With all of the recent floods and tornadoes, the news has been (understandably) filled with stories and pictures.  Seeing all of that, Hannah has been asking a LOT of questions about Katrina.  She was 21 months when Katrina hit.  Last night at dinner, she started asking more questions. Most of the questions revolved around whether or not there was mud in the peoples' homes.  And then she asked, why it all has happened.  Did God know that it was going to happen?  If so, why did He allow it happen.  Daniel said, "After Katrina, we were at Walmart.  We were walking out of the store when Dad called to tell Mom that our house flooded. She sat down and cried."  He remembered!  He had just turned 4.  I was amazed.

Then Wayne, full of wisdom through the Holy Spirit, said, "Hannah, I believe that all of this is happening to get Christian up and about His business.  Just like Katrina, and now with the floods and tornadoes.  The church is mobilizing.  There are lots of people who need God right now.  They need to know that He sees them in their time of hurt and loss.  They need to feel loved and cared for.  The Christians who go and help in other's times of need show how great and wonderful God is.  Many Christians have been praying for the people of the United States to love God again.  Maybe it will happen.  But only if we do our part.  Only if we do what we need to do which is being about God's business."

What a wonderful dinner conversation!  I pray that we will be about God's business.

Sweet Hannah

Hannah begged me last night before bed to wake her up and let her run with me.  I told her that it would be early, and she didn't care.  I woke up at about 5:45 and got dressed.  Then I went and woke her up.  She, sleepily, got up and got dressed.  (She enjoys sleeping in.)  We stretched and headed out.  About 1/2 through the lap, she stopped.  I turned around, she smiled, and started running again.  "What were you doing??" I asked. She said, "I'm sorry, Mom.  I saw a rabbit and just had to name it."  Her name is Bunzy.

Orange Mousse Cake

I figured that I would post the recipe for my last cake and assembly instructions.  I have had a lot of interest in it.

1. Make Orange Curd
2 1/3 cups of sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1 cup of orange juice
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
 3/4 cup butter

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a heavy sauce pan.  Slowly add orange juice, whisking until cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks.  Then add the butter. Stir (with a wooden spoon) over a medium heat until it boils and thickens.  It takes about 12 minutes.  Chill at least 6 hours.

2.Orange Cake
Box of Lemon Cake Mix
5 eggs
1/2 cup of Orange Juice
1 1/2 cup of oil
1 box of orange jello
Grease 2 cookie sheets and cook at 350.  Then cool for at least 4 hours.

3. Orange Mousse
1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup of cold water
1 cup heavy cream
1 pkg of cream cheese
1 can of orange juice concentrate
3/4 cup of confectioners sugar

Heat the heavy cream to boiling, then remove from heat. The rest will be done in a blender, add cold water and gelatin and let sit for one minute.  Then add heavy cream and blend for 2 minutes.  Add cream cheese, juice concentrate, and confectioners sugar. Mix until blended and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


4.Whipped cream
4 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 cup of confectioners sugar

Use a mixer until it has soft peaks.  Add sugar and mix again until it has firm peaks.

Build on a larger cookie sheet.
1. Place one cake onto the cookie sheet.  Option-poke small holes into cake and add a small amounts of orange juice.
2. Pipe Whipped cream around the edge of cake.
3. Add orange mousse to the edge of the whipped cream
4. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow mousse to set up a little
4. Add 2nd cake on top of mousse.  (Orange juice and be injected into this layer also)
5. Pipe whipped cream around edge of cake
6. Add Mousse and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (Until the mousse is firm)
7. Add whipped cream to the side if desired
8. Add curd to the top of cake before serving.

                                                            First Complete Layer

                                                      Both Layers Complete with Curd

I decided to put whipped cream around the edge at the last minute to dress it up some.  As stated in the list, next time I do this I will add the whipped cream then the curd.

This is REALLY time consuming, but it is SO worth it.  It is a very tart dessert.  

My Little Man

I have suspected for a while that Gabe has needed to be referred for testing on the Autism spectrum.  Today, we went to the pediatrician.  I told him some of my concerns and some of the similarities between he and Daniel.  And agreed together on how we need to pursue this.

I am so blessed to have a pediatric group that is so dedicated to my babies.  Both doctors check on them after we take them in for visits.  They either call or go out of their way to find us at church.

I want to thank all of you who are praying for us.  This will take some time. And I will try to keep everyone updated.  I have peace in the fact that we have been through this before, that his development didn't stall, and that God must have a lot of confidence in me.