Tomato Pasta

The newest challenge is to learn how to cook vegan. The stir-fry with tofu did not go over well today. This is recipe we all like:

Tomato Pasta

3 T. sun dried tomato
2 cloves garlic
1 small bunch kale
1/3 c. olive oil
2 T. hot pasta water
salt/pepper
2 t. lemon juice
12 oz. pasta
1 t. thyme

Boil pasta with garlic and salt. In the last few minutes add kale chopped well. Drain pasta and kale saving 2 T. water. Butter casserole dish. Stir in pasta and other ingredients. Serve.

My Three Grandmothers

Pictured first is Mary Daniel with my grandfather Charlie Daniel and 3 of their sons. Mary is the only grandmother I met in person. Since she lived in Georgia and we lived in Texas the visits were rare. Mary Graf, shown above holding my sister, died before I was born and Mattie Daniel shown with her husband Charlie died when I was 11. The three women have stayed alive in my memory by pictures, stories from those who knew them and letters they have written. I have felt most close to my Grandmother Graf. I always felt her presence at my grandfather's house where we went atleast once a month growing up.

Mary Graf was a first born child. She was a leader, active in her church, taught her children scripture and always looked out for others. I have felt her presence my entire life by reading stories written by her sisters and brothers, and from stories my mother would tell. I remember getting together with my Uncle Charles before my grandfather's funeral and all the stories that were told of both my grandmother and grandfather. There was a lot of love and I feel that still today.

Mattie Daniel was a little more of a mystery. My Uncle Gary tells me he knew her as a wonderful woman. I have talked through email with several of her cousins, aunts, and uncles. Just like my Grandmother Graf, my grandmother Daniel is alive to me through the pictures I have seen of her.

I knew my grandfather's second wife better, Mary Daniel. I corresponded with Mary Daniel through letter writing from elementary school until her death in 1998 and met her several times. Mary Daniel was a sweet, happy person that I enjoyed being around.

All of these ladies have influenced my life even though they were never able to attend a single function of my childhood. I've always felt part of something bigger. In Max Lucado's book Outlive your Life, he begins with a fable. The moral of the fable is to live your life so that you make a mark that does not end when you die. The three grandmothers I have did just that. They outlived their lives.

Precious Gifts from our children

What parent doesn't like to see their children get along? When a second child is born, you want to see the older children enjoy or atleast tolerate the new child entering their life. As time progresses and you see them bond it is even more rewarding.

I can remember Justin and Chelsea behind the couch putting on a puppet show by lifting the puppet above the couch. Justin and Chelsea had many games they enjoyed together. They each had separate interest but they could and would often play together. Then Jacob was born. He was king. Chelsea thought he was the best gift God could have given her. Jacob lovingly called her Gecky. Justin also loved it when Jacob was born. He carried him everywhere, swung him on the swing and put things inside his shirt that Jacob would instantly fish out.

The past few weeks Paul and I have both watched Justin and Chelsea in conversation. We can see the love between them and it feels so good. You want them to get along as children but when they get along as adults, you have received a precious gift.

Angie Collier has been blogging about eating vegan, raising teenagers, memories of childhood, family medical problems (hospice care, cancer, knee replacement surgery) and my children's childhood since 2009.

http://angie-fromthecomputer.blogspot.com/

Christmas 2010

In my little corner of the world it is as if we had the blessed miracle with all the wonder and happiness of the savior being born. I am exaggerating, of course, but did have a very good Christmas.

I've been impressed before that my children can show a maturity that gives me reason to admire their thoughts and ideas, but this day they didn't put themselves first but instead looked to the needs of others.

Justin, Jacob and Chelsea helped cook Christmas dinner. They didn't get distracted by movies or anything else going on, but purely helped. Jacob iced some cookies, Chelsea cooked the mashed potatoes, and asparagus, Justin put things in the oven, got them out and was there for everything I needed.

I love my children through good and bad. I like it when it's good.

8 weeks after knee replacement surgery

It's time to get up and go to an activity I said that I would attend. It's hard. I still feel sick from the surgery. I would never go anywhere in this condition before, but after 8 weeks of feeling bad you know you have to get on with life.

My main problem (and there are many small ones) is that the leg is heavy, tight, hard to bend or straighten, hard to walk on. This makes it difficult to distract myself from thinking about the leg.

I have been successful keeping myself busy. I get a chair to do housework such as clothes, dishes, cooking... I have been scrapbooking, making Christmas presents, writing letters, reading, doing Sudoku... but my spirits wain. Going to church has helped, and spending small amounts of time at the school has helped. Keeping busy has got to be the best way to get out of any restrictive situation-whether surgery, depression, loss of job, etc...

My family stay positive. I have an excellent support system. I think I need to spend some time not thinking about how difficult life has become.

I've heard Dr. Phil say that "it could be worse." In the position I'm in now, that isn't the least bit helpful. Maybe at some point in my life the words could have been encouraging. Things can always get worse. Right now I just want to start getting better. The only solution seems to be keeping my mind busy with activity.

Eight weeks after knee replacement surgery, staying busy and trying to remain positive.

Banana Pumpkin Muffins

My son Jacob has allergies toward beef and chicken. By 3rd grade he had decided as a personal decision he would become a vegetarian. He's now in 9th grade and is even more passionate about his decisions with food, cleaning products, etc...that involve the (harmful) use of animals. My personal opinion is that he loves and cares strongly for the well being of animals which has driven first his decision to be a vegetarian and now a vegan.

Several weeks ago a friend brought by a recipe for Jacob for vegan choc. pudding. It was very good! My husband Paul made Jacob Vegan Chocolate Chip cookies and then my mom made him blueberry muffins and apple muffins.

When he went Vegan I thought his ability to eat baked goods were gone. There are very few breads he would eat, he doesn't eat cheese, eggs, milk, etc... But not to be outdone by the loving people around me that are helping Jacob with Vegan recipes, I too came up with one after several tries. I really like this one. I used a banana in place of 2 eggs and soy milk instead of regular milk.

Banana Pumpkin Muffins

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/3 c. margarin
1 c. sugar
1 medium banana
1 c. mashed, cooked, or canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
3/4 c. soy milk

Scoop 1/4 c. mixture into muffin tins.

I have more coming soon.

Surgery

I entered the knee replacement surgery knowing it would be difficult and painful but with the heart that wanted to be mobile so that I could keep up with my family. I have had surprises. I've been much more emotional than I thought I would be and have cried more in the last 7 weeks than in the last 7 years.

When I woke up from surgery, I was in much, much less pain than I thought I would be. I didn't realize how long it would take my leg to wake up. I had very little ability to move my leg and to this day still need to pick it up and move it at times.

In the hospital and afterward, Paul, the kids, friends, family, students, parents, etc... have shown me how much I am loved. From Scott and Mom driving to San Antonio, cards made from the CHS elementary student body, well wishes from friends, and food from friends, I have been overwhelmed. I feel God is showing me that I have love in my life that I have never fathomed.

In the 2nd and 3rd week I felt more swelling and more nerve pain. I was needing to take pain medication every 4 hours. As the weeks have continued it has turned into more of an annoyance that my knee doesn't bend or straighten like it did before surgery. I am very restricted in my movement. My knee is still healing in the inside. I still need pain reliever, but not as much as before.

The worst was when I was told first by the physical therapist and then by the doctor that I would never have full mobility. Every time I thought those words for 2 weeks, I cried. I wanted to work harder at physical therapy and I prayed diligently that I would have the mobility that I went to surgery to obtain.

From the day of surgery I have done everything I have been told. If I was told to do an exercise twice a day, I would do it 4 times. Somehow I was wronged by not getting the results I felt I deserved. I want to stop the resentment, continue to work and get as much mobility as possible.

It has only been 7 weeks. At times I have no discomfort. I have made progress. I am so glad that I can now alternate legs going up and down stairs, I am proud that I can lift my leg high enough to go over the side of the bathtub and can take a bath instead of sitting in a chair in the shower, I am so glad I can bend my leg enough to comfortably get in the car.

My hope for the future is to be able to straighten my leg enough so that I don't always put the weight on my arthritic knee. I want to get through the pain and increase the length that I can walk comfortably so that I do not restrict the plans of my family, because of my inability to walk.

I pray I can bend my knee more so that I can cross my legs, put on my socks and shoes, and do the things I need to do to be a young, strong 45 year old woman.