Our New Little Sweet Pea! An Angel!

Getting things accomplished isn't nearly as important as taking time for love.             ~Janette Oke 


Our first little grandbaby, a precious little grandson has made his arrival!  What a precious little angel...

 

Our daughter, Zuzu with her first baby, our first grandchild.  Such a precious little baby!  Our son in love, Tommy (proud daddy) took the photo.   Baby is such a sweet, sweet little baby, he smiles and coos when he sleeps, I say he sees angels...



The last month has been a month full of turny-twisty days, phone by my side waiting on the phone call, several days of calls and checks and texts and waiting, during the day, the middle of the night... But great thankfulness to God for a safe delivery and healthy, healthy little baby!




Not every day of our lives is overflowing with joy and celebration.  But there are moments when our hearts nearly burst within us for the sheer joy of being alive.  The first sight of our newborn babies, the warmth of love in another's eyes, the fresh scent of rain on a hot summer's eve---moments like these renew in us a heartfelt appreciation for life.    ~Gwen Ellis


The birds are singing and trees are blooming....


Jem and I took a little day trip the other day...So fun.  A day to unwind...


We do not need to search for heaven, over here or over there, in order to find our eternal Father.In fact, we do not even need to speak out loud, for through we speak in the smallest whisper or the most fleeting thought, He is close enough to hear us.    ~Teresa of Avila


The Lord...is close to all who call on Him sincerely.    Psalm 145:17-18


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I was wondering what I could do to bless friends who read here, so I thought maybe one of my personal recipes?  Would you like one of my recipes?  It's a nice cozy one to serve any time of the year!

This makes a nice light, soup type of pasta dish - bowl.  My Grandma and Grandpa Oddo would have loved this...You could serve this dish (bowl) with a crusty bread and a green salad.  Many evenings I simply serve this dish with some good fresh, crisp crackers from the pantry.  Jem loves Italian cheese sprinkled over the top.  My grandparents would have too...  My grandma was from Naples, Italy.  My grandpa was from Bisaquino, Sicily. 



Amelia's Heartwarming Pasta Bowl

Ingredients:

1 16 oz.bag of frozen asparagus spears, our store has the asparagus tips cut into small pieces.

1 16 oz. bag of frozen spinach

3 - 4 cloves of garlic sliced.

1 jar of pasta gravy. I use tomato basil flavor, the store brand with no more then 3 grams of sugar  per serving. (Important!)   Many brands have far too much sugar and my Grandpa Oddo would have thrown it out the window!  lol  The Oddo family did not do sweet pasta gravy.  I sometimes can't believe what gets passed over as authentic. (Not quite sure what part of Italy some came from!)  Ha! 

Olive oil

1 Tablespoons dried basil

A small pinch of dried red pepper

Sprinkle of garlic powder

1 cube of 'Not-Chick'n Cubes',  I buy these from Vitacost. These cubes really fill out many a soup.

1 bag or box of pasta, I use gluten free spaghetti, (I break mine in half like my grandma did).


Here we go:

Saute garlic on low in a generous amount of olive oil, only until fragrant.  If it browns the flavor changes and tends to be bitter.  So don't do that!  My grandma would shake her head at you! 

Pour the jar of pasta gravy in with another jar filled with water.  Bring to boil, pour in bag of spinach and asparagus.  Add dried basil and that very small pinch of dried red pepper, garlic powder along with the veggie bouillon cube. When your veggies are done you can serve ladled over pasta.

Serve the soup over cooked pasta in a soup bowl and you will say...  Bravissimo!

This makes a nice size 4 quart pot of soup. 


Possible add-ins:  You may add a can of Bush's butter beans drained and rinsed if you like.  You may also substitute artichoke hearts for the asparagus and even add rinsed black olives.


How much of our lives are...well...so daily.  How often our hours are filled with the mundane, seemingly unimportant things that have to be done, whether at home or work.  These very "daily" tasks could become a celebration of praise.  "It is through consecration," someone has said, "that drudgery is made divine." 

~Gigi Graham Tchividjian

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I'll close with this most beautiful, beautiful song by Andrea Bocelli and his son...Fall on Me.
Appropriate yes?  Yes.


Did you know Andrea Bocelli is a prolife advocate?  I think this song is just beautiful...A father-son duet.  At Christmas tbn produced a beautiful Christmas special in the Bocelli home in italy. I do believe it was one of our favorite Christmas specials.  PBS is running a Bocelli special and it is just breathtaking.

Enjoy...




Edit. 3.5.19   As I listen to this song, I think of the Father and how we, his children can fall on Him.  Andrea Bocelli's care for his son is very similar to our relationship with our Father in Heaven, a very personal one.  His son Matteo also has such a sweet and ongoing response to his father.  We too can walk with our Father and talk with Him...  



What constitutes Success?  She has achieved success who has lived well; laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent people and the love of little children; who has filled her niche and accomplished her task; who has left the world better than she found it;...who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty, or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given the best she had.     ~Bessie Stanley




God's blessings to All,       ~Amelia