On God's green earth

I am so excited to post an update on our little growing garden! Things are sprouting and popping up out of nowhere, especially since we have been having so much rain, tomatoes and onions love water! Chas and I were a bit skeptical, we admit, when planting our garden only because it was our first time trying it out and we just weren't sure if anything was really going to grow. But, so far this little box of dirt and goodness has exceeded our expectations, and we feel so blessed to be able to grow our own garden in the beauty of God's green earth.

Here's a little peek at how nicely the plants are growing so far....


Our strawberries are growing, but we are going to have to put something around them to keep the birds off the middle of those sweet, tasty little things. They peck out the innards and leave us with the top and bottom of the fruit, not nice!


Chas is VERY excited that our jalapeno plant is growing our first ever little green pepper. He likes the hot stuff, I will stick to the strawberries and tomatoes.


Speaking of tomatoes, check these little bad boys out! We have two little 'maters growing so far, can't wait to sink my teeth into one of these juicy boys when they are good and ripe.

The tops of our potato plants are pretty huge, about up to my knee......let's just hope there are some nice potatoes growing under that soil...it will be fun to dig these ones up and get nice and dirty in the fall!

And there you have it! We can't wait to show you more pictures later as our little garden continues to grow :)

In a month's time

Hello friends! (and people to happen to stumble upon these ramblings)

It's been exactly a month since my last blog post, so you know what that means....time for an update!

I can't say I haven't posted for a while because I was too busy, but also not because I didn't have anything to write about. Lots has been happening and will be happening this up and coming summer, including some very exciting and fun shows that Cheatwood will be performing for, so cool! Let's just hope this rainy weather clears up since a lot of the shows coming up will be outdoors.

Here is a listed update of some of recent happenings and things to come (gotta love the lists people :)

- Chas decided to recruit me to sing harmonies with Cheatwood a couple of months ago, so now whenever they gig, I gig. So that means more shows this summer. We will be heading up to Idaho Falls this coming weekend for a show with just the trio (Chas, Kelli J. and me). Next up will be the Ogden Arts Festival, a few weddings, some Sunday gigs on the patio at Wolf Creek Clubhouse, and some other smaller shows including at Huntsville BBQ and Savannah BBQ. One of the ones that we are all especially looking forward to is opening for a pretty big show put on by a lady named Anna Wilson. She travels with a full band, including a horn section and the works, and it will also include the sax player from the Dave Matthews Band......so essentially wheat this means is, there is a chance that Cheatwood would get to do a couple of songs with him, that would be amazing. We are still working out the details, but that concert is set for July 23rd. We will also be playing our usual at the Antelope Island Balloon and Kite Stampede over Labor Day weekend. Definitely a full summer of shows lined up for us, which is awesome!

-Our lovely garden, which is a first for both of us and something that we have loved putting together with each other, is growing! However, the massive amounts of rain we have been getting so far this year have limited the tomato plants from growing as much as we would like them to. But not to despair, we still have some starters we kept in the jiffy that are still growing nicely, so we may be able to transplant those in exchange of the ones that sadly have taken a beating with the hail and sleet storms we have had. Our potato plants recently just sprouted out of nowhere and are now 5-6 inches high out of the ground. I can't wait to see if the bean and cucumber plants will sprout!

-I recently have been seeking out a few possible changes in my career. I have loved my job working with youth at the state, and I will be sad to tears when the time comes for me to leave my job, but I have also felt a slight tugging from God to explore other options now that I can put my masters into full use. This is kind of a works in progress, so I will have to update you on some of this later.

- Serving as a worship leader at the Bountiful Heights campus has been such a blessing and a learning experience. Chas and I continue to head down once every two weeks to lead a team, and I will be honest in saying that every week brings a new challenge to face. Recently some of the leaders have made the decision to step down, either due to moving on to other things or feeling the need to help elsewhere, so that has created much change in the direction of the teams and who plays for what team on what weeks. God has really blessed us with willing people who volunteer their time to serve and use their talents to create music that glorifies God every Sunday. Some of the people on our team change, so that brings a challenge. Some are beginning music players, and some can be very timid. But no matter what, I know that this is an opportunity to work along side others and see in what ways God is using these situations to teach me things as well. We are also just excited to see the outreach having a church in the heart of Bountiful is creating for the community.

-Chas and I got to spend some fun quality time with my family last weekend while my dad was here with his wife. My twin cousins graduated high school, which is so crazy to me considering that when I moved here, they were 7 (almost 8). They are two very bright, beautiful and mature young women, and I was happy to be able to be there to support and cheer them on in finishing this chapter of their life. We have had some really good talks together about their upcoming plans, and I am so excited for them to see what is in store for them.

Those are just a few of the happenings, there are a lot more things going on, but I feel that this post is getting long enough, so I will end here.
Maybe I will wait another month to post, that way I have more to blog about :)

How does your garden grow

In March, I started a 30 day blog challenge. After that 30 day challenge, I took a little break from blogging, partly because really, truly and honestly I didn't feel like I had anything interesting to blog about. Let me take that back, that I COULD blog about.
Since then, many new and exciting things have been happening, some happy, some frustrating, some sad, all around me. I am grateful for my friends and the time we get to spend chatting. But mostly I am excited for the new things happening in their lives, and I am thankful that I have friends who are true and honest and real, and feel like they can share the intimate details of certain parts of their lives with me.

I have to admit, there seems to be a lot of women around me who are diligently growing babies. Don't get me wrong, it makes me smile inside. I am so excited for them and the little ones to come. But every once in a while, I get that "feeling". You know, the I-Waaaaaant-one feeling. And then reality smacks me in the face. As cute and lovable a little baby Burks would be, we just know right now is not our time. Like, we aren't even close to being ready to try, time.

So instead, we are working on other things together. In one of the blog challenges I posted last month I discussed a goal to plant a garden. Well, that's what Chas and I have decided to spend our time on together this spring (or still winter, or whatever you want to call it). He did most of the hard work by digging and tilling, and tilling again (there was a LOT of grass to get out of this thing) It is also a little bit bigger of a garden than we were thinking it was. Not huge, just bigger then a 10x10. But we have managed to get it to the point where we are ready to plant! We just need some nice weather to accommodate our desire to get down and dirty in the planting mode. We even started a nice little jiffy of tomato plants which, I think, are growing quite nicely.

Here's to our first time planting a garden...together, and ever!

In my spare time

I was thinking the other day, and I realized that it has been over 5 years since I have had cable. Before Chas I got married, I had never owned my own TV and even house watched for about 6 months for people who didn't even own one.

When it comes to TV, I made a decision a while ago that so much of what is on TV is either a. degrading, b. pure crap, or c. noneducational and a waste of brain power to watch. Case and point, Jersey Shore. I know, people have their shows, and I am totally ok with that. I am not talking about things like the news or PBS or things that actually teach people something. I know there are a lot of good things people can watch that are on TV, but I think Chas and I have just kind of made a conscious choice to save money and not be tempted to just sit in front of the TV all night and not say anything to each other during the time that we are together.

There was also a period of time where I just felt I was too busy (mostly during grad. school), so I knew that having cable would just be a waste of money to pay for every month. So, we have just kind of done without it, and really we feel that we are fine and just as normal as any other American who has cable and watches their daily dose of shows.

However, I recently have found 2 shows that I really like and have resolved to watching on Hulu.com once a week. I get my fill of the Biggest Loser on Tuesdays when I am at the gym, and that I like because it shows people being willing to change their lives and get healthy and lose weight. I like that they are learning how to live healthy lifestyles FOR life and not just get a quick fix. I know some people don't like the show because they think it's unrealistic, which I agree with to a point. I think this season one thing I have noticed is that the trainers have really addressed and tried to do a better job of helping the contestants prepare for going home, living in real life again, and not being able to work out for 6 hours a day like they have been on the ranch. It's a great motivator for anyone who has been wanting to lose weight and learn how to live a more healthy lifestyle, and I personally get great workout and eating tips.

The first show that I have been watching on Hulu is Who do You Think You Are?. I recently got interested in finding out more about my family lineage and where we actually came from. I did a 2 week free trial on Ancestry.com and then printed off the family tree with the names I had found so far before cancelling the trial (otherwise I would have paid $300 for a yearly subscription, no thanks). Then I saw a preview for this show on NBC, so I decided to watch it. It is just so interesting to see people be able to actually go to the places where their ancestors have come from, how they got to where they were going, and get a glimpse into their life and how they lived. I find it educational because they are able to visit all the history and genealogy museums to find clues that eventually lead them to where their ancestors lived. There is a sense of mystery to it that I really enjoy, it definitely keeps you on the edge waiting to see what they will find out next.

The second one is called Secret Millionaire. A lot of people say that this is similar to another show that I have never seen before where CEO's of huge companies secretly work as a layman worker somewhere in their company. That I think it different about Secret Millionaire is that people are finding those in low income and super poor communities who are making a difference and give them a generous portion of their wealth. They have to kind of hide their identity until the last day and pick a couple of places to give their money to. It is so amazing to see how giving these millionaires are willing to be, and it is heart wrenching to see the reaction of the people receiving the money. For me, this show hits a part of me that I know God desires for all of us to be more like, giving. More loving, more gracious, kind and just willing to pour out love to those who are in need without judging them and just showing them what it is like to just love, as Jesus showed love for us.

At the end of the road

Blog challenge day 30: Who are you?

It is April 7th, and there is nothing I would rather be doing right now than staying in my house, bundled up, watching a really good movie. Why? Why would I say that instead of being outside enjoying the sunshine? Oh yeah, probably because it is SNOWING outside. It's Utah, get used to it, I know. But I'm just saying, if it weren't for this snow storm, I would not be on this computer at this moment typing out my last post.

Anyway, onto the answer for my last blog post challenge.

Who am I?

I want to say that first and foremost, I am a daughter. A daughter to the only and most awesome God who cares for me and loves me just as He has made me. I dare to say that I would compare myself to somewhat of an Esther. I take a chance on things, and a lot of times I say what I feel in my heart needs to be said, even it it means creating a few ripples here and there. People know I am honest, but I would also truly hope that people also know I care so much in every way about them. Even in the midst of my "slow to warm up" self, a lot of what can sometimes reserve me is mere observation of those around me and how to best respond to them in their own element.

I am a woman who is prone to finding comfort in the rituals of organization in daily life. And at the same time, I often find myself looking for a reason to step out of that comfort zone and take a chance on something, not having any idea how it will turn out.

Simply put, I am my mother's daughter. And a little bit of my father's at time too.

I am a curious person. I think my parents got sick hearing me as why so much when I was growing up, and finally just starting saying "because I said so" as a way to finalize that I couldn't ask anymore.

I am a relational person, emotionally and physically.

I am a person who may be bound by some limitations, such as having celiac and not being able to eat certain things that I want to, or be able to run a mile as fast as I wish I could because I simply don't have a "runner' s body", but i know those things don't define me. They are just parts of what make me individually who I am, for no bad or negative or demeaning reason.

I am a helper. I find great joy in being there for others, helping them, and doing things for them. Specifically as a wife. I have always felt this desire to be helpmate to a husband, and I am so blessed that I finally get to be that.

I am someone who doesn't take no for an answer a lot of the time. I can admit it, I am stubborn. My mom told me once I could totally blame it on her and my dad, because they are both stubborn too.

I am someone who has a musical heart. I can remember a day in 2nd grade where my teacher had to ask me to stop singing to myself during reading time because it made it hard for the other students to be able to focus on their books. I don't always like the way I sound when I sing, but I would rather sing glory to God with a cracked-shrilled voice than never sing at all.

Lastly, I am someone who is committed. It may take me a while to get something done, but if I commit to it, it's going to get done. If a friend needs me to be there, if Chas needs me to do something for him, I will be there. Even if in my mind it isn't something I would necessarily want to do, because it something they need, I know my time will be worth it.

Maybe since I committed to this 30 day challenge, I will now commit to taking a couple of days off from the blogging world....