1. Sleeping with Ryan. Every night I fall asleep next to Ryan feeling blessed to have married my best friend. 2. Mornings with Cricket. She curls up in my lap as I sip on a cup of tea.
3. Phone calls with my father. How he answers with, "Hey, kid!" and always says I love you before saying goodbye.
4. Laughter with Susanne. We laugh so hard (at Halley's acrobatic jumps, at cheesy comedians, at the insanity that is our lives right now).
5. Letters between friends. I have friends all across the country that write me letters...and I write them back...and now sheets of stamps sit on my desk.
6. Dancing with Noelle. We crank the music, let down our hair, and dance to music I'm to embarrassed to mention here.
7. Sweet words from my mother. She knows how to speak to my heart, and she does, week after week, day after day.
8. Grammy's brownies. They taste better than anything I ever will make. I believe it's due to the ounces of love only Lucy Babbitt knows how to stir into her bowl. 9. My Aunt Sharon's eyes. They remind me of my mother's, and I want to be as generous and beautiful as they both are when I'm their age.
10. My mother-in-law's tears. Her heart is as big as the state of Texas, and she breaks for all who hurt...and God knows we've needed sympathetic ears this year.
11. Scoops of ice-cream. Did I mention how much I enjoyed my Cookie Sandwich icecream from Amy's on Friday night?
12. Messages from friends. Thank you, everyone of you, who has written me an email or a message during these hard times. They mean more than you know.
13. Writing. Putting words to paper. Doing it day in and day out.
14. French Poundcake. Because poundcake reminds me of my childhood. We ate strawberries and poundcake on every major holiday. I'm happy to say I'll be doing it this year too.
French Pound Cake*Adapted from Joanne Chang's Flour
2 cups (240 grams) cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, just slightly
1/4 cup (60 grams) heavy cream
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup (250 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 TBSP organic vanilla extract
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and cream. Set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
5. Using a spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg-sugar mixture until just combined. Then, fold the egg-flour mixture into the butter-cream mixture. Stir until just combined and pour into prepared pan.
6. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the top of the loaf is golden brown and it springs back slightly when touched. Allow to cool in pan for 20-30 minutes before removing. Store the cake at room temperature by wrapping tightly with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
7. Serve with fresh fruit and freshly whipped cream.
Always,
Monet
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