I've always loved the unexpected things in life. You know, the things that get your heart pumping, your blood flowing, your mouth watering......well you kind of get the picture. Its great! So let me tell you about an event of that exact order and capacity that happened just the other day!

Our day started out as any old day normally would; breakfast, lunch, work, the occasional sneeze (well, maybe not so occasional). But this most wonderful thing happened after work.

We were driving along a beautiful country road to get home, "arguing" with each other about what type of house we liked best. Paige and I agreed that the farmhouse colonial type was best, while our mother thought that something more streamlined and updated was the way to go. It got pretty heated, punches were being thrown, blood everywhere, and then our fun was very abruptly halted at the longest line of traffic ever! I mean, why is there traffic on a small country road! It ruins the whole effect! But as it turns out, it was a sign. A sign of something better to come. A sign that there is still a God at work in our lives today. Yes, my friend, It was a sign for a strawberry stand.

Paige started shrieking at the top of her lungs "STRAWBERRIES! STRAWBERRIES! STOP THE CAR!" Which of course, was quite unnecessary, as we were already stopped in traffic. But at least her heart was in it. And her lungs got quite a workout, so I guess it was worthwhile.

We pulled up to the stand and requested 2 flats of strawberries, but to our dismay, they only had 1 1/2 flats left. We quickly took the last of the strawberries and headed home.

Now you might be wondering what the heck a person could to with 14 pints of strawberries. The answer is quite simple. Make strawberry freezer jam!

The process to make this coveted freezer jam is a interesting one.

It basically only requires a person to crush each strawberry with a fork. And while this may sound easy, It is a lengthy process that requires patience and skill. So it helps if you have a movie or TV show on while you crush. In our case it was Gilmore Girls. That show is somehow addicting, just like the freezer jam! Anyway, The result of this fabulously unexpected day was 6 quarts of strawberry freezer jam! Maybe that doesn't sound to great to the average Joe (no offence to anyone who found this uninteresting), but to me, this was about the most perfect end to a day.

And it just goes to show you that whenever something seems bad (like being stuck in traffic) and that nothing good could ever come from it. Maybe it could be to prepare you for something better...now if you will excuse me, I think I need a nice strawberry snack!

Laurel