Yvonne's Curry Butternut Squash Soup

My first sole sister gave me the recipe for this soup. Her name is Yvonne. She's amazing. She has six kids with one set of twins. She homeschooled all of them until high school. Her eldest went to Yale on scholarship. She was my small group leader in our church's MOMS group, and she was in my small group when I led. She's smart, funny, Godly and wise. Now she's back in grad school, our worlds have diverged, and I miss her. Oh, and she can out run me any day of the week.

Yvonne introduced me to the tri, the half marathon and the marathon. She was the first person I told I was pregnant with number three while we were training, just a week before our tri. She also ran my first marathon with me. It was her second but my first. We ran the inaugural Fox Valley Marathon, and I, having no idea what I was doing, wanted to finish in under 5 hours. She said she expected to finish in about 5:10. While we were running the race, I did okay until mile 20. I was so dehydrated, and my mood was terrible. I had done a 22 and a 23, but I went out harder during the race. At the aide station at 20, the medic said he could take me back, but I drank my weight in water and sloshed on. Yvonne stayed with me. She walked with me when I needed to walk. She encouraged me. She gave up her time for me. She reminded me around 22-23 that people were praying for us. At 25.2 she said, "We HAVE to run the last mile," so we did. She finished in 5:10 as she expected. I finished a minute or two behind her. I cried dry grunty tears when I was done. I could not have finished it without her.

Yvonne has been with me on each marathon after. I hear her voice in my head during the last six miles. The same encouraging words go through my mind. I have smiled while running the last mile to two more finish lines and broken 5 hours because of Yvonne. Thank you Yvonne.

Yvonne's Curry Butternut Squash Soup
1 stick butter
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
5 cans chicken broth
4 lbs cooked butternut squash
3 large potatoes cubed
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 cups milk

Saute onions and garlic in butter. Add veggies and broth. Simmer until soft.

 Smooth in blender.

 (At this point it can be frozen.)

 Add 2 cups of milk. Serve with sour cream, chives or walnuts.

A day or two before I make the soup, I cut the squash and cook it at 350 deg for an hour cut-side down in an inch of water. Then I scoop it and put it in the fridge. It makes the whole task less labor intensive. This soup is a fan favorite. The girlios all like it and were sad that I froze it yesterday. Joy for another day.