As of noon on Tuesday Andy was officially done with all military paperwork and is now waiting for his new job to process and approve him!! What a relief. This has been a tedious time, but the end is in sight. We are definitely looking forward to the perks of the new position - big work out facility, new health care :) It's such a blessing.
Andy spent his Wednesday afternoon building miniature house frames. Our good friend Eric is preaching at church on May 4th and needed the houses for visual aids. Andy is always looking for an opportunity to use his new tools, so he rallied the guys and went to work! They look great and will make great center pieces for the stage. Sidenote, I will also be leading worship on that Sunday. Isn't that crazy?! Our pastor and his wife will be out of town, so they asked if I could help out. This is definitely a one time things - but a fun opportunity. We're sure the Lord will use it for his glory!
I had the pleasure of helping with our Chi Alpha's first full out girls retreat. It went amazing. Liz, Sarah and I spent time praying and brainstorming. The vision we received from the Lord was totally amazing and it ministered to the women perfectly. We had awesome times of worship and prayer. I was even able to lead one of the talks. It turned out to be my favorite talk I've every given. Praise the Lord for the way he's growing and stretching all of the girls. It's such a beautiful time.
Time is a scarcity around our apartment right now. Andy and I are learning how to prioritize and make room for us among all of the other things we could do. This is the first time Andy has been working 40 hrs a week since graduation too. So that took some adjusting as well. All in all though, we are enjoying everything we're involved with - including the softball league - and are excited for the summer!!
We have wonderful pictures from our Easter in Texas with the family. I'll post them soon. We were able to spend several days with Andy's brother Kevin before he was deployed to Kuwait. He is over there now and doing well. We are keeping in close contact with him via email, and that has made the transition easier.
We love all of you!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Fast Forward
Wow! Where has all the time gone? I couldn't believe how long it took us to update - but things are wonderful!
After much suspense, we ended up getting that cute little apartment :) It's a clean, two bedroom, two bath in a quiet community, with a new stove, and new carpet! My dad and several of our guy friends pitched in and helped move our 600 pound piano. And I will be forever grateful! Having them do it saved us SO much money.
Andy and I are in the midst of change again. Andy's last quarter is almost over and he is getting ready to start his first engineering job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. It's a cool story really. He got the interview from a resume that someone else submitted for him and then got the call back less than an hour after the interview. We are still praising the Lord for working things out so smoothly for us!
Ministry is really developing right now as well. Andy is connecting with his guys in new very rewarding ways. This stage in our lives has changed our relationship with the students - but definitely for the better. We are able to see more and encourage more. We are so blessed on a weekly basis by the way the Lord is moving in Chi Alpha and continually changing lives. My dGroup is wonderful! We've spent the quarter letting the girls lead and then hashing through how the meeting went afterwards. It's been an awesome challenge to each of the girl's leadership style and I believe has changed our understanding our leading. It's not about being up front - it's about running along beside and sometimes even encouraging from the back. I'm so blessed by my dGroup and am definitely excited for where the Lord will take it next quarter.
My job is going well. It is shaping and developing in ways I never expected. But I feel like I am really starting to grow into it. I'm really getting involved in event planning and in training. I feel as though I am really using my college education and that is incredibly rewarding. You'll have to watch Fox 45 in April, because your's truly might be on the Morning News! ;)
We have soo many pictures we want to share, I'll really have to pick and choose on the next post. We spent New Years in Iceland this year with Andy's family. His cousin David was married to a wonderful woman he met there named Lina. We officially survived an Icelandic winter! Plus we got to experience some of the perks - including a geothermal spa! The wedding was beautiful and everyone is so happy to have Lina in the family. You really need to see the pictures!
I think that does it. If you can, my family is going through a lot of changes right now with different things and could definitely use your prayers. We love you all very much!
After much suspense, we ended up getting that cute little apartment :) It's a clean, two bedroom, two bath in a quiet community, with a new stove, and new carpet! My dad and several of our guy friends pitched in and helped move our 600 pound piano. And I will be forever grateful! Having them do it saved us SO much money.
Andy and I are in the midst of change again. Andy's last quarter is almost over and he is getting ready to start his first engineering job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. It's a cool story really. He got the interview from a resume that someone else submitted for him and then got the call back less than an hour after the interview. We are still praising the Lord for working things out so smoothly for us!
Ministry is really developing right now as well. Andy is connecting with his guys in new very rewarding ways. This stage in our lives has changed our relationship with the students - but definitely for the better. We are able to see more and encourage more. We are so blessed on a weekly basis by the way the Lord is moving in Chi Alpha and continually changing lives. My dGroup is wonderful! We've spent the quarter letting the girls lead and then hashing through how the meeting went afterwards. It's been an awesome challenge to each of the girl's leadership style and I believe has changed our understanding our leading. It's not about being up front - it's about running along beside and sometimes even encouraging from the back. I'm so blessed by my dGroup and am definitely excited for where the Lord will take it next quarter.
My job is going well. It is shaping and developing in ways I never expected. But I feel like I am really starting to grow into it. I'm really getting involved in event planning and in training. I feel as though I am really using my college education and that is incredibly rewarding. You'll have to watch Fox 45 in April, because your's truly might be on the Morning News! ;)
We have soo many pictures we want to share, I'll really have to pick and choose on the next post. We spent New Years in Iceland this year with Andy's family. His cousin David was married to a wonderful woman he met there named Lina. We officially survived an Icelandic winter! Plus we got to experience some of the perks - including a geothermal spa! The wedding was beautiful and everyone is so happy to have Lina in the family. You really need to see the pictures!
I think that does it. If you can, my family is going through a lot of changes right now with different things and could definitely use your prayers. We love you all very much!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Update on the apartment hunt
Several weeks ago I went around and picked up pamphlets and information on about half a dozen apartments. We sat at Qdoba after one of my shifts and filtered through all the information. We picked through which places were in our price range, had the specifics that we needed (first floor, appliances), and just plain looked nice. That left us with only two real options and I hadn't had the chance to walk through either.
So, last Monday, Andy and I made plans to walk through the first option. It is a little place in Fairborn. Come to find out, it is also real close to the Campus.
When I had been there a few weeks earlier they were offering 2 bedroom 2 baths for $599. We went and walked through the model and they told us that until the end of the month they were running a special - 2 bedroom 2 bath for $499 a month. That's $1200 over a year!
We went home...made some phone calls...sent some emails...and prayed. Two days later Andy text messaged me from work saying he wanted to go fill out the application that afternoon. For $499 a month, on the ground level, with appliances and two full baths - it was hard to pass up.
So now, we are waiting for the paper work to go through. In reality, if this is going to happen, we could be moving boxes again within a week. The idea of having our own place is so thrilling. We had both of our parents in for Thanksgiving this week (pictures on that are coming!), but it wasn't technically "our house". We have been laughing and talking a lot lately about what having our own home would be like. We even bought a Christmas tree and picked up decorations from my mom in anticipation of the holidays.
Stayed tuned for the latest developments! We could know as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday!!
So, last Monday, Andy and I made plans to walk through the first option. It is a little place in Fairborn. Come to find out, it is also real close to the Campus.
When I had been there a few weeks earlier they were offering 2 bedroom 2 baths for $599. We went and walked through the model and they told us that until the end of the month they were running a special - 2 bedroom 2 bath for $499 a month. That's $1200 over a year!
We went home...made some phone calls...sent some emails...and prayed. Two days later Andy text messaged me from work saying he wanted to go fill out the application that afternoon. For $499 a month, on the ground level, with appliances and two full baths - it was hard to pass up.
So now, we are waiting for the paper work to go through. In reality, if this is going to happen, we could be moving boxes again within a week. The idea of having our own place is so thrilling. We had both of our parents in for Thanksgiving this week (pictures on that are coming!), but it wasn't technically "our house". We have been laughing and talking a lot lately about what having our own home would be like. We even bought a Christmas tree and picked up decorations from my mom in anticipation of the holidays.
Stayed tuned for the latest developments! We could know as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday!!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Looking for a new home...
(This is Andy)
So i have two exams left, and i don't feel like studying for either of them. So instead of procrastinating, i decided to create a long-awaited post. : )
We will be out of the house we are currently in, around mid-December. So we have been shopping around for places a little closer to campus to rent.
It's a bit a pickle because we don't have tons of money, now but in 6 months, i should have an engineering job and be sitting, well, much better off than we are now. Thank you college!
So right now we are looking for an either small rentable house or 2 bedroom apartment. If you guys know of any, lead would be greatly appreciated.
We know God is involved, but we are just not sure how he wants us to go about this. Is it too spiritual to ask for an amazing deal? or are we just suppose to smoothly transistion into a normal apt. near campus like most people. Well we haven't figured that out yet.
Thoughts, prayers or wisdom are always appreciated.
We love you guys!
So i have two exams left, and i don't feel like studying for either of them. So instead of procrastinating, i decided to create a long-awaited post. : )
We will be out of the house we are currently in, around mid-December. So we have been shopping around for places a little closer to campus to rent.
It's a bit a pickle because we don't have tons of money, now but in 6 months, i should have an engineering job and be sitting, well, much better off than we are now. Thank you college!
So right now we are looking for an either small rentable house or 2 bedroom apartment. If you guys know of any, lead would be greatly appreciated.
We know God is involved, but we are just not sure how he wants us to go about this. Is it too spiritual to ask for an amazing deal? or are we just suppose to smoothly transistion into a normal apt. near campus like most people. Well we haven't figured that out yet.
Thoughts, prayers or wisdom are always appreciated.
We love you guys!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Chi Alpha Fall Ball
And there you have it. Pocahontas and John Smith...if they went to college.
The Fall Ball was a blast! More pics to come :)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Wright State Chi Alpha
If you haven't heard:
God has blessed us with an amazing ministry at Wright State and it is so much fun!
The opportunity to be a part of what God is doing at such a small school in Dayton, Ohio has been one of the greatest blessings in our lives. The Lord is interested in each individuals life - no matter where they are.
This whole quarter our campus pastors have been serving in Guadalajara, Mexico...so it's been different around here! But it definitely hasn't been bad. We are seeing our students really come into an understanding of God's love and what it means to be part of a family. They love this community and they are growing in their trust and respect of other people - and themselves.
This past week at our weekly meeting, Ignite, we had a missionary from North Africa come and share her heart for missions with us. Our students were challenged. We asked them that if they felt God could be calling them into missions work in any form, to come forward and write their name and where they are called on a piece of paper. Thirty students wrote down their names! And the places where they wanted to serve covered more than 15 countries. I was so proud of them. We are praying now for God to carry out those desires He has placed within their hearts. Please join with us in asking for the kingdom of God to be forwarded through our students!
We've done awesome things all quarter and I am so proud of every single students. Here is a glimpse at how cool Wright State is!!
They always know how to have a good time. Even when we are fighting with the laptop there, Michelle and Kyle keep it light and make us smile!
Fall Breakaway this year was such a success! We had the largest amount of students from any Ohio college at a big 47! There was much laughing, some crying, but in the end - everyone was challenged and touched by the Lord.
These are shots of the hangout time at Fall Breakaway. Above, Andy organized a dodgeball tourney and had a blast pelting people with foam balls. The winners? A team called "Smooth Jazz" :) Below, a group of my beautiful girls kicking back and loving on each other.
This is Jessica. She is one of the new girls in my dGroup this Fall. She is a senior dance major and in love with the Lord. I could tell you books about her!
Here are the lovely ladies from my Thursday night dGroup. We are making musical instruments out of beans, pipe cleaner, paper plates, and plastic cups. We were studying "bold worship to a powerful God".
This is football jersey night at Ignite! From left to right: Nathan (freshmen), Jason (staff), Dan (senior).
Chi Alpha is a blast, hands down.
And we want everyone on campus to come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Praise the Lord!
God has blessed us with an amazing ministry at Wright State and it is so much fun!
The opportunity to be a part of what God is doing at such a small school in Dayton, Ohio has been one of the greatest blessings in our lives. The Lord is interested in each individuals life - no matter where they are.
This whole quarter our campus pastors have been serving in Guadalajara, Mexico...so it's been different around here! But it definitely hasn't been bad. We are seeing our students really come into an understanding of God's love and what it means to be part of a family. They love this community and they are growing in their trust and respect of other people - and themselves.
This past week at our weekly meeting, Ignite, we had a missionary from North Africa come and share her heart for missions with us. Our students were challenged. We asked them that if they felt God could be calling them into missions work in any form, to come forward and write their name and where they are called on a piece of paper. Thirty students wrote down their names! And the places where they wanted to serve covered more than 15 countries. I was so proud of them. We are praying now for God to carry out those desires He has placed within their hearts. Please join with us in asking for the kingdom of God to be forwarded through our students!
We've done awesome things all quarter and I am so proud of every single students. Here is a glimpse at how cool Wright State is!!
They always know how to have a good time. Even when we are fighting with the laptop there, Michelle and Kyle keep it light and make us smile!
Fall Breakaway this year was such a success! We had the largest amount of students from any Ohio college at a big 47! There was much laughing, some crying, but in the end - everyone was challenged and touched by the Lord.
These are shots of the hangout time at Fall Breakaway. Above, Andy organized a dodgeball tourney and had a blast pelting people with foam balls. The winners? A team called "Smooth Jazz" :) Below, a group of my beautiful girls kicking back and loving on each other.
This is Jessica. She is one of the new girls in my dGroup this Fall. She is a senior dance major and in love with the Lord. I could tell you books about her!
Here are the lovely ladies from my Thursday night dGroup. We are making musical instruments out of beans, pipe cleaner, paper plates, and plastic cups. We were studying "bold worship to a powerful God".
This is football jersey night at Ignite! From left to right: Nathan (freshmen), Jason (staff), Dan (senior).
Chi Alpha is a blast, hands down.
And we want everyone on campus to come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Praise the Lord!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Update on our every day...
Andy and I could not have predicted how the first couple of months of marriage would go. Between Andy going to school, me working my new job, discovering how to be on staff with Chi Alpha, pouring into our students, and being in love - we have to stop and laugh to keep ourselves grounded.
Chi Alpha is a blast. We are learning so much through trial and error. Andy's dGroup has had a rough start, but he and PJ have been praying and coming up with ideas on how to get guys to commit. My dGroup is amazing. The girls are insightful and very loving. If you can, pray that the intimacy just increases as the learn to trust each other!
Being on staff isn't always sunshine, but I love it anyway! Jason and Sarah make me laugh and are such a huge support. I look forward to our staff meetings and realize more everyday how much goes into this ministry. I've never had the privilege of doing something this rewarding. This ministry changed my life, and now I get to help change the lives of others. Thank you Jesus.
Qdoba is one big blessing from the Lord. My position as "Marketing Specialist" is flexible, interesting, self directed, and fun. Right now, I will admit it is a bit intimidating as I am going around to local non-profit organizations (i.e. schools and churches) and pitching a fund-raising program. But, the way I see it - this will hopefully increase my boldness and self confidence. My favorite part is developing strategies. I wrote a report last month on how to execute catering with excellence. I'm so into my job : )
We have Chi Alpha pictures we are itching to post. I'm not in a place I can upload them right now, but soon! I promise!!
If you haven't heard yet, Andy got hit in the face playing flag football on Monday (October 1st). I got a phone call while I was at the XA office telling me that Dan was taking him to the hospital and that I should meet them there. Turns out he accidentally got hit as the center stood up after hiking the ball. Six hours and nine stitches later, we were home again. I was surprised at how much it bled, but he was a trooper. We took pictures, but only to lighten the mood. My guess is that they would not be appropriate for a blog post. I might take a picture of him post stitches after he's taken a shower and then show everyone!
Good news! We now have both car and health insurance! Please pray that the Lord continues the bless our finances : )
Chi Alpha is a blast. We are learning so much through trial and error. Andy's dGroup has had a rough start, but he and PJ have been praying and coming up with ideas on how to get guys to commit. My dGroup is amazing. The girls are insightful and very loving. If you can, pray that the intimacy just increases as the learn to trust each other!
Being on staff isn't always sunshine, but I love it anyway! Jason and Sarah make me laugh and are such a huge support. I look forward to our staff meetings and realize more everyday how much goes into this ministry. I've never had the privilege of doing something this rewarding. This ministry changed my life, and now I get to help change the lives of others. Thank you Jesus.
Qdoba is one big blessing from the Lord. My position as "Marketing Specialist" is flexible, interesting, self directed, and fun. Right now, I will admit it is a bit intimidating as I am going around to local non-profit organizations (i.e. schools and churches) and pitching a fund-raising program. But, the way I see it - this will hopefully increase my boldness and self confidence. My favorite part is developing strategies. I wrote a report last month on how to execute catering with excellence. I'm so into my job : )
We have Chi Alpha pictures we are itching to post. I'm not in a place I can upload them right now, but soon! I promise!!
If you haven't heard yet, Andy got hit in the face playing flag football on Monday (October 1st). I got a phone call while I was at the XA office telling me that Dan was taking him to the hospital and that I should meet them there. Turns out he accidentally got hit as the center stood up after hiking the ball. Six hours and nine stitches later, we were home again. I was surprised at how much it bled, but he was a trooper. We took pictures, but only to lighten the mood. My guess is that they would not be appropriate for a blog post. I might take a picture of him post stitches after he's taken a shower and then show everyone!
Good news! We now have both car and health insurance! Please pray that the Lord continues the bless our finances : )
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