What Have We Been Up To?

Boy, our life has been pretty boring since the beginning of the summer! Even though we have had so much fun this summer, we are thankful for this time of rest before the youth group year starts up again in full-force.

So what have we been doing?
NOT MUCH.

Every Monday we have Open Rock, where we open up the youth building from 5-8. Kids can come and play games, hang out, or just come to eat with us. We provide supper (which I LOVE preparing food!) and most of the time, just sit, laugh, and get to know each other. We’ve been known to do some pranking and some pretty crazy things, but ALWAYS a good time! During the school year, we encourage the kids to bring their homework.

Dan had the privilege of playing on Willmar’s church softball team, which was SUCH a blessing! It was a great way for Dan to get to know more guys and for me to chat it up in the stands with the ladies. Even though the season is over, the friendships we formed will continue and we feel so blessed to have been a part of that opportunity. Dan had to dust off his cleats and break in his glove again, but he ended up doing well!

I continue to travel the road of doing this elimination diet to figure out my intestinal issues. Feeling blessed because as I have now introduced citrus, grains, and eggs, I have not had any complications. I was a little surprised with the grain because I was wondering if that would’ve been the cause, but the day I ate grains, I had no issues (or the days after). Part of me is hoping something shows up so that I have an explanation as to why for 2 months I had issues, but if nothing shows up, so be it. Right now, I know what foods I can eat that do not cause issues, so if I have to eat LOTS of those foods for the rest of my life, again, so be it. I have learned to LOVE veggies and fruit! Oh do I love sautéed veggies! Watermelon is a constant. Apples call my name. I have always loved fruit, but didn’t always eat my daily recommendations for veggies. Definitely not lacking in that area anymore! Chicken and fish are staples in our house as well. AND…I still eat LOTS of cereal (just rice based cereals with almond milk….so good :)). I still have more things to introduce (such as beef, tomatoes, white sugar, potatoes, corn, condiments, etc.) but it will come. I am used to this lifestyle and I will continue to follow it until it is complete. I feel GREAT and I am thankful that this was an option! Plus, Dan has been so great with the whole process!

I am starting my job in a few weeks, which I am looking very forward to! I can’t wait to meet the kids, get to know the teachers, deal with all the little random things that I will probably have to deal with (I love doing those things), and just being part of the school here in town. It is such a big part of our community that Dan and I both feel it would be good to get involved in.

We are also looking forward to the school sports season starting up in a few short weeks. That is one of our most favorite parts of youth ministry – watching the kids in their element – watching them do what they love to do. We love to sit in the stands and encourage them, be there for them, and just be a part of their lives.

Now that we have had some time to just “be” here in Minnesota, we are still finding that this is where we are meant to be. We feel comfortable here. We feel loved here. We feel at peace here. It is odd to think we have only been here 5 months. It feels like much longer than that, though at times (when I don’t know where something is or who somebody is), it feels like we haven’t been here long. But all of those feelings of unfamiliarity and not knowing people will pass. We have to keep telling ourselves “it will come.”

We thank you for your continued prayers and as we continue to reflect on our life prior to Minnesota, it just reminds us of God’s faithfulness and grace in our lives. We couldn’t be more thankful for the lessons He has taught us.