3rd-annual BUNCO BBQ!!!

we have a tradition with our young-marrieds' Bible study group from church--each summer we host a BUNCO BBQ! we always have so much fun eating, hanging out, being loud and rowdy, and wearing the infamous bunco hat & scepter!! it's a highlight for all!! this year everyone rolled at least one bunco! yeah!! it was a blast!!

the stats:

~most buncos: Danielle (7)

~most wins: Jordan (21)

~most losses: Bryce (18)

highlights:

~Lauri's delicious pasta salad
~picking blackberries from our backyard
~Tim J. at head table for whole 1st half of game!
~Jordan and all his "3 of a kind" rolls and buncos :)
~Bryce & Jared competing for most losses :)

quotes of the night:

"blue flame"--Bryce
"B-M!!"--Danielle
"the one who win-o has the most bonc-o!!"--Jordan

we missed all those that weren't able to come!! we will really miss all of you for the 4th & 5th!!!!

closer...

~we found a storage unit at a very reasonable cost...huge relief & answer to prayer!!

~our house is officially listed FOR RENT!

~we bought tickets to Africa!!
(we actually fly into the Canary Islands where we meet the ship while its docked and then sail with them to Africa--this saves us close to half the cost to flying directly to Africa!!)

~we depart January 5th!!

camping with the steeles!

One of the highlights of summer for us is going camping. so we try to make a point to go a least once a year. we just recently went with dear friends of ours, Amy & JD!! we reconnected with them about a year ago at my best friend's wedding. it has been so much fun getting to know them and deepening our friendship. we had so much fun just relaxing, hanging out, playing games, eating yummy s'mores, and sharing LOTS of laughter!!

Alexanders

Steeles

Our campsite was right off the creek!

Amy & me

Having fun!

I don't eat hotdogs, so my very pleased hubby had to document this! :)

An evening stroll that ended up into quite the hike :)

We're making this a tradition! :)

eternally His

today, 22 years ago, with a faith of a child, i gave my heart to Jesus. i didn't fully understand what it meant to follow Jesus, nor what the cost would be. i just knew i wanted to be with Jesus when i died. over the years since, i have experienced the daily challenges and abundant riches & blessings of our relationship. it's difficult to describe in brevity His impact in my life...He is my Savior, my Counselor, and my Great Healer...faithful and steadfast, sovereign of all things, and overflowing with peace. In His loving arms, i am so undeserving, but it's there that i rest in my Abba, He is my Hiding Place.

(i attached a pic of my mom and twin because my mom led us both to the Lord on the same day--at different times :) its special because i share not only an earthly birth with my twin, but also a spiritual birth!
--Mom Z, i am eternally grateful to you!!
--Happy birthday, Gemelita Mia!! love you!!

-h

glass water bottle

remember a few months ago all the scare and hype about plastic water bottles being unsafe due to "toxic" levels of bisphenol?? i found a couple articles from the FDA stating otherwise...check out
www. bisphenol-a.org/whatsNew/200080131.html www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bpa.html

even so, i went ahead and bought a glass water bottle to try it out. you probably can buy them at most grocery stores, i bought mine at New Seasons for $3.89. here's what i've discovered...its of course heavier to carry and a little awkward, and i'm not sure how that will work on a long hike. it does, however, keep the water cooler longer and probably more environmentally-friendly??
-h

90%

yep, that's right!! we are 90% monthly supported!!
many thanks to those who are joining us in our journey to Africa financially and prayerfully!! we couldn't go without each one of you!!

t & h

all about perspective

i came across these words today by the great Puritan preacher, Jonathan Edwards:

It becomes us to spend this life only as a journey toward heaven...to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labor for or set our hearts on anything else, but that which is our proper end and true happiness?

i couldn't help but wonder how different our world might be--how we'd live and spend our days, the love we'd share, the joy and peace we'd experience--if more of us lived out these words??

our "pad!"

we just found out that the ship will have housing for us in January for the next two years!! we are so pleased and relieved!! couple housing is a commodity and can sometimes be quite the process to reserve due to high demand.

once again, God's hand at work!

70 days!!

until we leave for Texas for our training!! thanks to our friend Danielle, that calculates to
6,048,000 seconds
100,800 minutes
1680 hours
10 weeks
from today!!

freedom

you say you are, but are you truly free?
the only real freedom i know is in Christ alone,
through the cross,
the kind of freedom that gives me power over sin,
grace from yesterday's past,
strength for today,
hope for tomorrow,
life eternal.
i celebrate with my country its independence today,
with humble thanksgiving that i can depend on Him alone.

-h