"Rooted" in the Gospel

So I know my blogging has been really sporadic the past month. Well, it's mostly because we just returned home this weekend from a long 5 weeks out of town! Since I know this blog is public and I realize there are probably some (though not sure how many, but I'm sure still some) out there reading this that I don't know I don't always say when we are in and out of town. So now that we are home I am now ready to share some about our start to the summer.

Mary Etta & Judah having some fun in the car out in the big backyard. They loved being outside and asked to out there all day long!

Most of you know we do college ministry, so we just returned from our first summer project in over 3 years! Crazy because the first 3 years of marriage that was just what we did every summer--go on summer project. But then in 2008 Emery-Claire was born---so obviously after having a baby May 20th it wasn't expected for us to go and then in 2009 Mary Etta was due in July (so again they wouldn't send us away for the month of June with me being almost 9 months pregnant). We thought 2010 would be the year we would go, but now our staff team has grown so much over the past few years all of our staff can't be there at once with the growing amount of students too. So again we were home. So now this was the year we finally returned--and with 3 children nonetheless! The last time we went on project (2007) we just had Reed and he was 8 months old. So it made for much unknown going with not just 1 or 2 but 3 children ranging from 4 1/2 to almost 2!

We did lots of this

and this!

I have to say it has been a really great month! It was good to be away from the everyday routine and busyness of our life. It truly was a sweet time to be in such an encouraging environment with the body, day in day out. We were with staff I knew well and have been on projects with before, but then those that were younger that it was sweet to spend time getting to know them better. And our children have truly been on cloud 9 with all the attention (they were the only children this year besides one other staff child who just turned 1 while we were there) from 115 college students practically 24/7!

Every chance Reed got he was outside recruiting different students to throw the ball to him, wanting someone to chase him, or play some sort of game with him. It was so sweet to see him soak in every moment and enjoy this environment as much as he did!

Most importantly I know it is such a privilege and a blessing that the Lord had us here, in this environment. For me especially, it was good to have many sweet dates with my husband, fun & unique outings with the children, encouraging fellowship with dear friends, and just to be faced and stretched in several areas I see the Lord growing me in. I know not many people get to have the opportunity to see up close and personal how the Lord is working to draw people to himself and to live day and day out in community with fellow believers.

Summer Project 2011 "Rooted"