Fall.

It's finally here, and SO worth the wait. The BEST (read: only) good thing about seasons, is fall. It's like God hand crafted this glorious season just for me: scarves, pumpkin lattes, and mustard yellow and red on every tree! Yeah no doubt God is showing off for me. Not a day goes by I'm not awestruck by His beauty in nature. Almost just as often though I remind myself to soak in every minute, and every day because "the one that shall not be mentioned" is coming right behind it. ugh. It can't be worse right than last winter right? Who knows? At this point I've pretty much learned to expect the unexpected. But for now all I expect is to watch the trees continue to change color, the leaves to collect outside our window and the rest will be here soon enough.

Here's what's been happening in between seasons

The trees down town

Playing on the beach at Half Moon Bay

This beach is amazing, seriously.

And so are these boys. ahh. <3

Our kickball team on the other hand, well lets just say this is the most amazing thing about it

Bike ride on the west des moines trails

like a scene from a movie

dinner with the fam, it was so delicious

and probably my new favorite picture of all time.

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Fall was good.

Summer.

It's that time again folks, yes the "quarterly blogger" strikes again (name courtesy of Justin Baxter) and as you can guess the seasons transitioned yet again in this ever changing place known as Des Moines, Iowa. Spring is only a faint memory as Summer melts us away one humid moment at a time. I have vowed not to make one single complaint about the summer season regardless how miserably hot and humid it gets because, I know how quickly this weather turns its back on you and winter is just waiting around the corner to start this madness all over again!

So instead I will tell you about the UNBELIEVABLE thunderstorms I have experienced, with thunder so loud I thought the Earth may literally be breaking in half and lightning so intense it's made the skies brighter than I ever thought possible. Seriously, there were more nights than I can count where Chris and I were woken up by the amazingness of it all and after we got over the initial shock of it, just chuckled at this crazy place and everything God has shown us.

Umm hello lightning bugs, yeah.. you are legit, the rest of the bugs can really take a page out of your book. You might be my favorite thing about summer in Iowa. Hats off to you and making the most out of being a bug.

Aside from the weather, if that's even possible, things have been pretty amazing/crazy/intense etc we have had a slew of visitors since May, man we are a blessed and spoiled spoiled spoiled couple of kids. Thank you to all of who have come and shared a little bit of life in Iowa with us, it means more than you will ever know. <3 I love my job. Seriously. I can not be more grateful for the job God has allowed me to have, I have found a job I'd do for free. (more to come on that later) I lover our church. So much. The people of Gateway are truly a uniquely amazing group and there's no way to explain how much I admire these people who week after week prove in such various ways they are serious about being a life giving community. So much more to say but I'll let a few pics speak for themselves- side note coming soon: blog about my first time in a corn field. my.word. yea.
Love and miss you, and think about you often.

Saylorville Lake

The clouds here, are ridiculous

On a boat (Big Creek Lake)

The "Tanzania Boys"

I couldn't keep this awesomeness all to myself

Lazy day at Grey's Lake

Seriously can't get enough of these clouds

YEAH. nuff said.

My favorite junior highers

walking home from the grocery store

and of course, corn fields.

Until next time <3

We're Moving.

Up and out just like that. We move out of our tiny little closet apartment tonight! We had an offer we just couldn't resist and will now be sharing a home with the amazing family that is the Baxters! Could not be more grateful for them, and their willingness and enthusiasm to help us in this crazy and uncertain season we face. I'm excited not only because they have so graciously extended their home to us and are letting us invade the secret life of the Baxter family haha but also because I anticipate that Chris and I will be able to learn a lot from Justin and Gretchen; and how they have managed to raise two amazing teenagers, move across the country, and still appear to be happily married after almost 20 years! It will be a growing and stretching experience for Chris and I, and I am excited to look back and see how amazing God's plan worked in our lives and how unbelievably blessed we are for it.

As for now let the game nights begin!