CRAZY That’s the word used to describe this past year. We are thanking God for His goodness and grace on our lives as He helped us through one of the hardest, most stressful, and fastest years yet. It was Pete’s final year of graduate school and so that meant LOTS of hours studying, deciding on a thesis, researching for the thesis, writing the thesis, and defending the thesis (all done during his last semester). Pete finished school in December, getting all A’s in his classes, passing his thesis and at the same time working 32 hours a week. He did awesome and we are so proud of him. His degree has equipped him with knowledge that has already been incredibly useful here in the states as he works for HDR, an engineering firm assisting them in their water resource department. He is also looking forward to using his skills overseas to help bring water to those in need.
INCREDIBLE That’s the word used to describe life now…with Pete NOT in school. It is absolutely amazing to have Pete around us more and not have schoolwork and studying and thesis research hanging over us. We are loving our evenings with him and our weekends are especially awesome. We have enjoyed hiking, picnics, a roadtrip to New Mexico, Sunday afternoons with Daddy… the list goes on and on and the possibilities are endless now. It’s one of those things that you look back and you are so thankful for as far as the “hard times” because it makes life so much sweeter and you are so much more thankful for the time you have together rather than taking it for granted. Pete is definitely enjoying life as well, as he is able to hang out with us and he doesn’t have to drink two cups of coffee every night in order to stay up until midnight studying. He is enjoying his job, gaining lots of experience, and working with lots of interesting people from all over the world.
EXCITED Yes, we are excited about our growing involvement with the youth at our church. We continue to teach the Sunday School class and for the past 6 months we have been going through the material that the late Pope John Paul wrote on the “Theology of the Body” which mainly deals with love, relationships, and sex. It has been a great study that has challenged the students and has challenged our thinking as well. Getting to know the students better through this study as well as having them in our home has been a blessing to us. It’s exciting to see the Lord work in their lives and to be able to encourage them and pray for them is an absolute privilege.
Pete had the privelege of travelling to Chad in March with Food for the Hungry to help with a water assessment project.
We had fun helping the youth plan a Sunday service where they sang, shared testimonies and performed skits. We have loved getting to know these young people.
Lori and Pete spent a week in July in Northern Wisconsin, on Washington Island, without the kids to celebrate their 10 year anniversary. It was amazing!!!
Lily and Silas hanging out on the back patio in Sycamore, IL this past June.
In August we combined Pete's work with pleasure in Seattle, and Lori tagged along to hang out with our good friends the Smedes. The Lord has allowed us to stay connected with them through the past 8 years in 3 different countries. They are on their way to Peru with Food for the Hungry in January. http://smedesonline.blogspot.com/
