What have we been up to?

I haven't been the best blogger this summer!  

But we have kept pretty busy, so maybe I have an excuse ;)

MAY:

Andy was gone, as I've written earlier, during the whole month of May

leading his 2012-2013 Antioch Training School class

on their overseas trip to the Middle East.

They did a tour of 4 different nations and had an amazing time.

Two students felt called to return in some capacity, 

and 5 students were asked to join our church staff here in Tempe.

So I would say that was a successful school year!

I am extremely proud of Andy and the way he has led these folks well.

I'm so thankful that Andy has been able to fully walk out in his teaching gifting...

more on that later.

While he was away, I kept busy.  

My mother in law came out to visit, 

I went home to Boston for my brother's graduation,
had my dad visit,
and worked a lot!

JUNE:  

Andy came back (yay!) and we were in the thick of infertility meds.

By the time he returned home on June 2nd, 

I had been shooting myself up 4x/day with different hormones and meds.

(These were to pump up my ovaries and get them ready to produce multiple eggs.)

My cycle of meds lasted my longer than expected, so I was doing this for about 4 weeks

by the time I had my final ultrasound and got the green light for the egg retrieval procedure.

Andy had to have his own procedure the day before mine, 

so we were both laid up for a couple days recooping.

We also enjoyed an amazing and perfectly-timed (God) trip to Disneyland!

You can read my 2 blog posts on our trip.

JULY:

July seemed like a long month to me.

I was on a break from a lot of the fertility treatments for most of the month, 

and we both just worked.

It has been great to have my dad in town all summer for work, 

so we've spent a good amount of time with him.

That has been sweet!  It's great having family nearby.  

I've never really known that since 

before college!

Here are some pics of things we did in July...

Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-a!

My brother Nick came to visit!

Birthday dinner I made for Dad on July 16th

We babysat these little things to give mom, dad, and newborn baby brother a night out.

Date Night!

(end of JULY)/AUGUST:

Finally, our whole church staff drove up to Snowbird, Utah

at the end of July for a 4 day Antioch US Church Planting Conference (USCon).  

It was an amazing time getting together with old and new friends, 

sweet times in worship, 

powerful teachings, 

great scenery, 

and re-envisioning as church leaders and church planters.

We always come away from these conferences refreshed and ready 

to see God do all that He wants to do in our city,

and we come away feeling personally refreshed, too.

It was a sweet time. 

Here are some pics...

I love my Camera+ app on my iPhone.  Gorgeous!

worshipping

Andy and 2 guys on staff, Wil and Steven

Me and Kristen with Emily (L), from Boston, and Maddie (R), from Tempe

Most of our team on the road trip back home... at In N Out, of course!

We also celebrated our 4th anniversary on August 8th!

Wow, time flies.  I'm so thankful to be married to my best friend.  

That was such a fun and beautiful day.

I love looking at my wedding photos...

and I'm excited to see what God has in store for our 5th year of marriage!