Fall Fun!

Fall is my favorite time of year!  It has been so beautiful around our home with the trees changing colors and the leaves covering the ground.  Every time we get in the car I tell Avery how beautiful God has made His earth.  It has gotten to the point where she just says "aren't the trees pretty."  In so many ways fall is such a refreshing time of year.  We are beginning to see the fruit of ministry at NC State and Duke,  we are seeing Avery grow up before our very eyes, and we get to celebrate yet another year of growing in marriage.  

This past week has been quite an adventure for me personally.  Right after we had Avery I became very excited about the possibility of teaching other couples the natural childbirth method that Mike and I used.  We had such a great experience and it allowed Mike and I to grow closer.  This past weekend we finally put action to desire and I took a four day course in Atlanta.  It was a lot of fun, but very exhausting. I haven't sat in one place for that long in a very LONG time.  I also had a to study for a test.  Please pray that now that I have taken the class I can finish up the additional requirements and begin teaching.

These pictures are a sneak peak at our little Halloween Fairy. I bought the costume a few weeks ago and Avery tells me everyday that she is not going to wear it.  Needless to say, I kept the tags on just in case she meant what she said.  Well, yesterday she looked at me and asked to put it on so with great joy I got her all dressed up and told her we had to take pictures. My fear is that these may be the only pictures that we get.  We will have to see if she puts her Fairy costume back on Friday.

 

These pictures below are from our Fall Retreat in Myrtle Beach, SC.  We had a great time and were so excited to see how God is moving at NC State, Duke and UNC.  We had 64 students attend the retreat.  Mike did a great job  using Jacob's life to talk about how we tend to search for blessing in worldy gain and not in Christ as our Savior.  I think it really hit home with the students as they live in a culture that tells them such the opposite.
This is Avery on the beach.  We couldn't drive all the way to the beach and not touch the sand.  However,  this little girl is such a mess.  She immediately started crying when sand got on her feet and wanted me to wipe them off.  Who knew a two year old could care so much about being clean.  This is her distressed look I guess.  She is probably wondering why everyone else doesn't mind standing in the sand : )
Such good Buddies!  We had such a blast with our friends at the retreat.  I was so refueled getting to spend time with my friends Lia and Wendy.  Our little girls also had a blast together.  It was hard to get them apart at the end of the day.
This was a last resort activity. What you can't tell from this picture is that it was raining and less than 60 degrees outside.  Abby and Avery don't seem to mind.  I was in the hot tub also but with my head all the way in the water.  

Mike has turned a new leaf and started doing P90X very faithfully. He even has a few followers as you can see.  They look very intense, don't they?

So many activities must be followed by good rest.  I know that it is time to move Avery from her crib but look how much she enjoys it.  She uses her bumper as a body pillow.  Maybe one day I will get her out of that thing!

Thanks for catching up on our lives.  It seems like this time of year can be so busy but it is fun to sit quietly for a few moments and record where God has us in the Season and rejoice in all the He has done and continues to do in our family.