What's new

Summer officially ended for us! :( Boo :( I really could have used about 3 more weeks of summer, but oh well.
Here we are three and a half weeks into school. This is the start of my 9th year teaching!! Wow! I truly can't believe it has been that long. It doesn't feel like that long ago I was just starting out. I guess another event in my life to look upon and say "man...how time flies". Pete is starting his 2nd year at Marshalltown High School and is coaching freshmen football again this year. We are discovering that our weeks fill up very quickly with school, youth group, bible study, football games and just normal daily activities. We won't complain though. We feel very blessed to be surrounded by a great church family and great youth group kids that make the weeks something to look forward to.
This summer, we weren't really able to take any vacations. Only if you consider trips to the ER, hospital stays and surgery a vacation..then maybe! Those medical bills were, by far, the most expensive "vacation" I have ever taken! I am feeling GREAT now though, so again, we can't complain. Just really thankful it happened over the summer so I didn't have to juggle school stuff while being sick.
Here is a glipse of what we did this summer...
Back in April, I surprised my BFF, Jill,with tickets to the New Kids On The Block concert in Chicago. Oh my goodness this was such a blast!!! We will never forget the fun we had that night..Or the fact that Jon Knight reached out to touch Jill...and I touched him TOO!! :) We rocked out to all the NKOTB oldies and surprisingly I knew the words to almost all of their songs!! :) It made me feel like I was 13 again!

Of course, my summer wouldn't be completely without a trip to the Iowa State Fair. :) When the calendar came out a year ago I was really bummed that it was going to overlap with school. Jill then drew my attention the the fact that one of my favorite singers Steven Curtis Chapmen was going to be performing on the first night. Jill worked hard to get us tickets and we came out with 2nd row center stage...NOT BAD! :) Helps to know someone who can sit in the handicap section! Love ya Jill! :)
Steven Curtis Chapmen

Jeremy camp opened the night...he is also another favorite of ours!

We were offered some free tickets to the ICubs game in Des Moines so my family packed up and headed out. This was my first ICubs experience. It was a great time and a beautiful night for a baseball game!

My nephew, Pete, and I at the game.

Here is an amazing friend of mine, Jana! She has been such a God send. I remember a few years ago praying and asking the Lord to bring a believing teacher to my school. I had a great believing friend there a few years ago, Grace, but she has since moved on to raise her family. We do have some believers in my building, but they are all in their 50's, which isn't a bad thing and I love them dearly! Then the Lord introduced me to Jana!!! We had so much in common and she loves the Lord...she seeps his Word and sheds Light into my life DAILY!! Thank you Lord, for Jana!! BTW-she is the one that gave us the free tickets! :)

Couldn't put a picture of Mason on here and not put a picture of my precious niece, Mallory! She is trying to sneak up on me. Love her!! :)


Now "Where are we at with things?", I have had a few of you ask.
After much prayer,careful considerations and lots of evaluating we have decided to go ahead and pursue another round of InVitro. This has not been an easy decision for us. We have spent a lot of time reflecting and pouring our hearts out to God in hopes that he will give us guidance. As we talked it over with each other, it was amazing how we were actually feeling the exact same way. A coincidence..NO...we believe that it is completely God! He has a way of speaking to our hearts if we listen! We will be starting the process this month but the "big stuff" wont happen for another 30 days or so.
We humbly ask for your prayers in this time. We are so vulnerable right now and are stepping out in Faith. We know that God is faithful; we know he is all knowing..we know that our days rest in his hands! We humbly ask that you pray for strength and courage to go through this process again. We also ask that you pray for peace and guidance. We know that if this time it doesn't take, we will pursue adoption...which is another giant mountain. We are willing to do whatever it takes to hold our children in our arms and love them forever.

In God's Hands,

Pete and Darcy