Life in SD

In an attempt to try and sastify the desires of those of you who are reading our blog and not seeing me (Nate) actually write anything, here is my first attempt at being a writer. First, I guess I would like to point out that I am not any good at writing, or at least I don't think I am. Actually, I don't necessarily feel like I am ever very good at explaining anything the way that I want to explain it, orally or in writing. I feel like I have the idea in my head, but I can't ever put the right words together to make it sound right and if I do think I am putting words together correctly so as to convey what I am thinking, I am often confronted with the reality that the person to whom I am conveying them still doesn't understand them.....so, here I sit writing hoping that you can understand and still care to read what I am writing! That having been said....I am moving on.

I have been commissioned by my beautiful bride to write a little of what has been going on in our lives, so as to keep you all up to date, so here goes:

- Well I suppose the thing that we have been doing the most is just being outside. We have spend much of the last month here in the Black Hills camping, hiking, biking, etc. Just this last Friday (I guess that would have been yesterday!) went rock climbing for the first time since the wedding, which was sweet! It was a great outing with our good friend Adam Pequette and also some kindred spirits from IWU, Paul Kind and Brandon Bruce. They are both here working at Fountain Springs Community Church and it was a blessing to have them along. Look for some pictures soon.....we hope :)

- Today we helped my mom move out of her trailer and into the basement of my grandma's house. It was quite a project, and we really only moved about half of her stuff. It was a huge blessing to be able to help and it has been an answer to prayer to see my mom move out of that trailer and in with my grandma, both for my mom's and for my grandma's sake. God has been good and we have been able to see his hand moving in the way he has worked this whole thing out, so that my mom could sell the trailer and move on with life. (if you think of it, the trailer is still up for sale, so prayers for a buyer would be greatly appreciated).

- Also this week, we went camping at Center lake. We worked the early shift on Wed. and the late shift on Thurs, so we were able to pack our stuff up and spend the night outside in the wonder of God's creation. It was, of course, and incredible time. We made some dinner over our stove (brocolli and cheddar rice with tuna), the same stove with which I started a somewhat large, but harmless fire with in our living room. (my wife's version of the story is not quite the same, it is posted below) :) We hiked around the lake, made a fire, had some smores (mmm...good), and called it a night. We took the scenic route home on Thursday and were back in plenty of time to get ready for work. We definitely enjoy being in a place where great mountain campsites and hikes are everywhere around us and I am pretty sure it is the thing we will miss most when we move back to Indiana.

I am sure there are more adventures which I am forgetting, but alas, time escapes me! ;) I guess I will end my first real post with something that has been bothering me for the last few hours. :) We got our pictures back from the photagraphers and they made a slide show thing for us of all the pics (which I am excited to watch), and they put it in this really nice little leather cd case thing, which was great. BUT then I looked at the picture that they had chosen to put inside the cover of the cd case and it was this wonderful picture of my outrageously attractive wife, looking stunning of course, with her hair perfect, her skin smooth and beautiful, and her smile...wow!!! And there I am right next to her with what looks like the mumps all over my face. It is like in the process of digital editing or whatever they do, they decided to "brush up" my face by adding a "few" beauty marks. grrr. Oh, well I guess that is what I get for marrying such a stunning woman...I get to be the ugly guy in all the pictures from now on. :)


Blessings to you all!!!

NL