Our new house

So we are building a home here... which was supposed to be completed by the end of February. They dug our basement on Feb 5 so I guess we are slightly behind schedule :) Our house is going to be beautiful with plenty of room for visitors, which is why we added the basement. The upstairs is fairly small (or smaller than we are used to) with about 1480 square feet. It has 2 bedrooms upstairs, which works out fine since we have 2 boys who enjoy sharing a room. It has been fun to watch them work and we are getting more and more excited about it.

I often take the boys to play at the park in the neighborhood and the other day I noticed something. I think one of the houses behind where we are building has some sort of wild animal reserve. There are definitely roosters and many other birds. I can't be to sure, but I may have heard a monkey. Luckily it isn't the house directly behind us, but next door to that... so we probably won't hear them, right?

We have been very blessed by the rental house we are staying in now. It is in a wonderful neighborhood and we have gotten to know a few of our neighbors. I think God had the delay in his plans. Part of me is sad to leave this neighborhood... but the good news is that we are only walking distance away. It has been fun to almost outgrow our house already. We have 5 families now that meet on Sunday nights and a total of 7 children. The oldest child is 5. It is funny to hear all the noise coming from upstairs during our Bible Study. With 5 boys... it sounds like chaos upstairs (but it is controlled). It will be much nicer when we can watch the kids in the basement and they will have a lot more to do. God has been so faithful! One of the families found our website the first day Loren put it up. Another family met Amanda at Carl's Jr. It is truly exciting to see God adding to our numbers those who will come along side us to help reach this community for Christ! We have been building relationships with many people in the community and are so excited to see what the Lord will do. He is so faithful!!!

home in Utah

We have been in Utah for about a month now. It felt like home surprisingly fast... especially since we still have half of our belongings in the garage awaiting our home we are building. The house we are renting is smaller than we are used to, but is plenty for our family right now, and our neighbors have been amazing. The first week we were here almost every neighbor came to introduce themselves and have been genuinely friendly ever since. Most of our neighbors are in about the same life stage as us with small children or just beginning a family. We have spent some time with the couple next door and we are really enjoying their company. We are very "TV compatible" and watch " Community" together on Thursday nights. We are really excited to get to know them better. And the best part is... they know why we moved here and still want to be our friends!

One thing that has really helped with the transition is that we have never been here alone. Cydney moved first (the most courageous of us all) and then Gianni. Blake and Amanda moved shortly after we arrived and we have had visitors every other week. Tamara is now here with us for 3 months and it is so great to have a kindred spirit around. Loren and I haven't been alone since we got here, but I am really enjoying having people around during this time when usually I would be a mess. I guess I just haven't had time to be lonely yet and have been to busy to be homesick. I think I am on the verge of a melt down soon though... it is bound to happen :)

Church planting in Utah is a very slow process. There is so much to be done and SO MANY relationships to form. We have been very blessed by the other pastors here and their willingness to work together... across denominational lines. We are also seeing that Christians in this area (the few that there are) have really had to count the cost and are living out their faith. You don't have as many casual christians... There are a ton of really religious people and a ton of very secular people, kinda like in the New Testament, I guess. I am a bit overwhelmed at the task ahead of us, but know that God is the one who will bring the increase. We are doing our best to be faithful to Him and to the ministry that He has called us. We really love South Davis County and are doing what we can to get involved in the city here.

Right now, I think I just need to have a good laugh. You know one of those days where you can't stop giggling and you laugh so hard that you cry... that's what I need. And I also need a doughnut!