Embracing Branson

There is so much of me that wants to recall some funny story or amazing memory that we have created here in Branson. But the thing is . . . I am sitting in a motel office without AC getting internet for the first time in a week and the other part of me just can't do it. So here is a teaser.


This pic is actually from our anniversary in Memphis for a couple of days. We walked around downtown Memphis and tried to eat at the best places the town had to offer. So needless to say we ate delicious fried chicken!

And here is a sneak peak at the women I am honored to lead this summer. Starting at the left, we have Ashley from University of North Texas, Marianne from UF, and Suzie from University of Lousiana, Monroe (suzie is praying about joining marianne and I at UF, she just can't get enough). These women have joined me in marveling at Jesus this summer. Would you help me pray for their spiritual growth this summer?

Also, I had the opportunity to share the gospel with an 18 year old named Aubree, would you also pray that we would have the chance to meet together to discuss what Jesus has done for her?

Finally, we have recently started relationships with international students from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Spiritual discussions are all over the place, please pray with me for these precious ones to know their Savior.

I am off to a pool party and ice cream social we are holding to get to know our students co-workers more.

quick update

Branson has been a whirlwind since we have been here. For those who have never been here, it is impossible to understand unless you see it with you very own eyes. It has been called a clean hillbilly las vegas, and I am not sure I disagree. There is so much to do here, it is a mecca of lights, shows, and tourist traps. But we love it! It will be such an adventure for us to live in a motel along with 65 other people in our program and try to serve God each other and the people around us without tearing each other apart piece by piece. Actually I know it will provide a platform for the Lord to work on our hearts individually to become more like Him. I know my patience and humility will be tested time and time again. thanks for everyone who has been praying for our summer and those who might start!
I do praise God for the staff team we are working with and the amazing team leaders that will make this program shine!
Pics will hopefully come sometime throughout the summer.

Named after a postman

Branson MO is our destination for the summer. We are embarking to the Ozarks for 9 weeks to live and work in the "family-friendly Las Vegas". John and I will be a part of a Navigator staff team who will provide intensive training for students. They will work at the different theme parks and we will provide them with bible studies, evangelism training, a chance to get to know God better and a lot of fun. We don't know what to expect except for hard work, chiggers and great memories. If you think of it you could pray for our travels . . . we leave in less than 10 hours, and for the overall success of our summer.
Looking at the collage above, I am not sure there is a better place to invest summer time?

Our versary

Me and the Mr. made it two years! Celebrations!

I am so thankful for the reality of how amazing marriage has been. The past two years have been filled with adventures, lessons, challenges and a lot of fun. I love the journey that the Lord has us on. What a complete treasure He has given me in John. He deserves all of the praise from John and I. We owe our joy to Him, and we desperately need Him to walk us through His happily ever after.

Cream of Colorado Soup

We made it back to Colorado just in time for me to join my gals to celebrate Katie's going away into marriage party. The Melting Pot delighted our senses as it does, it was so good to laugh with my friends!

Katie on the right is now betrothed to a dashing young Ryan McCulley. Congrats you two.

Fun-loving David and Pamela took us on a spin around town to the free beer tastings. New Belgium always pulls through for us. And then we ate some of the best that FoCo has to offer at Cooper Smiths. Thanks for the treat Tetens.

Enjoying good ol' Coca Cola at the Moddelmog-McCulley wedding.

David and I celebrated our graduation together too. Except for that it looks like we are going on a cruise instead. We'll take it anyway.

My momma on Mother's Day. Poor woman had to host a graduation party on her day of love. Thats the love of a mother though. What a picture of grace, beauty and strength this woman is.

Our favorite stop of the trip was seeing sweet Vivian Joy. John got to hold her forever because I was and still am dying from the plague of eastern colorado. But she was so fun to watch and Kristi is a perfect mom for her. It is going to be hard to watch our nieces grow up over the virtual world of emails and blogs, but they are so pretty we will take all the pictures we can get. Thanks once again to the willagers of Colorado for our fun-filled week.

I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

My Suz came to visit Flo-rida. She was in Gainesville for a few short hours, but we squeezed in a campus tour, and pizza with those left in town.

This is a fun picture because it shows 3 spiritual generations. Suz met with me in college and was also met with by Melissa Nugent who also now pours into me. And then I meet with the two amazing ladies on the left. Nikki and Brittney are spending there summers at Eagle Lake with Suz, so they are going to call her grandma all summer . . . all because of the wonders of discipleship! beauty.

New Hairs for the Big Grad

There is much to blog about. The whole world passed by in the past month, at least it felt like it to us. Wowzers. First of all, I am DONE with school. Raise the roof, praise the Lord, and open a bottle of champagne! Woohoo. To celebrate John and I laid by the pool, the Nugents hosted a party for me and I got a hair cut.

Freshest Babe on the Block!

What a precious babe! Noelle Ruth Maschhoff entered the world this week. How excited we all are about her and proud of Joy's triumphant work to get her here. God loves His little ones.

Sleeping At Last

We went to Jacksonville for the weekend. Mostly to see Sleeping At Last in concert, but we took the opportunity to meet one of our student's family, go to the beach and check out the town! It was a lot of fun. My favorite part was Rita's ice cream. It was the highlight of the WHOLE weekend. And the weekend was a lot of fun, so that is saying a whole lot about a small cup of custard with italian ice! Love it.

We are gearing up for the last couple of weeks on campus. John has been arranging some of the last meetings with our students, and will be busy getting us ready for the summer in Branson. I have quite a few papers to write (6 to be exact.) But the end of those papers means the end of my undergrad life as I know it. I cannot wait. We hope to have a little celebration with our students, they are just as excited for me to graduate, it makes up for not getting to experience it in real time.

After school, staff meetings at the beach and some visitors we head to Colorado to cram everything we love about the state into one week. Then we are off to Branson. I am sure this time is about to fly by, hopefully I can hold on to it long enough to get that degree! I am sure the Lord would accept your prayers on my behalf.

Band of Horses

We snagged some tickets to one of our favorite bands for a show at the end of March. They have some pretty sweet melodies . . . awesome beats . . . and stellar sounds. Right?

One of their songs is in my playlist at the right of the screen, you can click on "Funeral" to see what the heck they sound like. Just imagine the guy in front, singing with buggy eyes and jerky head movements to get the full effect. We has such a good time, and this weekend we get to go to Jacksonville for another sweet concert. Sleeping at Last is playing and I am sure to post some pics from that adventure.

My family came . . .

This is the final installment of my family's trip out here. They had a flight through the night so when they finally arrived in Gainesville we had a blueberry pancake breakfast.We had such a good time showing them around the town, walking around campus, playing catch phrase and sharing our lives with them for the week.

And of course we went to the swamp to show them how rediculously big it is. We watched a ton of people who are too healthy for their own good run the steps of the stadium, and all of a sudden down my mom goes to the bottom of the steps ans starts jogging up them towards us. John and i have shown plenty of visitors the swamp on numerous occassions and we have never tried running the steps. Who would have thought my mom would be the one to show us all up by doing it? So then one by one we were all curious enough about our own state of health that we all tried to run it. In jeans and flip flops we all did it. Of course my brother did it looking like a true athlete.

Once again family, thank you for getting your buns out here to see us. We treasured every moment! And look forward to seeing you out here again soon!!!

John-loves-me-not-so-much-my-new-sungies-montage

Surprising that I let him take these pictures considering that the previous day we took a pic of ourselves, John turns to look at the screen and says "you look kind of creepy in your new shades babe!" Is he kidding? I look obnoxious, but definetly not creepy!

St Augustine

We spent the weekend at the beach. Saturday was a little chill outside so we walked around the historic town of St. Augustine. One of our favorite spots is Flagler College. There were a number of statues . . . which to the men translates "photo op"
John loves Lions, so this is like gold to him. He looks pretty ferocious.

The men are imitating Henry Flagler, But just their faces are humorous enough without the statue.

And then finally, surrounding the college is detailed artwork in the cement of naked angel babies, so once again, their imitation, clothed style.

Few braved the water, only because it was windy and not warm enough to want to get into it. But the men claim it was warmer than the air.

A favorite stop on the beach is Beachcombers restuarant. Yum food

my beautiful sister catchin rays . . . or sand in the face, she looks great either way!

Brandon's Montage

He is risen indeed!!

We were at Vilano Beach near St. Augustine over the weekend. So our Sunday morning church was watching the sun rise with our bibles and coffee. Praise God that He is risen.

This is the reaction of John and Brandon when I said "Your Savior is risen, how do you feel?"

John and I were a little confused. Somehow we reinacted Jesus' birth rather than his victory over sin and death by playing Joseph and Mary.