Holiday Greetings!

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas everyone! I had to remind myself this morning that this holiday season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus...not Santa. Anyway, Kate and I have been very busy recently. I am finishing up the Captains Career Course and will soon be an instructor at the Army's Infantry Officer School. I'm looking forward to the challenge and the rewards of teaching a motivated group of men. Kate is still working hard at our Church with children's ministries. She's also still studying weekly for her childbirth education certification. Kate and I have had an incredible past 7 months here at Fort Benning. Our free time was extensive, and we have been incredibly blessed to see each other so often. We've had chances to travel, throw parties, and host a number of friends over at our home. Most recently we had a "Person In a Song" party in which everyone had to dress up from a character in a song (ie. dress up like Lucy from "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"). Kate made a music trivia game, and a ton of our friends from CrossPointe Church came and hung out. It was such a hit that we're already planning our next party...most likely themed in a way to again give an excuse to dress up in hilarious outfits.

This holiday season will be very exciting for all of us. We'll be able to see lots of family which is great. We hope that you all also have a relaxing, rejuvenating holiday break! Merry Christmas again!

School Is a Breeze and Dog Has Been Fun

Dear Friends,

Well, I am making an early new years resolution...to be a more disciplined in giving updates on this blog. I guess that I should start with updating you on Kate. She has been hard at work in a variety of areas...setting up our home, volunteering at our church, studying for her classes, hosting new friends at our house, and most recently taking care of our new dog (Dawson is a golden doodle and has been a blast to have around). I, on the other hand, have never been as un-busy as I have been so far in my army school. There are periods where I learn a lot and a crazy day or two, but there is plenty of downtime to make up for it. Kate and I have really been blessed these first 6 months of marriage with all the time spent together. By the way...this past week was our 6-month mark! It is crazy to think about, but we were married in Michigan 6 months ago. Time really has begun to fly since we've been down in Georgia. We're doing our best to just enjoy it.

What else? Well, we're looking forward to seeing some friends and family over the holidays. We're also ready for some MidWest snow. The temps have finally dropped here in Columbus, but it will be nice to get a little taste of the snow again. In a weird way we both miss it...not the 7 month duration...rather just the first snow!

Alright, I'll write again soon. I hope you enjoyed this little update Bye!

Georgia Aquarium Plus Other Fun Stuff

Trip to the Georgia Aquarium


David Hard At Work With His First Big Project

Dear Friends,

Kate and I have really started to settle down here in Georgia. I started my school about three weeks ago and Kate is hard at work making friends, taking care of me, and studying to get her certification completed in childbirth education. We've both been busy, but we usually find the time to relax. We really are fortunate to have such a low-key schedule for our first few months of marriage. We miss our friends in Washington and our families back in the MidWest, but Georgia is turning into a home for us.

Last weekend Kate and I had a great time going up to Atlanta for a date day. Kate planned the whole thing and surprised me with it. We started off at the Georgia Aquarium taking in the huge exhibits complete with gigantic whale sharks, manta rays, beluga whales, and a host of other underwater creatures. We then went to something called "Dialogue in the Dark". This was an experience to remember. We were ushered through a series of rooms designed to look like regular every-day locations like a grocery store, a park, and even a restaurant...except everything was completely pitch black. We were given a "seeing" stick and led by a guide who had been blind since he was 32. We emerged an hour later with a new found appreciation and respect for those people who have lived every day of their lives without their sight. It also made the stories of Jesus healing the blind a bit more tangible for us. It was by far our best date day since we have been down in Georgia.

Anyway, we miss all of you a lot, and I hope that this small update was fun for you to read. Enjoy the pictures, and I would definitely recommend going to the Georgia Aquarium if you all ever get a chance. Bye!

David and Kate

Top 10 New Things In Our Life...

Dear Friends,

I have not been as disciplined in updating this blog as I should of recently. I have no excuse. However, I am taking the time now to fill everyone in on where Kate and I are...with a little "Top Ten New Things" list. I hope you feel better informed after this.

(1) Kate and I's 2 month marriage mark is in 4 days!
(2) Kate and I are living in Columbus, GA.
(3) Kate and I have our first rental home together!
(4) My course/job here in Georgia starts this Tuesday and lasts through December.
(5) We had our first house guest this past week at the Fahs B&B, Reed Timme. The guest room was a big hit. He said the guest bed was extremely comfortable.
(6) Kate is looking at many different options down here to get involved in, and we are both very excited to see where she ends up investing her time.
(7) Our first kitchen together is awesome thanks to all the generous gifts of our wedding guests. We have been eating some delicious meals thanks to Kate's cooking skills!
(8) We painted 4 of the rooms in the house all of which look great...again thanks to Kate's skills in interior decorating.
(9) We've been attending CrossPointe church and plugging in with the Navigators discipleship ministry here which continues to be very encouraging to both of us.
(10) We found a cool little Saturday farmer's market and a lot of other sweet spots here in Columbus. The South has much to offer!

Well, I hope that catches some of you up to speed and provides a good review for others. Kate and I are really enjoying marriage life together. It is different from single, dating, and/or engaged life...but so much better too! Until next time...bye!

David and Kate

Rebirth, One Flight, and Home Shopping

Friends,

Life for Kate and I right now is incredibly exciting. As you can see, Kate was baptized this past Easter. I was fortunate enough to be able to baptize her with our wedding pastor, Pastor Eric. It was an incredible service, and I truly do feel blessed to be able to have that memory with Kate. She was one of about 680 people who were baptized into the name of Jesus at the service. It was a spiritual rebirth celebration!

Kate actually has already traveled back home to Michigan about a week before me to finish planning for the wedding with her mom. She packed up, caught a red eye flight and didn't miss a beat...starting to knock out the final details as soon as she landed. It's been great to see the plans come along so well. We still have a little bit to go, but it's incredible to think that we'll be married in 12 days! I on the other hand have another important task to accomplish before getting to Michigan. I arrive to Georgia this Thursday to house hunt and hopefully find Kate and I a great place to rent before we arrive in June. All in all, Kate and I continue to have quite a busy schedule. We'd appreciate your continued prayer...that we enjoy our time in the coming weeks rather than stressing about any of the little things and that we instead remain focused on Christ and His blessings that He continues to give us right now. We were reflecting a couple days ago just how greatly God has worked in both of our lives this past year. We look forward to the next together!

Well, I'll write again soon (hopefully before the wedding). Until then!

Forgot To Blog...And My Camera

Dear Friends,

Well, this past month I have been in Germany for work and Kate has been back in Washington working hard and preparing for our upcoming wedding. This time apart has been difficult, but we've both admitted to each other that God has used it for His good. We both had time to do things that we just wouldn't have had opportunity to do if our normal routine (of driving one hour just to see each other) would have allowed. Plus, now that it's over it makes being together so much more of a tangible blessing.

Kate was able to host her mom who came out for a week to help plan for our wedding...as well as experience some of the Seattle culture and beautiful weather (it actually was quite unseasonably beautiful!). She continues to love her work with the children's ministry and the kiddos at Mars Hill. (Tip for single guys out there: find a beautiful single girl who's good with kids...pretty good indicator she'll be a good mother for your own kids one day). I on the other hand have been able to simply read a ton and experience a change of pace this past month. My work here in Germany has been steady, long hours...but I've always had time for myself too.

Well, I will be back stateside soon! I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Bye!

Gone For A Little Whaile...

Dear Friends,

I leave for Germany in about 6 hours, and I wanted to give one last update while I was still stateside. The details of what I'm doing in Germany aren't as important as the opportunities that I will have while out of the states. It seems that God has a way of making Soldiers a captive audience whenever we are deployed. Despite this being a rather safe and short deployment, the same applies now for me. This next month I'm hoping for opportunities to really dive into the Word and get some perspective on how God is directing Kate and I's life together. I also see it as an incredible opportunity to reach out to a very captive audience in Germany...guys who are all away from home, their routine, and the things which normally consume them. My personal prayer is that God uses me to reach out to them at every opportunity. Kate also will need your prayer this next month as she is going to be working crazy hours, preparing for the wedding, and completing a myriad of other tasks back in Seattle. We are praying together that we would be allowed to use this time apart mindfully knowing that our gift of singleness is only going to be given for 60 more days!

Ultimately, we are excited for this next month...for its opportunities and the fact that when I return means there is only one more month until Kate and I get married! We appreciate all of you friends and family who read this blog, and we hope that you all are also encouraged by our continued story. Until next time!