Back for round 2!

We are back in California! We feel so lucky to have been able to come home for the summer and see our friends and family. It was great to be back. Our summer was so much more busy than we had expected, but it was good. Eli got to work, and I even got to work. We got to see some friends and most our family. And the kids loved being back. Zayin spent most of the summer with Grandma Sally at Castle Rock and was in heaven getting to run around and do boy stuff. Zoe grew like a weed this summer and just blossomed socially. She loved all the attention she got from family and friends. But back to the real world...or California.

This year we are hoping for a year of transformation! Last year was really tough on us, but we made it. We consider last year as our year of transition. This time we want to get everything we can! Eli is going to school for his second year and is loving it so much. He is also auditing the morning track, that way he gets more classes in. So he goes some days from 8am- 5:30pm. He also gets to lead a small group of first years this year. All this plus the required services add up to about 70 hrs a week of school, homework, groups, and services! Yikes! There are also conferences we both want to attend this year. So many things we want to do, I just pray there is enough time for it all.

I am going to Raising Tomorrows Leaders which is a mommy group and the speakers include Bill Johnson and his wife so it should be completely amazing. I'm really excited about that one. There is also a event coming up called Children's Leaders Transformation School that I'm trying to attend. It's a five day, all day workshop and conference. The speakers include: Seth Dahl (the Children's Pastor at Bethel), Amy Gagnon (the nursery, and pre-school pastor at Bethel), and Brittany Serpell who is Danny Silk's daughter. Plus a few others. I can't even fathom how amazing this is going to be. There are other things always coming up and I will update everyone when we hear about them, or decided to go.

Zayin and Zoe are doing amazing! Zayin is in Pre-K this year and his teachers say he is doing really well. He has come home with projects and is so proud of them. His drawing and coloring is getting so good! I wish I knew how or had the equipment to scan his drawings and post them. He is getting more and more into music, dancing, and singing. We are still trying to find someone to work with him on dance. Uncle Dan said he would teach him drums, we just have to figure out a place to set them up that our neighbors wont be upset with us. A drum set in an apartment complex just doesn't seem to be the best idea ever.

Zoe is still our little mama. According to her teachers in kids church, she helps take care of all the kids younger than her. This week she was trying to get this baby's socks and shoes on and then she was leading another little one around almost the entire time. She is just as girlie as ever and becoming quite the little drama queen. I think we are definitely going to have to get her into some acting classes or something. She follows Zayin everywhere and is his little shadow, which sometimes is not the best thing, but I guess it's better than fighting all the time.

So over all the first month back has been really good. We are all just about back into the groove and I think October is going to be amazing. I'm excited to get everything we can, and just busy ourselves with learning and experiencing Papa. Hope y'all have an amazing week. Lots of Love!!
Crystal

Wow! It has been a while. Things have been going really well and we have been keeping busy. I am still working at the gym in the kids club and I still enjoy it a lot. The kids love to go with me too.  I'm hoping to sign up for 6 more months when I get back from Montana. Other than that I have been busy doing all sorts of house work, and trying to keep up with the kids. Zoe has decided she is potty trained, which sounds great, however, it's hard to tell if it's going to stay that way. She is talking more and more and is really fun to listen to. Zayin is discovering a little more what all it takes to be a big brother. They are amazing children and wonderful siblings. They really are sweet to each other most of the time.
Eli had a missions trip that he went on for a week in the end of March. He said it was amazing and God did so many things there. I am trying to get him to write a little something about it to share with every one. He is still working security, and is doing really well at it too. Loving school and is excited about next year. We haven't heard for sure, but every one he talks to says they are positive he will get in. This last week has been hard on him because he picked up a couple extra shifts so he worked long hours and is just trying to catch up on some sleep now. But at least he has a job. =)
Zayin received another award this week at school for discernment. We went to watch him receive it and it was so much fun. Definitely proud parents that's for sure. We also had an Easter egg hunt on Saturday that we signed the kids up and they had a blast! There were bouncy houses, baby chicks, little carnival games, popcorn, and just a bunch of fun! Then that night we all went to the musical that the school puts on and it was actually really good! Zayin had already seen it at school, but loved watching it again. Even Zoe sat through most of it. And today, well it was busy! We went to church this morning and the worship was some of the best since we got here, if not THE best. So good! The kids and I wanted to go to the car show that was in town, but by the time we got there it was over. We got to see a couple of beautiful cars that hasn't been put in there trailers yet and one guy let Zayin get into the trailer to take a picture with the car. We still had fun, even in the rain and with very few cars. Then tonight we went to the carnival to let the kids run around. We ended up letting Zayin ride a couple, and Zoe got to ride one and she got a stuffed animal from Uncle Dan (the guy we met from MT at BSSM). All in all a great day.
We are still missing every one so very much, and I am excited to see people when I come home this summer. No plans are for sure just yet, but soon enough we will get it all figured out. I hope you all are doing well and enjoying yourselves. Happy Easter!!! And have a joy filled week!
Crystal

New Year: So far So good!

This year has already been a roller coaster! It's been 10 days and I feel like so much has happened! Let's see. Well, Eli has gotten a part time job. He gets to work Friday and Saturday nights so far. We are hoping for more hours, but we will take what we can get at this point. What's nice though is it's a quiet post so nothing too exciting happens there. Another thing is we have gotten some amazing gifts in the mail from some friends and family back home. We also received more Christmas cards this year than ever before which was so needed and made us feel so loved. We have had some news on the condo, but nothing for sure. We still need huge prayer for our condo to sell, it would be a huge relief and weight lifted off of us. We have been proclaiming this year as a year of favor and blessing, and God does not disappoint! We have received so many answers to prayers in the last couple weeks it's absolutely mind boggling. Eli and I have been in tears numerous times for good, humbling things and some for stress and heartbreak, but all in all a growing and stretching couple of weeks.

Zayin and Zoe are still being crazy kids. Zayin is still growing and growing. The other day he informed me that God has wings so he can fly, but Jesus doesn't because he walks here with us. I mean seriously? I would never have imagined my little 4 year old saying something like that. It's crazy. I'm trying to start writing down all the things he says because I don't want to forget. Zoe has continued to be a little dare devil over and over again. She keeps me on my toes for sure and there is never a dull moment in this house. But I guess that's OK because we are never bored!

We are going to keep treking and know that God is going to provide for us and that He loves us more than I think we will ever know. He has already blown our minds, and done so much for us. I pray that you all will know God's favor on your lives.

Hope you have had a wonderful New Year so far and I pray that there is nothing but increase in Joy, Love, and Peace in the rest of the year. Love all y'alls!!
Crystal

Merry Christmas! Bring on the New Year!

As I am sitting here writing this, there is actually a skiff of snow on the ground! Amazing! Zayin and I got to watch the snow fall last night for New Years, and he was actually pretty excited.  We have had a busy busy couple of weeks, but exciting none the less. Mom came to visit for Christmas which was nice. She flew in on the 23rd and left back to Bozeman early the 31st. Zayin loved having her here, and Zoe was so happy and loved cuddling her.  Mom spoiled us once again. We got a spectacular Christmas dinner, and she got us Christmas stuff, and then to top off the visit she took us to Chuck e Cheese. Zayin was so excited, he almost couldn't control himself.  It was a great visit.

On Christmas Eve Zayin left out cookies and milk for Santa, and an apple for Rudolf. He wrote a little note saying: "Here are some cookies for you. Thank you. God Bless Everyone. Oh and the apple is for Rudolf." It was really cute. Eli gasped and said, " Zayin I think I heard bells!" So they ran to the window and looked out, then Zayin said, "I gotta go to bed!" And ran to his bed and went to sleep. So sweet. Apparently Zayin got up at 5am the next morning, but came out and cuddled with Grandma for a while. I think we ended up getting up at 6:30 or 7am. The poor kid had waited long enough. We got up opened presents, then the stockings, and just had a chill day. Watched some movies, and enjoyed having company. We cooked a turkey, stuffing, gravy, and had "Uncle Paul's" dessert. All in all it was a great Christmas. We missed all out other things we usually do at home, but we tried to just enjoy a quiet Christmas this year.

Over the last couple of weeks the weather has been go gloomy. I don't mind the constant rain, it's the cloudy with no sun that gets to me. And I was starting to feel really homesick and missing people really bad. Kinda feeling forgotten. But God provides, and He cares about the little things that are important to me. On the day that I was feeling the worst, I opened the mail box and there were a whole stack of Christmas Cards! It made me feel so loved and much better! Then we got a call about our assistance that we filed for back in September, saying we had been denied. There must have been a misunderstanding so we are trying to figure it out, but anyways it took us for kind of a spin. Then the night that Eli and I talked about it and decided that it was an attack and not something we had done wrong. We both declared that we knew God would take care of us, and we really shouldn't worry. Over that next week, we received 2 checks in the mail, a call from someone who wants to support us, and someone put money in Eli's account with Bethel! It's been so humbling, amazing, and shocking the help we have received and it makes us feel so loved, and more and more amazed at how God really does take care of us. We are constantly learning and stretching ourselves. It really has been quite the experience so far.

Eli has started his job. He has had 4 shifts so far and seems to be doing well with it. The first post wasn't so nice, but the last couple have been good. He did have to work last night, so we had a pretty quite evening with just Carrie, the kids and I. He has been enjoying the Christmas break and the free time. Soon enough the schedule will continue and life will be back to somewhat normal.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and I pray that this New Year is full of blessings for you and unfounded love. Thank you for everything you all have done, and for letting us share this adventure with you. We miss you so bad! Sending our love!
Crystal