School & Pregnancy Update...

This school has been incredible already.  Brandon & I LOVE LOVE LOVE DTS so much & we are so thankful for God's faithfulness already with this school.  17 students (& 4 BLS students alongside them) are just beginning their 3rd week of the school.

They came from near and far.  We have 3 international students, from Switzerland, Germany, & Finland.  But we also have 6 from here in California.  They have all chosen a track to focus their creative time in:  photography, visual arts, performing arts, music, or surfing.  Things are just getting started in those tracks, with the first art show this Thursday night at Farmer's Market.  I am working with the photography students, so they will be showcasing their photos on Thursday night.  Brandon is working with the music students, and I am not sure what they have planned.  I am also helping guide the performing arts students, and they are currently putting together a flash mob, 2 dramas, and then later on, another dance.

Outreach teams have been formed, 3 teams, led by our 3 wonderful DTS staffers.  2 will travel to Kenya, & 1 to South America.  Then all 3 teams will journey to Nicaragua & finish their outreach time there.  Brandon & I are hoping to join them all at some point... likely we will be able to make it to Kenya and then Nicaragua... but we'll have to see how little miss Capri's entrance to our arms all works out.

Thank you so much for all your prayers as we were preparing for this DTS... they have been felt!

This pregnancy has flown by for us.  Capri is due in less than 2 months, but we have a hunch she'll arrive a little before.  I think God has protected us from worry & anxiety of becoming parents of 2 children by distracting us with everything else going on in life.  I rarely have a moment to take it all in.  Shiloh is getting more and more excited about 'baby sissy'.  She has no idea how much her world is about to change!  Hahaha, but she is excited about the fact that when 'Mommy goes to the doctor to take baby sissy out' she 'gets to go play with her friends at their house'.  :)  She's been enthralled with the few things labeled "Baby Sissy" in her room (ie, the crib, changing pad, tiny baby clothes, car seat, etc).

I have been more tired than before, but still feeling a whole lot better this pregnancy than with Shiloh's. I am eager to stop expanding.   But I know my belly has a whole lot more growing to do.  Capri is supposedly about 3lbs now, and so she will at least double in size before she's born.  Crazy.  We can't wait to see her and what she looks like!

Thats about all for now, I'll leave you with some photos...

DTS Begins...

Our much anticipated DTS begins today.

Whoa.

17 students.  Which is crazy because that is the largest DTS to date for our base.

Plus there is a Basic Leadership School running alongside this DTS, another first for YWAM Pismo Beach... our first ever secondary school.  5 students on that school.  Their school began last week.

So by this evening when we kick things off, there will be 22 students coming together to embark on a crazy 6 months of discipleship & leadership training.

Whoa again.

I always compare DTS to running a marathon.  Its a long race, so you can't think 'immediate' or 'now'.  You have to have a long haul mentality.

Our pace of life changes when DTS begins.  We love it.  It has its hard times... life becomes "go go go" and with intensity.

:)  But its been much anticipated.  And we are very excited to begin this DTS & see what God has for these 17... well, 22 incredible people.

Our staff are incredible as well... Brandon & I are super honored to have 3 people who are so amazing and they really make our work easy (and they make us look gooohoood)  hahaha.

Marathon.

I also have compared having a baby to that before.

Shoot.  We'll be doing that also.  2 Marathons.  Um, whelp, big gulps.  More and more dependance on God is never a bad thing!

Ya'll can be praying for us.
                                For the students.
                                            For the next 6 months.