March Update

First of all, we would like to apologize for the lack of updates lately.  There is no excuse, we just don't have a lot of roaming to tell about... until now!  We just returned home from spending a couple of days in downtown Austin.  We went so that Joe could make some contacts and do some vision casting for a student trip we will be leading the last week of July.  It is going to be a great time as we serve the city of Austin through service and clean-up projects, sharing the Gospel to the lost, and learning all about one of the world's (that's right) coolest and most unique cities.  We are excited about the experience this will be for our teenagers!

While in Austin, we spent time with Pastor Jacob Vanhorn and his family.  Jacob preached the sermon during our wedding ceremony and is the pastor of a wonderful young church, SOMA, in downtown/south Austin.  Jacob is a mighty man of God who has a heart as big as the city of Austin.  Many are and will be blessed by his ministry and church in the decades to come.  

Last night we were invited by Jacob and his wife to the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for a Monty Python and the Holy Grail quote-along.  This is a fun concept that was very new for us, as we joined about 150-200 viewers in quoting the movie, through subtitles, and clapping together coconut halves to make the horse clopping sound.  It was a lot of fun and we would recommend a quote-along movie experience to anyone with a good sense of humor.

Today we toured the city scouting for potential projects and were blessed to eat at Freebirds, which serves the world's greatest burritos.  We also drove around several college campuses, the Texas state capital building, and the Austin Presbyterian Seminary.  We are looking forward to bringing our students to all of these places and more.

On the way to Austin, Joe greeted Lindsay in a gas station as she rounded a corner with the look below.  Fortunately for Lins, she did not allow Joe to buy the hat!

Below is a picture of the Spring Westfield HS baseball team.  They are talented group that Joe was able to help coach to a tournament championship last weekend as they went 5-0.  It was a lot of fun for Joe to return to the dugout and he really enjoyed coaching this very talented group of awesome young men!

Not long until opening day, and the Rangers will return to the playoffs thanks to The Natural, Josh Hamilton!

Finally, four and a half weeks until we fly to Istanbul, Turkey!

Go, therefore, into all the world...