Long time no chat....but alot has been happening!

Facebook, my new "excuse" for not blogging. I feel like I blog every day, but then I forget, not everyone is on my Facebook friends list! Sorry to leave you so very long.

To catch up:

Our house on Fort Benning....wonderful! We have so enjoyed living within hearing of revely and taps, of rifle and machine gun fire on the ranges, and the early morning platoon runs by our house. This old house, built in the 1920's is a trooper! The thick and sturdy plaster walls and wooden floors make me think that "if walls could talk" there'd be much this old house would have to share! I have participated in Spanish classes both last Fall and just this Spring. My Spanish is not yet near fluent, but I expect that as I pursue the language in Guatemala surrounded by speakers, it will improve quickly.

Ministry: I have continued to be involved in the work of Wycliffe, although part-time. I work half-days every day from my remote office in our house. The website has been my primary job, but I have been asked to speak and to develop some personnel guidelines for child safety and to support my boss in her new job. Last year we finished with the development of our Goals and Strategies for NextGen and this year we've seen those strategies begun and get settled in a good rythm.

Youth group: Michael and I have involved ourselves in the life of the youth group at our local church, Christ Community Church in Columbus. We chose to attend and lead the high-school "dig deeper" night on Sunday nights. After a few weeks, the youth pastor asked me to lead the study and teach the lessons. I was more than glad to do so. My first ministry love is youth ministry, and not having been involved last year (our first year of marriage) I was SO eager to get involved again. My spiritual gift is Exhorter, and this kind of position in a youth group is exactly what I love to do. Over the course of the last many months, we've had some great discussions and lively interaction. [The picture is of a trip I went on with some of the girls to the Revolve tour in Atlanta!] I have also continued to stay in contact with those students you know from Wisconsin. One in particular came to visit us here at Benning twice! Facebook has been an invaluable tool to me (and others in youth ministry) in keeping up with our students all over the country.

The Next move: Michael and I are expecting a baby! if you didn't already know from Facebook, the little boy is due to arrive July 10, here at the Army hospital at Fort Benning (Lord willing). We had to put off our move to Guatemala in order to await his arrival. Once he arrives it will be a week or two of rest (well, at least being home) and then we'll get packed up and move out. Michael will depart for Guatemala to report to his next assignment and I will go to CT temporarily to wait out the necessary vaccinations, then join Michael in Guatemala sometime in September.

I think that catches you up on the whole lot of subjects. Of course I missed telling you all the details, when the dates came and went. This overview misses alot. Calvary baby shower, spanish friends, work parties for Spanish ladies for the Christmas holidays, youth group comings and goings......Thank your for checking in again. there will definitely be pictures of the baby Stone when he arrives, as well as a few other announcements in the next few months.

Blessings!!

Dagney