Summer Lovin'

The last two weeks have been simply fantastic. Between family vacation, wedding planning and just the smaller and greater ways that God is allowing things to fall together is making this time of life so fantastic. We started this month with a great weekend at the coast, accompanied by two of our dear, dear friends, Ryan and Brigette Tack. It was overcast and slightly wet, but the hike we took that day was such a wonderful time of fellowship and marveling together at the creation of our Lord.
The very next week, my parents took Christian and I down to Bend for a nice little getaway. Wow, Central Oregon is seriously the place to go when you want to get a 20 minute tan. Christian and I went on long, amazing bike-rides together (one which was between 12-15 miles, which killed me because the last time I rode a bike was in Australia (which ended in my first, over the handlebar crash by the by)). We even got to float down the Deschutes river holding hands, talking and people watching. The whole time together was amazing. So wonderful to get away from the typical day-to-day life, being able to spend some good quality time with family and learning to take advantage of this precious time that we have left here in my "home".
This crazy fun month has ended with a trip to the Hillsboro Saturday Market and the Washington County Fair, both of which are fabulous places to run into people you know. I took the opportunity to snap some pictures up of silly kids and great products.
God has blessed us so much in life, as well as this month. I am sure there are several ways that we have not even realized, but in the ways that we have noticed, they have been great. Literally. Great. Christian was given a new place to live, with a couple who are letting him live with them for free, gave him a car, and are literally taking care of him as though he is the son they never had. We also found out that Christian's parents will (Lord willing) be able to come for the wedding, which we had been told prior that it would be impossible, and they couldn't afford it. We just found out, today in fact that two of our closest Paraguayan friends, Allen and his beautiful new wife, Daisy will be coming to be a part of our special day as well! There are so many other ways, but the rest are a little more personal ways that the Lord has just provided and provided over and over again. I am constantly amazed at the ways that God shows that he has his hand on Christian and I. My soul is at peace, knowing that God is so clearly in control. We are so looking forward to the times to come, knowing that this God who gives so abundantly never changes, whether things are seeming good or bad to us. Not every piece of a mosaic is pretty, but it takes every piece to make the beautiful picture.
Here are some pictures of our July :-)