and i like numbers. so i am going to number everything. 

1. this past week, the pastor's wife, who is also the principal of the school we work at, was out of town on a retreat. pastor decided to use this opportunity to take 2 boys from the school into his home for the week. so he asked 2 of us to come and live with them for the week. so from monday - friday, andrew and i lived with pastor, billy, and romario.

it was full of blessings...my own bedroom, bathroom, a backyard, and this beautiful view!

we took lots of selfies...

listened to lots of music...

and played lots of soccer. here, billy and i are resting in the grass after an afternoon of soccer. 

one night we found a tarantula in the house! and kept it in a glass jar on the kitchen counter as our pet, of course. 

it was just a good week of getting to love and pour into these 2 kids.

and a great reminder that all ministry really is...is just living life.

2. teaching school from 8-3 each day.

sinethemba.

kenan.

mariana.

geraldine.

simoney.

and spent a lot of time, in particual, with this sweet one crying in my arms. 

i don't think i've ever loved a person so deeply as i love this child.

please keep mariana's situation in your prayers, my friends.

3. and if you hadn't noticed, my hair currently looks like this.

3.5. this is my adorable sister, daniel.

i've been speinding a lot of time with her.

she's kind of a model.

4. andrew, stefan, and i adventured to a christian radio station nearby today. next weekend we'll be on the air. music and testimonies, baby.

5. saturdays = surf days.

6. and on thursdays i get to take my kids to the pool!

sometimes i turn my head for 5 seconds and this happens.

we have fun.

7. this is how i got to spend my birthday :)

just some proof that Jesus loves me :D

a lot. 

it was perfect.

8. on friday nights, we lead a youth group that we started from the ground. 

i'm in charge of the message, a 20 minute talk on issues these kids deal with and more importantly, Jesus.

and the rest of the time there, i mentor a 15 year old girl named Michaela into leadership for after we leave.

it's good stuff.

9. in other news, i've been able to form relationships with a few of the muslims in our neighborhood. one, a man named hussein who owns the bakery down the street. and two, a woman named miriam who sells scarves right outside of that bakery. they are two of the sweetest people i have ever met, and i really enjoy getting to talk to them and share the love and joy of Jesus with them. these are two more precious people you can be praying for!

10. and this is from the hillsong united concert that we got to go to!

Jesus present in worship :)

so basically, life is good.

(there is hard stuff. i'll blog about that later.)

but life's still good.

God's good.

here are a few more pictures of some of Jesus' babes.

thanks for your prayers and support!

mariana and kenan. my 2 favorites. 

this one's a sweetheart.

just for a laugh.

beauty.

hope.