Soccer Season!

Hello, friends! 

It's about 100 degrees here in Omaha this week, which means it's the perfect time for soccer season to start! This year, both Jonah and Ezra are playing soccer. We had our first games of the season last weekend. 

Last year, we tried having Jonah play soccer but he really wasn't ready for it. He loved the practice time before the game but as soon as the game started, he didn't want to go in any more. It was a pretty frustrating experience so we held him out of Spring Soccer. This year though, he was really all about getting in there. He scored a few goals, had a big smile on his face, and overall, had a great time. It probably helped that one of his buddies is on the team with him. Except for the times when they stole the ball from each other, as 4 year olds are prone to do, they had a great time playing together. 

Ezra has been playing with the same group of kids for the past few years now, with me as their coach along with a friend of mine. The team we were playing was playing the second leg of a double header so they were gassed and we won handily. However, what was even more fun that seeing Ezra score 2 goals and the team cruise to victory, was seeing the growth from last season. Every season, we try to introduce new concepts to the team. This year, it was staying onsides. It took some getting used to but everyone did a great job of adjusting. The team continues to grow and get better, which is fun to see. 

Oh, and we got sick new jerseys... =0). 

We'll see how the season shakes out. The goal for Jonah is for him to participate every week. Ezra's goal is an undefeated season. I think both are possible. There are a few times when the games overlap so I'll be able to see most but not all of Jonah's games. Still, I'm looking forward to another great season of soccer. 

#GoBlackWidows

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Who is God?

Hello, friends!

I had the honor of preaching at church again last week and I wanted to share the sermon with you. 

Sometimes the sermons come really easily. For me, this is usually the case when we're studying a chunk of scripture and I'm able to really dive into one particular word or phrase that jumps out to me. Other time, sermons are a little more of a battle. This sermon was definitely a battle but it was also definitely worth it. You don't see it on the video but we had at least 2 or 3 people make decisions to follow Jesus during service, which is what it's all about. This sermon was hard to prep but a joy to preach. 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Back to School.

Hello, friends! 

As you're reading this, all 3 of our kids are officially back at school/daycare. After 10 weeks of travel, life changes, and power outages because of summer storms, we are back into the school year rhythm. 

People have been asking me whether the school year is easier or harder than the summer. The honest truth is both have their pros and cons. 

For the Summer, it's a blessing not being beholden to any particular schedule. had the freedom to do more stuff, like taking trips to South Dakota to pick up a puppy or going to Disneyland. Also, bed times and wake times are more lax, which means if the kids want to sleep in until 9:30 and we get a little more quiet time in the morning, we can do that!

But there are also some cons. It's not hard for 3 kids to eventually get sick of seeing each other all the time. I know that even with a sitter, it was hard for Megan to work at home. And, let's not forget how much bigger our grocery bill got because the kids were eating at home. 

During the school year, it's really just super busy. The start of the school year doesn't just mean the start of school. It also means the start of soccer, scouts, and dance. With 3 kids, it doesn't take long for the schedule to fill up. Our goal as a family is to have at least one free night a week. We'll see how that goes... =0). 

So, friends, please be praying for us and for our family as we enter a new school year. Thankfully, the kids are excited to go back to learn more and see their friends. It'll take some adjustments, as it always does, but we're excited for a new year full of fun. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Welcome, Phoebe!!!

Hello, friends! 

Thanks to everyone who was praying for the Big Dig. It was a really great time and Jesus was definitely present.

We left for the Big Dig on Friday and came back on Monday. We had to make sure that we got plenty of good sleep on Monday night because Tuesday was going to be a big day for us. After spending 3 hours in the car coming back from Kansas City, we decided to add another 4.5 hours in the car on Tuesday to go to and from Beresford, South Dakota. What was in Beresford? The newest member of our family, Phoebe Ensley Leong! 

It's only been a few days with Phoebe but so far it's been great. She seems to already be potty trained and seems to be picking up a few commands like "Come" and "Sit" already. Is it possible that we have the smartest dog in all the world? We just might! =0). 

So far the kids have been great with Phoebe and she's been great with them. Ezra has definitely been the most helpful, although, sometimes he can be a little too helpful. You know that old saying, "let sleeping dogs lie"? I don't think Ezra has heard that one yet. 

Of course, Phoebe is still a puppy so we're working on some things. She really likes chewing on the rug in our living room (well, she likes chewing on everything) and she's still getting used to our sleeping arrangements as evidenced by the crying she does at night. Still, overall, she's been a pretty chill dog and we're really happy to have her. 

Life with a dog is definitely going to be different for us. Gus is a pretty chill pet so to add a much more "high maintenance" animal into the mix will take some adjusting. She's definitely worth it though. 

Please be praying for us as we make these adjustments. The biggest prayer requests is that we need her to start sleeping through the night. Getting up at 1am to let her out so she can go the bathroom doesn't lend itself to a great night's sleep and the whining after she gets back into her cage doesn't help either. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

The Big Dig!

Hello, friends! 

As you're reading this, we're on our way to Kansas City for the Big Dig, our start of the year student conference. We'll have around 60 or so students, volunteers, and staff gathering to dig deep into John 15, learning what it means to abide in Jesus. 

There are a lot of things to be excited about for the Big Dig. The kids are really excited to run around camp (this will be at the same place as International Getaway) and our speaker, Bette Dickenson is going to be amazing. To experience John 15, we're going to visit a vineyard. We even have a worship team from South America leading us this weekend. 

But, there are also some challenges. There was a huge storm that came through Omaha on Wednesday and we were without power for about a day, which put us behind on prep. It's supposed to be really hot in Kansas City, which is always carries it's own risks. We also had two students from Nebraska drop out at the last minute, which is always frustrating. 

Still, we are hopeful that God will show up on a really powerful way. Please pray for journeys mercies as we travel, for good participation from the students, and that the Holy Spirit will move in Kansas City. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Last Year's big dig ice cream trip! =0).