Sorry so late....we're back again Sept 2!
Wow, a lot has gone on lately that I haven't had time to blog - my bad!
Here's the update. Josh got a job at Compassion so we work at the same non-profit ministry! He's working in Facilities and maintains the building. His team has been such an amazing blessing to him. He's surrounded with Christ-honoring brothers who share in their struggles and joys together.
I just finished up coordinating the very first college internship at Compassion. It was a huge success! Fourteen college students have now committed to fight the war against poverty and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves wherever they go. I set up educational courses on global issues, poverty, AIDS, Malaria, etc. and then each Friday took them to volunteer in the community with various other non-profit organizations so they could be more experienced and hands-on with these real issues. I made some great relationships through this and still continue to mentor students who have decided to stay in the Springs. 
Long story short about my health situation - for about 5 months I've been in and out of the doctor's office trying to figure out why I've been so sick. They ran CT scans looking for tumors, gave me antiobitics for parasites, and looked for stomach ulcers. Finally, I went under and they took about a dozen tissue samples of my intestine and stomach. The results were inconclusive, so I went in a direction using homeopathic remedies. Turns out it's Celiac disease. Thank God it's not a life-threatening disease that can be controlled with diet! I basically eat all organic, dairy-free, preservative free, and gluten-free (wheat, bran, oats, malto dextrin, etc.). Gluten is basically in everything we eat, but I feel so blessed because Colorado Springs is a place where there's a high population of people with Celiac disease. There are a ton of stores, restaurants, and bakeries that I can get what I need. Plus, some hippies run an "underground" store in Manitou Springs that sells organic and gluten free items for 50-75% off because it's overstock or damaged. The Lord has provided!
One real blessing through this season of difficulty is that we've been hanging out a lot with our new friends from the Woodland Park Community Church. We backpack, play ultimate frisbee, go ATV'ing, have coffee, and pray together through a young couples group. Amazingly, three other girls in this group have gone through similar health issues, so we're all a huge support for each other.
Something else that's been refreshing is photography - I've been trying to get back into it. I got spoiled for our second anniversary - Josh got me a brand new Canon EOS Rebel Xsi camera! I'm pretty intimidated by this professional model, so I'm taking some courses downtown on how to use its features. I ended up taking my friends' engagement photos and now they want me to take their wedding photos next summer! Plenty of time for me to get better and more comfortable.
That's all for now, I wrote a novel. More to come!
Wow, a lot has gone on lately that I haven't had time to blog - my bad!
Here's the update. Josh got a job at Compassion so we work at the same non-profit ministry! He's working in Facilities and maintains the building. His team has been such an amazing blessing to him. He's surrounded with Christ-honoring brothers who share in their struggles and joys together.
I just finished up coordinating the very first college internship at Compassion. It was a huge success! Fourteen college students have now committed to fight the war against poverty and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves wherever they go. I set up educational courses on global issues, poverty, AIDS, Malaria, etc. and then each Friday took them to volunteer in the community with various other non-profit organizations so they could be more experienced and hands-on with these real issues. I made some great relationships through this and still continue to mentor students who have decided to stay in the Springs. 
Long story short about my health situation - for about 5 months I've been in and out of the doctor's office trying to figure out why I've been so sick. They ran CT scans looking for tumors, gave me antiobitics for parasites, and looked for stomach ulcers. Finally, I went under and they took about a dozen tissue samples of my intestine and stomach. The results were inconclusive, so I went in a direction using homeopathic remedies. Turns out it's Celiac disease. Thank God it's not a life-threatening disease that can be controlled with diet! I basically eat all organic, dairy-free, preservative free, and gluten-free (wheat, bran, oats, malto dextrin, etc.). Gluten is basically in everything we eat, but I feel so blessed because Colorado Springs is a place where there's a high population of people with Celiac disease. There are a ton of stores, restaurants, and bakeries that I can get what I need. Plus, some hippies run an "underground" store in Manitou Springs that sells organic and gluten free items for 50-75% off because it's overstock or damaged. The Lord has provided!
One real blessing through this season of difficulty is that we've been hanging out a lot with our new friends from the Woodland Park Community Church. We backpack, play ultimate frisbee, go ATV'ing, have coffee, and pray together through a young couples group. Amazingly, three other girls in this group have gone through similar health issues, so we're all a huge support for each other. 
Something else that's been refreshing is photography - I've been trying to get back into it. I got spoiled for our second anniversary - Josh got me a brand new Canon EOS Rebel Xsi camera! I'm pretty intimidated by this professional model, so I'm taking some courses downtown on how to use its features. I ended up taking my friends' engagement photos and now they want me to take their wedding photos next summer! Plenty of time for me to get better and more comfortable. That's all for now, I wrote a novel. More to come!
