i promise

...i haven't fallen off the face of this world.

in fact, hardly at all!

i've just been so very busy.

Two twelve hour work days this past week.

many crazy new things and opportunities have been popping up left and right in the Brandenberger household.

i will update you on my life this week.

I miss you very much, Blog.

for now, let me leave you with a little video clip of some of the teens doing the Storm Lake School cheer.

this is only a couple minutes of the crazy time on Friday nights with the Storm Lake teens.

Praise the Lord,

we're moving to a larger location for teen night

-our little hideaway apartment is too little now:)

next friday, will be at one of the high schooler's home.

okay, i will leave you for now.

i promise we'll see each other again soon!

this weekend, i'll update you more on life.

changing up the gingerbread house

even though i enjoy the sweet cozy feeling of a gingerbread house, there was something dynamic about decorating a brightly colored haunted house.

for one thing, you didn't have to make things neat and perfect...drippy and drabby was exactly right for this ghost's home!

i LOVED the colors as well.

one side:

other side:

it was a sweet time of talking with my mentee, chewing on gummy bears and worms, playing with the icing, and fighting off her friends for the candy!:)

i look forward to our gingerbread house at Christmastime!

bundle up!

we have pretty harsh winters here in Iowa.

and our new families from Burma aren't quite ready for it.

many people from the school staff here in Storm Lake donated coats, sweaters, boots, blankets, shirts, pants, and lots of other things to help them get ready for the cold ahead.

i had the joy of being the ambassador of it and seeing their faces light up in glee as they looked through the clothes that had taken over our backseat and trunk of the car.

know what else is cool though?

there's more clothes coming from more school staff!

it hasn't stopped coming.

people are still giving.

we got to hit three different locations with multiple families spilling out of the homes to try on clothes.

thanks, God!

how you provide!!!!!

God at work @ the High school

it's always really cool to see teenagers pray.

be encouraged, God's working in Storm Lake.

weekend blessings!

God provides!

Here's a quick snapshot of the blessing from an older couple who we don't even really know.

they provided a shopping spree for all the cold weather essentials for these kids!

hurray for a successful shopping trip!

we had a really cool opportunity to talk to the kids about grace.

keep them in prayer!:)

thanks, God.

it started with a leaf

it was a quiet afternoon and gracie and i were sitting on the lawn looking at all the different leaves, talking about our favorite ice cream flavor, when gracie had the idea,

"let's rake up a pile of leaves and jump in them."

so we did.

a sweet little pile of leaves ready for one person to jump into.

Birthday boy drove by on his lil motorcycle and said,

"hey! can i try it?"

so we raked the leaves up again into that sweet little pile,

and they jumped back into it.

after the thrill and fun of jumping into the second pile, lil m walked by and said,

"i'd like to try. let's rake it up again."

and of course we complied.

it was too much fun to pass up.

but after that third jump into that sweet little pile,

the rest of the kiddos in the neighborhood came running out,

and saw the red, orange, brown, and yellow leaves flying in the air.

they decided,

"let's rake it back up and jump in it!"

of course, the more the merrier, so gracie and i raked the leaves again with them.

and then it was pandemonium.

probably the sweetest and craziest little pile of leaves in the world.

because of

the squeals and giggles in the midst of the swirling colors around them.

and after all that crazy leaf jumping,

they raked it up ONE more time.

(which i'd run out of room on my memory card to take pics of the last event).

but as I was leaving that pretty autumn scene,

i thought to myself,

"who would have thought,

that all that colorful fun,

could happen from this sweet little pile of leaves."

not just for picking...

apple orchards still offer entertainment;

even if you don't do what most people do at an apple orchard.

in fact, we didn't pick any apples to take home with us.

nope, we got lost on the way to the apple orchard and just when we got there the sun was setting.

it was getting dark.

and we forgot to bring cash. (well, now of course apple orchards don't have any card swipe machines.)

so we couldn't pick any apples to take home.

we still had fun though.

pictures. boys. running. hiding. throwing.

eating (with permission). applesaucing.

splatting.

rolling around-ing. feeding the cows-ing.

laughing. running. squealing.

sliding. chasing.

gooey unedible applesauce making.

targeting. aiming. happy times-ing.

oh and more pictures.

thankful for

thankful for:

1. lil ones that make me laugh.

especially lil boys in big hats.

2. homecoming week last week, and the freedom to dress crazily.

3. my new tea/coffee serving set; made by our artist friend, Ron Netton.

4. homecoming events, such as the parade

and the football game.

5. the privilege to visit the Karen families that worship together.

it's always so cool to sing worship in two languages and hearing the Bible read in a language other than english:)

[we got to see the engagement ceremony]

6. oh and Tornado boy that keeps our town safe.

the big seester turns 26

happy birthday, to my seester ilene!

my best friend.

the person i can laugh my hardest with.

[my wedding...she was my maid of honor]

[back in the good ole chicago days]

[in our apartment in chicago...i loved living with her]

[an old one of the three gamboa girls.]

this is one of the only birthdays that i don't get to celebrate with her.

it sucks not being there,

but, i did get to have a morning google talk session with her and my whole family.

i got to see her open her birthday gift from ryan and i.

i love you, ilene!

happy 26th birthday!

p.s. as a birthday gift, why don't you order yourself a new headband or piece of jewelry from her shop?;)