The Long Road

On top of Lasson Volcano, where it’s Christmas all year around.

So last post, we got to tell you a little about what it’s been like here. Some of you, however, may have noticed, we completely skipped over the part of actually getting here. Well, let me tell you…we did.

Our journey didn’t include any candy cane forests, swirly twirly gumdrops, or Lincoln tunnels, but it was an incredible journey that took so much longer than we thought it would, but was so so so so so much better!

God has provided insistently when we were ready to settle, give up on something or do it on our own.

A Home

After leaving Arkansas, we spent about a month in Ohio waiting to find out the day that we would close on our house. Renting wasn’t an option for us, and we couldn’t find a good apartment situation, so God really showed off when he gave us our amazing home. So much better than we would have asked for, here we are, enjoying the fruit of blessings way bigger than ourselves.

We still hadn’t quite confirmed that we would get the house, but the first day of school was getting close, so we started our four day journey across the country from Springfield, Ohio to Redding, California. With stops in Kansas City, Denver, and Salt Lake City, the highlight of the drive was easily the towering peaks of the Rockies.

They really are incredible -beyond what any photo we could compose would show.

Friends & Family

When we got here and had only just put our furniture in our new home, we had some pretty amazing visitors come and make us forget how far away we had just moved from everyone we know.

Those warm smiles kept us cozy on the rim trail.

The Fonvilles came out west, and we met up at Crater Lake, which is exactly what it sounds like. It’s basically a giant volcano whose cone collapsed and filled with water. Pretty crazy. So thankful for them in our life. It’s such a good feeling knowing that you have people who will have your back no matter where you are called to go.

They made some killer stir fry while I kept my flu germs far far away.

Then we had great visits with my brother who always knows how to have a good time. We even got to work together on some web projects which was really awesome!

Then, just a few days later, my parents came to visit. Thank God they really like to travel, because they have made it their mission over the last twelve months to drive to Arkansas TWICE to help us with our previous house remodel. Then, to top it off with some gravy, they came to California to celebrate Thanksgiving with us all over Northern California. It was a blast to share the amazing natural views around Redding and even pop into San Francisco for a day.

We didn’t make them work on this visit :)

Our Family

So, through all of that, we still have one more surprise to share. No no no, not that…everyone starting to type out a tweet that says the Prus are pregnant, go ahead and save that as a draft for a few more years.

We did however expand our animal kingdom. Before we even left Ohio, Drew heard the tiniest ‘meow’ when we pulled up to the house one day. She walked up to a tree, and desperately, out crawled the tiniest little tree cat you ever did see into Drew’s arms. Then she told us that she was going to live with us.

Plus she helps Drew with her homework!

You can call him Zeke for short.

June grew to love our kitten, Suska, but we could still tell she was a little bored at times. Plus, the only thing better than one dog is more than one dog! So we went and found this little guy from a local adoption agency.

He is about 2 months old, Alaskan Malamute/Lab mix and going to be ginormous. His name is Ezekiel.

Rocket Ship Analogy

Through all of this, we have just loved being here in Redding. Getting to be under the leadership of Bethel Church and learn from the vast wisdom and experience available here, we know that we are in the right place. Right where God wants us. We don’t deserve everything we have, and even more so, we don’t deserve the things that have been spoken over us and the dreams God is giving us for our future. He never stops calling us to be more than we thought we could be.

Even the rainy days are amazingly beautiful here.

We can’t wait to share more about what is growing in our hearts right now. It’s like we’re sitting on the launch pad, with thousands of pounds of highly combustable rocket fuel preparing to ignite in a furious reaction of force, pushing us…..ok, I got a little carried away there, but I think you know what I mean. Thankful for everyone who has believed in us, given us a chance, and launched us from where we were. We love all of you, friends and family!