We are still alive...

In case you were wondering after the lack of recent blogging, we are still alive! Those of you that have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for our next post - sorry you had to wait 4 months! So we will try to resurrect our long lost blog. We have been busy to say the least...

• Dash is working 6 days a week, working on his great tan lines.
• Shae's work has slowed down with the market a little so pray for her contentment with her job
• Soon you can call him Coach Connell - Dash is working very hard on his teaching certification to teach high school history. The school district we live in, Cypress-Fairbanks, has posted a job listing for a Head Tennis Coach for the two brand spankin' new high schools opening in August. One is in a very nice area close to our house too! We are getting Dash's resume and references together to apply for this position ASAP. Please pray for God's will with Dash's (hopefully soon) career change.
• Our annual youth retreat has come and gone! Shae and her amazing high school students planned the retreat in February for 4 months! The weekend's theme was The Verdict - teaching the students the evidence and the case for Christ and equipping them to stand for what they believe in when they are put on 'trial'. We had great devotionals, Family Feud with Dash as host, a GIANT CLUE game (with real character, real rooms, giant dice, etc), and ending the weekend with a mock trial in a Harris County courthouse with lawyers and a judge. The students were subpoenas on Friday night by a court official even. Many students are saying it was their favorite retreat so far so we are praying that the fire started in them retreat weekend continue to blaze and spread to their friends.
• Maddy and Cooper are good. Cooper topped out at 100.2 lbs...and the vet's reply when we asked him if he was overweight, "no, he is just a thick dog". Is that a good thing?
• Our two year anniversary is next month! It doesn't feel like two years already but we are so thankful for the ways God has blessed us in the beginnings of our marriage.
• Christmas and Thanksgiving - long gone
• Started Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover to help us prepare for a major cut in income soon
• Painted some of our home and installed wood floors in our family room - looks great and already has some character (well, dog scratches)
• Shae's doing Beth Moore's Bible study on the fruit of the Spirit with some ladies at church and God's timing has been perfect with it
• Dash is still leading a group of 8 guys (juniors in high school) in a weekly Bible study

Random thing today - We went to take one of our cars to the new Christian Brothers Automotive that opened just a few miles from our house today. The owner - Don Carr - the same guy that used to stick his head inside Zach Bynum's t-shirt when Dash and he were All-Stars at T Bar M together. We knew his brother owned the one in Katy (with Brad Fink from T Bar M) but our jaws dropped when we saw his business card at the counter. Owner of a franchise at 23? Yes his dad owns the company, but still - Not too shabby!

So we will try to keep you updated more frequently, but you have our phone numbers and e-mail addresses if you are wondering about us!