Throwback Fun!

Just for fun...


Carson & Kaylin (summer 2004)


Carson & Kaylin (summer 2005)

Fans in Enemy Territory!

Giants @ Dodgers, July 29, 2008

Our church got 50 group tickets for this Dodger game and we got to go to dinner and the game with our friends, Matt & Mishawn. Matt & I are both San Francisco Giants fans and I think every true fan has to have this experience at least once:

• Go to a game where your team is the road team.
• Not only that but THE hated rival team.
• Wear your team's colors/gear anyway
  

Matt & I

Then, after the game... walk out of the stadium while drunken Dodger fans try their best (weak efforts) to insult you. It was a very interesting experience to say the least! =) Even though I would have preferred the Giants win the game, maybe it was better that they lost. Who knows what the Dodger fans would have been like if the Dodger had lost.

Amy & Mishawn enjoying the ga... I mean the chatting.

Cousin Sleepover!

For a recent family birthday party, all the girl cousins came wearing their matching dresses that Amy made! Then, after the party, Amy realized it would be a fun opportunity for the older 3 to have a spur-of-the-moment slumber party... so they did!

Clara, Kaylin, Jenna & Laura

Kaylin, Clara & Jenna

3 cousins sleeping in the rec room together!

Lunch at Del Taco after church!

Walnut Creek & San Francisco

After our trip to Santa Cruz, we spent a couple nights with Jaron and Jenni in San Jose. Thanks J & J for hosting us once again!

One of those days, we drove up to Walnut Creek to visit Chris & Kirsten at their new apartment.

The kids loved visiting and playing with Chris, Kirsten & Johann

Kirsten, Amy and all 3 kids spent a couple hours hanging out over lunch time while Chris & I took BART into the City. When Chris & I were in college at UOP, Sean Curtis was the college pastor at the church we went to. He and his family are in the early stages of planting a church in San Francisco... it was great to meet him for lunch and catch up on life!

Chris, Sean & I

Santa Cruz!

We got to spend the first few days of August up in Santa Cruz! On Friday, we had a beach reunion day with many of our Santa Cruz (or former Santa Cruz) area friends... it was a blast to play in the ocean, play in the sand with the kids, and hang out with old friends! Special thanks to the Hughes' family for sharing their house with us for a few days! I didn't get pictures of everyone that we got to see... but here are some pics to give you the idea...



On Sunday, we had the pleasure of attending Holly & Andrew's wedding! We've known Holly since our camp days and she was a bridesmaid in our wedding. The wedding was our first chance to meet Andrew but we know he's great because Holly loves him! =) What a great day... we're so happy for them... and we pray that the Lord will bless them richly as they begin married life together!

God is Faithful!

Greetings from the Olson family!

If you read this blog regularly, then you know how thankful we are for God's provision for our needs! Hopefully, you've gotten glimpses of that thankfulness in previous posts about God's provision of my ministry role at church, our great home, and my on-going opportunities to study His Word in seminary. Well, as of this month, it has been exactly one year since we begin raising support for our ministry to Young Adults @ GHFC... and we have seen that where God leads, He provides!

Thank You!
Many of you have allowed God to use your prayers and generous giving to provide for our needs during this ministry & seminary season of life! We want to express our sincere thanks to you!

Those of you who are currently supporting us and live in the LA/Orange County region should have already received an invitation to join us at our home for dessert! We'll be serving dessert and sharing what God has done and is doing in our ministry to young adults at GHFC.

WHAT: Thank-You Dessert
DAY: Saturday, August 23
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
NOTE: childcare will be provided
Call or email Derek if you need our address & directions. Not sure how to contact me? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you! =)


Current Fund-Raising Status:
We are excited to report that the Lord has continued to provide for our needs in 2008 and now, in looking ahead to 2009, we are prayerfully seeking additional financial support.

Interested in coming to our house for dessert? Want to learn more about how to support our ministry through prayer and/or giving? Please just let us know! Feel free to email or call us... or leave a comment below and I'll get back to you.

We've enjoyed hosting Sunday evening gathering in our home this summer... here are some of the great people who have been participating!

Gramma Darlene's Visit!

My mom came to visit for a few days in late July. As usual, we all enjoyed having Gramma Darlene stay with us! She was here for a swimming playgroup on Thursday and got to see Kaylin and TJ practicing all they have been learning in swim lessons. Mom and I enjoyed a catch-up chat over a snack at Panera on Friday. Then, that evening, we all went to our church's first annual art festival which was very cool! Thanks mom/gramma for coming to visit... we love you!

While mom was here, we had my great aunt Lois and her husband Sam over for lunch... it was great to see them!

Kaylin and "Big Baby"

A couple of weeks ago, I went into the kid's room to check on them before Amy and I went to bed and this is what I found...

Somehow, Kaylin's "Big Baby" had ended up "sleeping" on top of her!