Yahoo for spring!!

Greetings from Grand Island! We are all really happy that spring has arrived! We have been working hard outside in our yard. Nov has flowers planted and the place is bursting with color! We did some major landscaping last fall and this spring. Nick took out about 8 bushes in front of the house when he had some forced free time in the fall. Then last Saturday we cleared a huge flower bed and Nov was a planting crazy woman! Eli and Sampson love the warm weather too. Eli tries to sneak outside at any opportunity. He has found a way to get out of the fenced in yard and likes to lay under the big rose bush in front. Sampson loves to play with his toys and going to the park. We have started playing Frisbee golf at Stolley Park and Sampson loves to chase the squirrels!! The puppy found a new friend tonight, our friend Josh has a Great Dane named Duncan, and they wore each other out! Next week Sampson's girlfriend, Jasmine is coming to stay for a week. They have so much fun playing together, and he is really sad for about 2 days after she leaves.



We are really looking forward to our vacation in a couple weeks, we are going out to Cortez, CO for our friend Mark's wedding. We are stopping on the way out to see friends in Parker, and Colorado Springs. Then taking our time coming back, camping in Estes Park, and seeing family in Fort Collins. We hope you have a great spring!!
Nick, Nov, Eli and Sampson

In Like a Lamb..

March is always such a wonderful month! Why? Well, it means february is over! The groundhogs annual prediction of 6 more weeks of winter is wrapping up and the sun even comes out to delight us every once in a while. For the first time in about 4 months I can see my grass again. Not such a pretty sight at first, but then after a little love it will look great again! Saturday was a more than spactacular day here in Grand Island, a high of near 70 degrees. I spent most of the day enjoying the sunshine in every way I could, including bringing my grill back to life after a 4 month hiatus under the dark and dreary grill cover. Now, after a day as it is in Nebraska, we are back to blustery winds and highs of closer to 40 degrees with a little snow and rain mix.

I am excited for this month mostly because we are transitioning into the Spring weather, plus we get to Spring ahead in our clocks next week. I love the longer days and seeing daylight past 7 o'clock. Coming up in a couple of weeks, I get an amazing opportunity to preach for the first time at church. Am I scared? You bet, but also, I have to say studying my Bible for this has been one of the best things I have done in a while and am having a lot of fun doing it. I preach on Good Friday and I am tackling the subject of Doubt. Interested? Come on up and take a listen. Otherwise I can send you the digital copy later.

The house is still great and I am conquering little home improvements every week. November and I are forming and molding our house more and more to fit us and it truly is home. If home is where the heart is, then I suppose we are where we are supposed to be. God's many blessings to us in Grand Island have been in areas which we have not expected, for example, my new job, the women November works with and the friendships we have made. It's great to know that we are a part of something greater, even though we don't typically know where we are going.

Well, that is all for now. Drop by and say hi, stay a weekend or two, or maybe just a phone call. Enjoy what is to come and we will see you soon!

nick & nov

The long winter!

Well.. it is freezing here in central Nebraska! And I mean freezing! Temp right now feels like -4, with a high of 8 degrees tomorrow! We are staying warm and keeping entertained by chasing the puppy around the house. I made a veggie beef stew and stuck it in the crock pot for tomorrow's supper, we are looking forward to the warmth that will bring. We had good news this weekend, our good friend Mark got engaged! We look forward to their wedding this summer, and the trip to Colorado for the event. Nick is loving his job at the church! It allows him to use his creative side, as well as getting to talk to all sorts of people! November is enjoying her work as well, she has a great group of people to work with. November's younger borther just got great news about a job. He will be working for Flying H Genetics in Arapahoe, NE. He will be working with cattle and getting paid for it, his dream job! Even though he will be working with Gelbvieh instead of Herefords!! We will miss having him close, and Sampson will really miss his cousin Walker! But we are super happy for him. Well..... a great disappointment.. the Packers just lost, no Super Bowl for them. Nick is now in deep mourning. It could be days before he gets over this! We hope you keep warm have a wonderful Leap Year!!
Nick, November, Eli, & Sampson Schonlau

It is December 14th. Just under two weeks to Christmas! Since my last post, Nick had just left Starbucks. Well, through much prayer, God has come through for us again!! Nick has entered in to full time ministry at Third City Christian Church. It has been an amazing time thus far. I have begun to see God move through my ventures and see His purpose for my life here. I had always known ministry was something I wanted to dive into, but the timing wasn't right till just recently. As of Oct. 29th, I was officially employed again. Director of Discipleship seems so formal, but it is a privelage to minister to so many.
November and I are looking forward to Christmas! We are heading to Omaha twice in one week, first to take November to her first concert at the Orpheum...Clay Aiken. Secondly to spend Christmas with my family. The pets are getting along a little better now, or at least they have a mutual something or other...I can't really say liking, cause the cat doesn't like much of anything. Well, maybe food...and the fish. Anyways, the puppy, has been loving snow. As simple as it may be to us who have experienced it for so many years, he can't seem to get enough of it. I have to admit it was pretty funny watching him slip slide his way to the back yard during the first ice storm.
Well, thats all for now. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! We look forward to hearing from you soon! Be blessed! Nick & Nov

the journey continues

Life is full of first steps. We take our first literal steps as a toddler, we take our first step of many in our education and learning cycle, we take a first step in relationships and our social environment, we also take our first steps into reality. I had one of these steps this week. After three great years with a company I loved and adored, I had to say goodbye. Starbucks was the first step I had to a long and successful career. I learned many new skills and had many cups of good coffee and met many great people. I had to say goodbye though and step into reality. I realized that the position, although great, wasn't for me. Now as I embark on a set of new first steps to what is now unknown, I pray that you will journey with November and I as we see what God has instore for us. We are excited to see what lies ahead but we are also scared. I was reminded of one of my favorite scriptural passaged the other night, "and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. I feel as though we live a life full of first steps, I just need to make sure my steps are leading me to Him.

just because...

So, its been a while since you have had any updates. Summer is ending and November and I are ready to get out! Today we have booked our tickets for a long awaited vacation together to San Francisco...it should be a treat! My sister Amy had her baby and it's time to go and visit. We'll be out there for a week and we are looking forward to getting out of the state for a while.
The house is great still and we are unpacked. The only things we need to do yet is some plumbing in the bathroom ideally a little painting and redesign of the basement. Oh yeah, and a hot tub outside. Well, we may have some more important things to take care of first.
You can be expecting a possible house party here in Grand Island, maybe sometime in October. We are looking forward to having all of our friends here to celebrate with us. So, on that note, expect something soon! Until then...