We are back on! Moved and Ready to Communicate!

We are glad to be on the Internet and connected to ya'll again. I plan to post about once a week until the new baby, Dakota Joy, comes. At that point I don't know what I'll be able to do. Ha! For those of you that don't know we have moved to Miller, South Dakota. It was a big haul but we made it. We need send a huge thank you to our families for all the hard work they put in. We wouldn't have been able to get it all done otherwise. My parents and nephew put in a lot of time and physical effort. I think we about killed them. We didn't think we had that much stuff but carrying it to and from the trailers and driving them is a huge undertaking. I didn't have to drive at all, much to my relief. When we got to campus the staff and their families helped us unload along with my sister. It was a blessing to us!

Despite all the help, there are things I just need to do myself. Currently I am struggling with boxes of scrapbooks and pictures. Oh what to do with them? They smell very moldy and Daraby has had some flair ups with her health, which I am sure is due to the moldy smells coming from the last boxes. I'm tempted to do away with it all and call it good. If I wasn't so tired I probably wouldn't say that. When I was pregnant with Daraby I was constantly nesting. This time I don't want to nest at all. I would like to sleep all day and night. So far I haven't been sleeping much at all. I go to bed and can't sleep which drives Andrew and me crazy.

On a more positive note, Andrew is really enjoying his job as the dean of students. He likes working with kids again. He thrives in this kind of environment. I would say he is challenged, invigorated, excited and nervous. The only bummer for him is dressing up in slacks, dress shirts and ties. No need for me to say, "I told him so!" He can't wait to get out of his dressy clothes everyday. He is just as bad as the students here about dress code and he is the Dean. Ha!

Daraby and I are settling in the home and community here. The people are very friendly. We've attended a student chapel, basketball games and go to lunch at cafeteria everyday. Not only does lunch cut done on our grocery bills but it allows us to see Andrew while connecting to the other staff members and their families. I know we will make some lasting friendships here. The small town of Miller is a perfect size and offers many amenities while still being personable. We are glad to be closer to town, living in a community, and an hour drive to my parents place.

It is a good feeling for us to be here and in this community. We do really miss Nebraska and our friendships there. I feel like part of me still live there. After we moved there, I knew I should have been born in NE. It is so rugged and free like every part of me but on the other hand we truly like living in SD. Someday when we get old, we would like to buy a place in the Sandhills. All of our other moves have been relatively easy but this one tore at a part of me. Perhaps my wanderlust is wearing off!

Daraby is really growing and developing a wonderful personality. She is smart and adores people. That is why I like going to lunch at the school. The kids and adults fawn over her and she loves it. Living here has been a positive experience for her. She is developing socially and has a hard time when we go home or people leave. She thrives off people! She even cries when we take her out of the nursery after church. I think she is the only kid that does that. :) We love her for it.

Please check out the pictures below. We are excited to be back on the Internet so drop us a line we would like to hear from you! Our best to you!


Daron and Rachael with 3 of the 4 puppies.


Christmas Hayride with Boersma Family!




Jeff and Tracey, very good friends of ours in NE, took us out for a hayride.


Andrew and Joel on horseback. Andrew, Joel, Susan and Andrew's Dad took turns riding horses and 4-wheeler.


Aunt Susan and Daraby

Daraby being bitten by one of the pups. No need to worry about Daraby- she beat them up too.

Daraby is giving Ben a hug. I just loved this tenderhearted pup. I think they were all my favorites and how we ever sold them all is amazing. If we didn't have the one pet rule- we might have kept at least one. :)

Daraby with Grandpa Boersma

Daraby riding with Dad on Dutch. I don't do so well with her riding yet.

However, I am in huge favor of her riding this horse. If only she wasn't so scared of it. Yep, she fell off once and now won't have a thing to do with Rody. This guy is supposed to help her get balance and coordination.

Andrew is very excited to ride Dually. Andrew worked on all the ground training with her and then a friend of ours finished her out. She has some work yet but is progressing. It has been a blessing to see our baby horse grow into a working horse. Andrew thinks raising them and training them out ourselves is the way to go.