Hello from Houston!

Author: Mrs. Falls :)


We've officially been living in Houston for a month now!  Wow, time has flown by.  It has been such a cool transition and God has been so faithful in providing us with a community and in helping us to adapt to a huge city.  


Since we have moved, God has provided us with a church home!  The church is called Kaleo (http://kaleohouston.com/), and we attended our first service on our first Sunday here in Houston.  The teaching is challenging and the community is wonderful.  We couldn't walk out the door without being stopped by four different people!  We also were plugged into a community group right away and have since been attending once a week.  During community group, we have dinner together (pitch-in), discuss the sermon from the past Sunday, and then share prayer requests.  The men and women in the group have been so welcoming to us and have even invited us into their homes.  We're currently attending membership classes to become official members - only 3 more classes to go!

Michael's first day attire! :)

Michael started his first day of teaching this past Monday!  It was a challenging week but he is so thankful to be a part of these kids' lives.  Along with teaching four periods of Algebra I, he is teaching two periods of Algebra I ESL classes and the students know hardly any English; though this is a huge challenge, he has found a way to teach the students using differentiated instruction which has proven to be successful!  Also, I recently passed my boards!  I bursted out in tears when Michael read the result to me; after four years of nursing school, tons of studying and preparation, I NEVER have to take it again and I am an official registered nurse! Praise God!  I am currently applying for several jobs in Houston and taking care of the home while Michael is at work.  I'm loving cooking and trying out new recipes, so if you have any favorites, please send them my way (emilycfalls@gmail.com).

Michael and I at the Astros vs. Braves game at
Minute Maid Park.

The weather is HOT here, but not as humid as Indiana (yay!); however, you have to take a jacket with you everywhere you go because every building blasts the A/C.  Our apartment complex has a huge pool, so that also helps to make the heat a bit more bearable.  We've had the opportunity to do some fun things around town - the Astros vs. Braves baseball game, beach day in Galveston, playing board games at local coffee shops for date night, touring downtown, and dinner at local restaurants (we've been to a couple Mexican restaurants that are very authentic and delicious!).  We've also had our first official dinner party with Michael's friends from TFA Institute.  We had dinner (for those that care: ;) chicken, pesto, and tomato flatbread with side salad), drinks, and then finished off the night with dessert (banana and strawberry cream pie with a chocolate graham cracker crust ::yum!::) and a game of Apples to Apples.    

Jesse, Meghan, Blake, Me, Michael, and Logan (TFA friends from Institute); this is a photo from our beach trip in Galveston.

We are loving married life and getting to know one another better each and every day.  It has been so much fun and is a true joy and one of God's greatest blessings, for sure!  Since Michael began work, it has been a little more difficult to find time for each other, but desiring "oneness" and the call to respect and cherish one another keeps us grounded in our priorities.  We would still ask for your prayers that we would learn to balance everything as we adapt to all the new changes!  Also, please lift Michael up in prayer/thought when you can.  He has been exhausted this week and has to stay late at work to prepare lesson plans.  We're hoping that by next weekend, he'll be caught up enough that he won't have to lesson plan EVERY night! :)  And finally, a job for me would be great... just that God would provide a job that I would enjoy, a place where I can have a ministry, and a place where I feel supported by the medical staff and management.  We're trusting in God's timing!  


We love you, miss you, and want to hear how you're doing!


P.S.  Happy Birthday to four wonderful women!!!  We love you all so much!

Granzie - August 16

Grandmom Lil - August 22

Grandma Schweizer- August 26

Momma <3 August 27