Our First Grandchild - Avery May Russell

May 21, 2009 is a new date on our family calendar. It is Avery's Birth Day! Of course the two previous weeks we had been wondering when Avery would arrive. Kelly had been having contractions off and on. Finally her doctor chose a date when Kelly would be induced IF the baby had not arrived yet. So the night of May 20th Kelly and Nathaniel arrived at the hospital to begin the delivery process. Of course babies don't always want to arrive quickly. Nathaniel was like that for me and in the same fashion Avery wanted to take her time being born (and wanting Kelly to remember Avery's feet up in her ribcage during those final hours).

Nathaniel and Kelly monitoring the contractions and Avery's heartbeat.

Kelly did great. We are thankful the epidureal eased the pain for her so the final hours of labor and the two hours of pushing were bearable for her. Nathaniel was a great coach. He stood by Kelly encouraging her and helping her in anyway he could.

Kelly's Mom, Ruth Ann, Roger and I were able to be in the birth room as Kelly was monitored. When Kelly had dilated to 10 cm. Roger was sent off to the waiting room. The room was prepared and Kelly was allowed to begin pushing. After pushing for two hours at 4:12pm, Thursday, May 21st Avery May Russell arrived. AND she made herself known with her crying and showing us her beautiful head of hair.

The nurses had us all guessing what was Avery's size. Avery weighed in at 7 lbs. 1 oz. and 19 inches long.

We thank the Lord for blessing Nathaniel and Kelly with their beautiful little girl (and us our first granddaughter). We know God has special plans for Avery May. We look forward to seeing her grow and enjoying life with her Mommy and Daddy!

Mommy, Daddy and Avery.

Mommy and daughter.

Roger and Avery. Tati has been chosen to be his grandfather name. It is Romanian.

It looks like I will be called Buni (boonie) which is a short version of grandmother in Romanian.

Four generation picture!

Nana and her first great grandchild.

My niece, Natalie holding Avery.

March 31, 2009 Jordan is 22!

Jordan is our miracle child.  Of course all our sons are blessings and gifts to us.  When I was four months pregnant with Jordan we learned I had placenta previa.  So the remainder of the pregancy I was monitored closely, had to quit my job and be on bed rest (hard to do with an active 2 year old at home), take meds to keep from having Jordan early, and had at least five sonagrams to make sure he was OK.  AND Yes we definitely knew he was a boy!  My original due date was April 11th but since I had to have a c-section we chose March 31st as Jordan's delivery date.  On that morning Dr. Sarmini, his staff, Roger and I were in the delivery room for Jordan's appearance. When Nathaniel was born he came out crying but when Jordan was born no sound.  I asked why was he not crying.  Later Roger told me that Jordan was blue when he was born (the placenta was dying/Jordan would not have survived until April 11th).  But after what seemed FOREVER Jordan started crying!  I have thanked the Lord many times for Jordan.

Happy Birthday Jordan!  I love you!

Mom

Our New Home

When we returned to the US we knew we would have to find a place to live before our time at the missionary house was over.  So Roger and I began praying where the Lord wanted us to live. We hoped it would be in central Texas near our son Nathaniel and his wife, Kelly.  The neighborhood where the missionary house is in Belton is an older neighborhood but nice.  I hoped we could find a house there.  Roger and I walked the neighborhood discussing what we wanted in an house and about the houses we saw for sale.  

In September 2008 our searching came to a halt when Roger was asked to consider being a pastor of a church in Georgia.  Of course this surprised us.  Roger had not considered this but knew if the Lord wanted him to do this he would.  Roger submitted his resume and talked with people on the pulpit committee.  In November we learned that was not where the Lord wanted us.  So we began searching again for a house.  

Since money was tight we had no problem looking at fixer uppers.  We even saw one that was really bad but knew it had potential.  We looked at several in our area of Belton but none were the one.

Our search for a house took us to the small town of Nolanville southwest of Belton.  In the past three years the town has gone from around 2000 people to around 5000 through the construction of subdivisions.  In mid-November we drove into the Nolan Ridge subdivision to check out one house I had found on the internet.  It was not what we wanted but decided to see what else was available in the subdivision.  We found one that looked promising and called the listing realtor about it.  The house was empty so we could see it immediately.  When we walked in we found a house with most of the items we had on our list and then some.  

We were looking for a house with 4 bedrooms.  The master bedroom not on the same hall as the rest of the bedrooms (my mother would be living with us and I wanted her to have some privacy).  Of the remaining bedrooms one that would be big enough for our king size waterbed. In the kitchen a nice size pantry.  A laundry room.  A plus would be a fenced in backyard. Of course a two car garage.  When we walked into 317 Timber Ridge 

we found these items in this house including wiring and speakers for surround sound in the living room.  We knew immediately this was the house.  Our realtor and her husband (also a realtor) were impressed by the house and what had been done to it in the past three years (nice lawn and cedar fence).  

So we bid on the house.  We learned the sellers were living in Japan.  So after about a week we learned we were buying the house.  On December 18th we signed the papers and became homeowners again after ten years.  

We move into the house January 5th.  We moved my mother and her furniture from Mt. Pleasant before Christmas.  Her furniture was put into the house but she stayed with us at the missionary house.  I wanted to enjoy the time with our kids (Jordan and Kyle home from college) and not think about getting into the house before Christmas.  We did work on getting furniture situated and the kitchen organized.  Then after the boys were back at Union University we made our move.  

After we moved in and realized how much stuff my mother and I had Roger went to work in building more cabinets.  He first started with enclosed shelves in a nook area out side of my mother's bedroom.  Then built corner shelves in the dining room.  Roger (with Nathaniel's help) put up radiant heat barrier in the attic and blew in more insulation to help keep our electricity bill down.

In the backyard Roger with Nathaniel and Kyle's help (during spring break) built a pergola.  It has helped keep more of the afternoon sun from coming in the windows.  

We did not have screens on the front windows.  Roger built full length screens and also put up solar reflective film on the windows to help block the heat.

We have settled into our home now.  I know I could be more organized but know with time the closets will look better.

We thank the Lord for this house.  He brought us to this house to live in. Thank you Lord!

Happy New Year 2009!

A new year has begun. We wonder what the new year will bring. As Christians we wonder what adventures we will have with the Lord.

At Sunday School on December 28th the following verses were said as the closing prayer. I think they are appropriate for us all as we begin the new year.

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blamelss and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones." 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

God bless you as you seek the Lord's will in your life in 2009!

Christmas 2008

It has been three years since Roger, Kyle and I celebrated Christmas with family in Texas. I had been looking forward to being with my mother, Nathaniel, Kelly, Jordan and Kyle for Christmas.

As my family will tell you I enjoy decorating for the holiday (well actually most holidays). This year I began decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving. Since Jordan and Kyle would not be here during Thanksgiving break (they stayed in northeast Texas) and we were meeting them in Greenville for Thanksgiving I decided to start decorating early. I pulled out our decorations from Romania and our decor that has been packed up for 10 years in my mother's garage. Oh the memories I recalled as I pulled out decorations Nathaniel, Jordan and Kyle made as little boys (fun times).

Roger was great pulling out the artificial tree here at the missionary house and putting it together. I enjoyed decorating it with ornaments from Romania but also those that have been stored here.Here is the tree all decorated. Another tradition we had before moving to Romania was putting the train around the tree. So out the train came this year. Gracie, our cat wanted to be in the picture too. Gracie did not bother the tree at all.

I found this glass christmas tree in a glass shop in old town in Bucharest.

A few years ago when walking through Unirii Mall in Bucharest I saw and bought this winter scene glass plate.

Colleague Freda Angeletti painted this winter scene and gave to us. She is a great artist!!

24th - Christmas Eve

Another tradition we have had since the boys were small is the advent calendar. Their Nana and Poppa gave the boys The Nutcracker calendar I think in 1989 (Kyle's first Christmas). The boys continue to enjoy doing the calendar. Since Jordan and Kyle were away at college Roger and I took turns. My Mom also did a few days. Nathaniel even was able to do it when he came by for lunch a few days. On this Nutcracker calendar their favorite character is the Mouse King. The funny thing was when it was mentioned on Facebook the Mouse King had been chosen by Nathaniel one day. Oh, Kyle's response was "When I get back the mouse king is going to switched out so that I can put it on next!" And he did switch it when he arrived home.

Christmas Eve before going to the candlelight service at Nathaniel and Kelly's church, The Well we opened presents with Nathaniel and Kelly. They were headed to Kelly's parents in Jarrell after the service.

One of Kelly's gifts was pillow for pregnant ladies.25th - Christmas Day

The stockings are full on Christmas morn.Jordan wishing he could have slept longer (it was after 9am).Yum beef jerky!Jordan smelling his scented Blue Bell Creamery pencil.Kyle looking forward to eating the Hershey kisses and Reece's peanut butter cups.

My Mom (Nana) working on a crossword puzzle in the Bible crossword puzzle book she received in her stocking.Roger wearing his own National Guard American Heroes shirt he received from Kyle and trying out his new hair brush.Nana admiring a new Lenox "Holiday" dish. The collection began years ago when my Dad and Roger worked for Nabisco. They won different pieces several years in a row.Jordan wearing his red long johns he received. This was a lot easier gift to buy for him than the real moose head he had on his list. AND yes he wants one!

26th - More gifts to open

On the 26th my sister, Nancy and her family (the Ervins) arrived for us to celebrate together.

Nana, Jeremy and Nancy.Kyle, Kimberly, Nana, Jeremy and Nancy.Kimberly received this zebra pink bag and other matching luggage from Ervin relatives.James and JordanNana brought items that belonged to my Dad for the grandsons to look at. Jeremy and Jordan looking at the cufflinks.

Jeremy, Kyle, Nathaniel and Jordan wearing some of Poppa's bowties (Jordan also has on a red cumberbun).

Close up of Jordan in his bowtie.Roger trying out the perfect pushup devices Nathaniel received from the Ervins for Christmas.

One of Nana's gifts was a UMHB picture frame. So we needed to take a picture of the UMHB alumni (Nathaniel, Kelly and Nana) and soon-to-be graduate, Natalie (she will graduate in May 2009) to go in the frame.

Our family with Nana.

The Haircut for the New National Guard Recruit

As many of you know Jordan joined the Tennessee National Guard in the Fall 2005. Now after much thinking, discussing and praying Kyle has joined the ranks too. The week before Christmas Kyle with other recruits headed to Memphis for physicals and testing. When he arrived back here on December 22nd Roger and Jordan cut his hair off.The before look. He had not cut it since heading to college. Yes it definitely needed to be cut!!

Jordan the professional Army barber cutting Kyle's hair.

Look at all the hair!

A new Kyle!