The bead table was a hit, but I think the entire event will be even more fun next year...and maybe we'll even get in costume.
10.30.2007
Fall Harvest Party at Church
The bead table was a hit, but I think the entire event will be even more fun next year...and maybe we'll even get in costume.
10.27.2007
Nonna and PaPa Come to Visit
These photos were taken just a few hours ago! There were many favorites, but these are some of the best... click on the photo to enlarge.
10.21.2007
A warm autumn afternoon
These were shot after church today...
Ellie's first real autumn... Cool! A crunchy leaf!
(bubbles are coming her way, hence, the face)
MORE! (please)
Reagan, Go chase these walnuts!
Can you find them?10.17.2007
Midnight Clear
This is what I found Ellie 'reading' on Saturday morning. (Okay, she was on the floor so I moved her to the bed for the photo -- but she was really looking at the book when I walked into the room).
In addition to a great photo-op, I thought I would turn it into a promotion to buy cousin Dallas' new book! It's his first! I'm pretty sure I will never write a book in my lifetime so kudos to Dallas for accomplishing what many dream of, but never actually do.Oh! And here's the Amazon link where you can buy one for a Christmas gift for someone. (shameless, I know)
In other family news...
Sorry for the long gaps between posts. This past weekend we hosted our largest event of the year: an African Goat Roast and Fall Fest. The week leading up to the event was quite full as we emptied the upper level of the student center and blacked out all the windows to turn it into a giant cardboard box maze (the kind you crawl through -- shudder if you're slightly claustrophobic). We also made enough goat stew to feed over 300 people. It was a success with wonderful weather and an even better turn out (in spite of the UK vs. LSU game which was going on at the same time). Added to that, we all got hit by a nasty cold bug which zapped our remaining strength. We've been taking it slow, but we're doing better and grateful for Fall Break which is approaching soon.
We cancelled Ellie's speech therapy appointment on Monday because of her ever-running nose, but kept her appointments yesterday for OT and PT. Both therapists saw improvement in her attention to tasks. She zipped through the wooden puzzles like nobody's business, but didn't care so much for the peg board. In PT she successfully caught (not trapped) a tossed ball from 5 feet (a skill actually beyond her age level) and kicked the ball without holding anyone's hands. It's funny how excited Ellie gets over seeing a ball -- yet she could care less about baby dolls or shoulder bags (something I have noticed her little girl friends are currently into). She's actually got a decent overhand throw, though she won't release it unless we give her the countdown ("Three-Two-One-THROW!").
One other development was our PT's suggestion that we take her to an orthopedist for the signficant pronation in her ankles. She believes Ellie may need some sort of inserts for her shoes or even some ankle braces. Pronation can be the result of many things, but the lack of early strength in her legs is also a probable contributing factor. Unfortunately, as soon as Ellie caught site of the sample ankle brace that Beth brought, she started crying and trembling quite hard, much like she did during our last visit to the ophthalmalogist. I think the visit to the orthopedist may require both Mom and Dad's presence!
One last fun bit: it's a good fall to be a OSU fan. It's funny how when I turn on the TV, it somehow always seems to be on ESPN. Nathan's always anxious to hear any positive press about his Bucks. ;-)
10.09.2007
A little bit of fall...?
Saturday afternoon we had some guests arrive to stay at the student center for a couple of days. They had just landed on a flight from Phoenix where they said it was 10 degrees COOLER than the nineties we were experiencing here in the 'Blue'grass. Because of this year's severe drought and heat, our cool weather clothing remains in storage and we've been told not to expect a very colorful fall -- how sad is that?
Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can get a little piece of autumn and take a virtual visit to the mecca of leaf-changing-chasers. If you click here, you can see the view out of my sister's kitchen window of Vermont's famous maples. Now, where's my flannels?
Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can get a little piece of autumn and take a virtual visit to the mecca of leaf-changing-chasers. If you click here, you can see the view out of my sister's kitchen window of Vermont's famous maples. Now, where's my flannels?
10.06.2007
10.05.2007
One year ago today...
I (Nathan) have decided to give Cydil a break on the Blog, so you are stuck with my thoughts this time.
Today has been eventful in several ways. The full pomp and circumstance hit Asbury College this morning as Asbury's new president, Dr. Sandra Gray, was inaugurated. Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader in the US Senate, was one of several speakers who challenged and encouraged Dr. Gray. It was great to see Jesus so lifted up through the ceremony. Asbury is excited about Dr. Gray's presidency and we are too. Incidentally, Dr. Gray is also on the board of World Gospel Mission and has been a great supporter of missions in general and our ministry here specifically.
The other event of the day didn't even make a blip on the radar of most people’s thoughts, but for Cydil and I, it was life changing. It was one year ago today that we received the news that our daughter Elisona was waiting for us across the ocean to pick her up and bring her home. I am sure that all of you have had events in your life that are so monumental that you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard the news. Let me briefly relay my account of the day since this is a rare time for me to sit down and blog.
Cydil and I knew that the adoption committee in Albania met near the end of each month and so at the end of each month our dossier sat in the country we would silently hope that this would be the month that we would hear. That hope would turn to resignation at the start of each month with the renewed hope that “maybe next month” would be the month (sort of like you Cubs fans may be feeling right now! J). So when I went to teach on the morning of October 5, it felt like any other day. Now you know the rest of the story, but when I got a call from Cydil at a little after 9:00 at the department secretary’s desk, I was surprised! She could have waited 3 minutes and called me in my office for a more private conversation, so what was the urgency? On top of that, all she would say was “Nathan, could you come home right now?” I asked if everything was OK and she replied, “I need you at home NOW. Hurry!”
As I got into our van and drove the short distance to our house, I kept running though scenarios in my head. “Is someone hurt? A family death?...” As I walked into the door, Cydil was standing in the middle of the room with the lights off. She had clearly been crying. As I walked forward to comfort her, she said, “We have a daughter!”
Now it was my turn to cry as we held each other in the living room and I began to ask for more details. Cydil recounted the phone call from Bethany and ended by saying that they were e-mailing us some pictures. I am sure that it was only minutes that we waited, but we hit the send/receive button probably every two seconds until the computer rewarded us with “Downloading 1 of 1 message…” Here is one of the several pictures we received.
The rest of the morning was spent calling and e-mailing family and starting this blog! What a wonderful year it has been watching God move mountains! Praise Him with us for His blessings.
Today has been eventful in several ways. The full pomp and circumstance hit Asbury College this morning as Asbury's new president, Dr. Sandra Gray, was inaugurated. Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader in the US Senate, was one of several speakers who challenged and encouraged Dr. Gray. It was great to see Jesus so lifted up through the ceremony. Asbury is excited about Dr. Gray's presidency and we are too. Incidentally, Dr. Gray is also on the board of World Gospel Mission and has been a great supporter of missions in general and our ministry here specifically.
The other event of the day didn't even make a blip on the radar of most people’s thoughts, but for Cydil and I, it was life changing. It was one year ago today that we received the news that our daughter Elisona was waiting for us across the ocean to pick her up and bring her home. I am sure that all of you have had events in your life that are so monumental that you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard the news. Let me briefly relay my account of the day since this is a rare time for me to sit down and blog.
Cydil and I knew that the adoption committee in Albania met near the end of each month and so at the end of each month our dossier sat in the country we would silently hope that this would be the month that we would hear. That hope would turn to resignation at the start of each month with the renewed hope that “maybe next month” would be the month (sort of like you Cubs fans may be feeling right now! J). So when I went to teach on the morning of October 5, it felt like any other day. Now you know the rest of the story, but when I got a call from Cydil at a little after 9:00 at the department secretary’s desk, I was surprised! She could have waited 3 minutes and called me in my office for a more private conversation, so what was the urgency? On top of that, all she would say was “Nathan, could you come home right now?” I asked if everything was OK and she replied, “I need you at home NOW. Hurry!”
As I got into our van and drove the short distance to our house, I kept running though scenarios in my head. “Is someone hurt? A family death?...” As I walked into the door, Cydil was standing in the middle of the room with the lights off. She had clearly been crying. As I walked forward to comfort her, she said, “We have a daughter!”
Now it was my turn to cry as we held each other in the living room and I began to ask for more details. Cydil recounted the phone call from Bethany and ended by saying that they were e-mailing us some pictures. I am sure that it was only minutes that we waited, but we hit the send/receive button probably every two seconds until the computer rewarded us with “Downloading 1 of 1 message…” Here is one of the several pictures we received.
The rest of the morning was spent calling and e-mailing family and starting this blog! What a wonderful year it has been watching God move mountains! Praise Him with us for His blessings.
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