Our Bruiser

Thursday night we had a little play date/family photo shoot with our friends, the Kjernalds, visiting from Sweden. As the parents of pre-schoolers, we felt obliged to ask our kids to give each other a hug. Look at sweet Samuel, all ready to embrace Ellie. Scroll down slowly...

...perhaps Ellie thought she was trying out for the Buckeyes? She has been watching football lately with her Daddy. At least Sam is still smiling.

Ellie & friends

Here's Els with some of her college friends. Tonight is a 'double poster' -- keep scrolling down to see more pics...

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Ellie has taken a liking to talking to herself in the mirror. I mean REALLY gotten obsessed with her reflection. She can hardly walk by a mirror without catching her reflection in the corner of her eye, stopping, and then turning to engage her reflection fully. It's usually a recitation of a little chant from her favorite movie, "Finding Nemo." It goes like this, "Ah ee ah ee ah oh oh oh" (repeat 2 or three times) -- don't ask us why that. Or, she will do a dramatic 'fake cry' which turns into a scrunched up nose and curling back her lips to reveal some kind of wierd runway model pouty look. It's hilarious. Tonight, it was just Ellie being silly. I thought you might enjoy. ;-)

Inspiring Story of an Adoptee

We saw this interview on TV last night and can't get it out of our heads...

Recent Ellie Pics

eating breakfast like 'the big kids' at our cabinet camping retreat Saturday

enjoying a kayak ride on the KY river while Nathan and the cabinet were in sessions

cheesing it up for the camera (thanks, Becky, for this shot!)

Ellie made friends with a freshman girl during an Orientation picnic in our backyard...and took her chocolate chip cookie.

State of Campus Ministry 2008

This blog is mostly devoted to our personal family life, however our personal life is tightly woven with our professional life -- that of ministering to/with college students.

A colleague at Asbury passed along this link and it hits the nail on the head describing some of the challenges we face in campus ministry and the students with which we work. If you're at all interested in understanding demographics, cultural shifts, or simply issues facing today's college students, you may enjoy this read:

http://www.ivyjungle.org/GenericPage/DisplayPage.aspx?guid=5A0A9149-478E-4E2B-B2C8-7081BE9333F5

Ellie's Letter to her Great-Grandparents

Because our grandparents don't have access to the internet, and hence, this blog, I printed Ellie's first-day-of-school photo for them. I then felt I should include an update on how she is enjoying school so far and it turned into this letter, which Nathan suggested I share with you all here. This is written in Ellie's voice:

[Dear Great Grandparents:]

...I like my new school very much. There are 12 other children in my class room and many teachers. My main teacher is Miss K. She is really nice and teaches songs to us every day and plans the themes each week. Right now we are learning all about me. Last week we learned about teeth, how to brush them, sort them, we made toothpaste as a craft, and we even had a visit from a dentist! I brought a chart home and we put stickers on it each time I brush my teeth. I still do not like to brush my teeth very much, but the stickers are pretty.

Another week I had a take-home project. Mommy and Daddy had to help me make a collage with pictures of what we like to do together as a family. I had fun picking out pictures like when we made cookies and took a ride in the kayak and visited the park.

My special teachers are Ms. Tammy and Mr. Russell. They work with me every day and help me with all of the activities like circle time, writing my name, and free play where I can choose to do the computer, the dress-up corner, blocks, listen to music, or do crafts. I also have Ms. Emmi who practices speech with me. Last week I had PE and we played with a parachute which was really fun.

Every day I eat lunch in the cafeteria. I get to try lots of new food, but I really don’t like to eat very much of it so I often bring a snack from home. When school is over, the first thing I want to do is eat!

I have learned so much at school already like how to stand in line, how to follow directions like pushing in my chair, and how to say ‘thank you’ to my new friends when they help me. I really like to play with other kids my age. They are a lot of fun and they help me find my cubby.

Here is a picture from my first day of school. You can see my new back-pack that I take to school every day. Every day I bring home something I made in school to put on the refrigerator. Mommy says we need a bigger refrigerator.

Well, that’s what school is like for me. I wish you could come and see it! There are so many children, and it’s a really happy place and every day I am excited to go.

Buh Bye!
Ellie

Fun with Balloons

We hope this video makes you laugh as much as it did for us in person. Our friends in the video are Kristen and Viktor Rosza who stopped by for a visit on Thrursday night. Enjoy!