Hooray for Missed Flights!

My dear friend from college, Kristin, and her family (well, most of them) missed a flight to Haiti for a mission trip, and they just had to spend the day with us. It was spur-of-the-moment, it was serendipitous, it was AWESOME. The kids played to their hearts' content outside on this beautiful property, I got to catch up with my friend, we shared lunch and dinner together, and we looked at pictures from college. Good stinkin' times. 

The first time I met Sydney, she was barely walking at our wedding. Now she's holding Mikey!

Here are most of the O'Berskis. We missed you Ellie and Hudson! Maybe we'll see you next time your family misses a flight...

Happy Birthday Daddy

You pulled my first tooth with a piece of dental floss.  I still have that 'Gades jersey.  I don't think you can say the same for your bathrobe.

 This is us on my birthday.  

 Loving the beach...

 The 'stache didn't last long, did it?

I love this picture mostly because of Twine's face.  She looks like she's having a killer time.

 I think I wanted to give you big kisses and then steal your cool 80s watch.

I still love singing in church with you (I'm the blonde with the Dorothy Hamill haircut taking her singing VERY seriously.).

You're my body hairless Indian dad!  Hi-how-are-ya (sung in Native American sing-song).

You are so talented and impressed my high school friends with your hair braiding skills.  

I'm still taking my singing in church very seriously.  This time Twine has the Dorothy Hamill cut.

You look thrilled to be making my birthday cake... just one of your many talents.

 Wowsers!

 You baptized me in 8th grade.

You danced with me at all of the weddings we went to.

 Including mine, of course.

Graduation from Taylor.

Thanks to my fabulous shutterbug mom, who took all of these pictures over the years and then put them in a book for me when I got married.  It was the first item in the suitcase to bring to England.


I love you Daddy!  I hope you have a very happy birthday.  I can't wait to see you soon...

Our First Houseguests

When Adria (a friend from Taylor) first Facebook-introduced me to Vern and Aubrey, I was excited to be able to pull a Sam and Emily and pay it forward by asking them to stay with us until their accommodations here opened up.  When they pulled up in the taxi with all of their gear, worlds collided!  It turns out we had met them before in Israel at Tim and Kristi's apartment two years ago. Wild!  We've had a great time together the last five days, and we celebrated our renewed friendship with a Jerusalem staple - Magnum Bars.  Yum!

Portrait Time with Isa

While in Indiana, I drove up to visit some dear college friends, the Mosers.  Their daughter, Eloisa, loved taking pictures.  These are her creations.  She got up close and personal for a few of them. :)

Me and Bekah

Isa's self portrait

Sam's head

Hello!  That would be my nose.

Silly Mommy!

"I say 'cheese,' Mommy."

Ben is busy playing Mario Kart.

More Pictures from Indiana

My mom, Kathy's grandson (my "cousin") BJ, Kathy

An Amish guy making caramel corn with a hairnet over his beard...

A jeep and an Amish buggy - Nathan's two dream vehicles

BJ and my Trojan II shake at Ivanhoe's

Kathy, Bob, and Mom at Ivanhoe's

Bob's ministry, Man 4 Man, had a baptism at the river on Sunday afternoon.  It was so amazing!  Many of the men who were baptized gave their lives to Christ in prison.  This man had been in prison for 21 years and got out almost three weeks ago.  What a great God we serve!

Just Like the Good Ol' Days...

I just got back from Indiana a couple of days ago.  I was a big girl and drove up and back all by myself.  I was at the Blumes' house in Anderson visiting my parents, my psuedo-parents, and friends at Taylor.

For old time's sake, I asked my dad to braid my hair.  He used to do all kinds of crazy creative braids and styles when I was younger.  He's so talented... He can even do corn rows!  Amers, Nathan says I look like you in this picture.

What Nathan Does to Babies

Last night Nathan and I went to visit some Taylor friends for dinner. Nate and Brit spoiled us with some amazing food and conversation. Their 7 month old baby, Jensen, was in bed for most of the time, but he stirred a bit before we left, so Nate got him up for me to cuddle with. He was so wonderfully squishy and nice-smelling. This is his "What time is it? I just woke up." face. I love how his fist is wrapped around my sweater in this picture. He was holding on tight!

Nathan kept trying to make faces at him to smile, but he was getting increasingly attached to me throughout the process. Brit said that at this stage in Jensen's life, he much preferred women. He rarely cried but stuck out his lip to communicate discomfort. So! We decided to pass him to Nathan to see the pouty bottom lip.

He's mustering up the strength not to cry here!

Jensen looks very wary of Nathan here. Doesn't it remind you of the last picture of Nathan and June in this post?

There it is. I love that pouty lip!

A Visit With the Mosers

One thing Nathan and I love is visitors. The only thing better, in my humble opinion, is TAYLOR visitors. We ate up every moment with the Moser family. Unfortunately, we didn't get a complete family picture on with the digital camera, but we got a Polaroid for the refrigerator. :)

Sunday morning we had a pancake breakfast, so we got a few pictures while Drew and Bekah traded off showers and kid duty.

Isa had her eyes closed for this one, but I thought it was so funny I had to post it anyway.

The one with her eyes open may be funnier yet.

Benjamin was like a third parent, making sure everyone had their needs met and was using the best manners. I've never heard "please" and "thank you" from little ones so much. Great job Drew and Bekah!

When it was Sam's turn to have his picture made, he yelled "CHEEEEEESE!" at the top of his lungs.

Thanks for the fun visit Mosers! Let's not wait five more years before seeing one another again.

Oxford Peeps

Here is the oldest pub in Oxford, the place where Bill Clinton allegedly smoked but did not inhale. Casey, Mandy, Jack, Nathan and I scored a warm spot by the fire on the back patio.

I love Jack's lips! He almost always had them pursed like this...

Taylor University people may recognize our student body president from 2001-2002, Andrew Fennig. With him is his wife, Kristen, and their daughter, Lucy Kate. We saw them at Casey and Mandy's church. I was so thrilled to get one up on Allison, who sees Taylor people everywhere.

Not satisfied with just one TU grad, I found Chris Jones in the lobby, who graduated in 2004. Both Chris and Andrew are studying at Oxford (Mandy and Kristen are making silly faces in the background). While I don't think anything will top Allison's chance meeting with Drs. Russelow-Winquist and Winquist at the Grand Canyon, I think this one's at least in the running.

Go Trojans!

TU Pals in the ATL

It was a Taylor University bonanza this last weekend, with planned, semi-planned, and last-minute planned visits from college friends. First was the O'Berski family: Dan, Kristin, Sydney, Maddie, and Ellie! They were driving through from Michigan to South Florida... straight through... and had an early breakfast at Chick-Fil-A with us up the street.

Then they stopped by our house to check it out and swing on the porch swing for a bit.

Talented photographer Sydney took this picture.

Then, after church on Sunday, Nathan and I had lunch with Nate and Brit (Jensen) Elwell. They are expecting their first baby (a boy, Jensen) in October. We discovered recently that we attended church near one another, even though we live about an hour apart. We had some delicious Southern grub at O.K. Cafe.

Augh! More Taylor goodness... My friend Katy (Davis) Mills and her family were driving through from Florida to North Carolina for some vacation time. Her husband, Aaron, and Katy's mom took their kids, Kaia and Jamen, to dinner at an Italian place, while Katy and I got Mexican food next door... ALONE! It was awesome! We got to make up for lost time and really shared our hearts in the hour or so we had together.

After dinner, Katy and I ran through the rain to Starbucks, where the rest of the family was waiting. I'm pretty sure that Jamen is the happiest baby who ever lived. Can't you tell?

Thanks for a great spirit-lifting weekend, Taylor buddies!