About time...

Gavin and Carter with cousin Adrianna (who recently had a little brother, Joshua!)

JB and I last week

So, it's about time I update our blog! We've only been in the States for a few months now... Sorry! We spent the first few months here traveling and living at JB's parents house in New London, Ohio (where internet service is a far cry from fast or reliable!). We moved into our home for the year less than a month ago- though it feel like we've barely lived in it since then due to traveling to Virginia to spend time with our good friends in Suffolk and spending a week at Beulah Beach Camp/Conference Center in Vermilion, Ohio for HAMS (Home Assignment Ministry Seminar). So, now we're all "home" till JB leaves for fall tour (of CMA churches in the Central District) in mid-September. He'll come home mid-November, just 2 weeks before our little one is scheduled to arrive. Yes, you read that right- we're expecting our 3 little blessing!

We found out we were expecting as we were in Russia packing up our house to return to the States- That's about the time when all internet communication fell apart for us- so I apologize if you're only now finding out. We had some complications and very scary moments during the first trimester- but we're over half way there now and it looks like our little baby is healthy and growing just like he/she should be expected. My c-section is scheduled for Friday, November 27th. Yes- the day after Thanksgiving. We've decided to host all our families for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year- as it's only something we get to do once every 5 years...and it's not every year that I get the pleasure of having a HUGE oven that actually cooks at a consistent temperature! So, while we may be crazy, we wouldn't want it any other way!

Since we've been in the States Gavin and Carter have celebrated birthdays. Our little boys are very quickly growing up! They are enjoying all the "new" things here- McDonalds playplaces, Chuck E. Cheese's, drinking fountains, PBS shows in the morning, Grandparents/Aunts/Uncles, Sunday school and Children's church, a big backyard, beautiful (CLEAN) playgrounds, graham crackers and Gavin is particularly excited to go to preschool in the fall and start munchkin soccer. It's so fun to watch them experience all these things- many for the first time.

I'm sure this is a far cry from an exhaustive update of the last few months of our lives- but it gives you an idea of what's been going on with us. There is so much we miss about Russia (and Gavin still asks nearly every day when we'll be going home to Russia), but we are really enjoying seeing all of our family and reconnecting here...not to mention I'm enjoying my amazing oven and over sized appliances... I'd forgotten how many clothes can fit in a washing machine and how huge fridges are here!

So- during this next year feel free to get in touch with us! We're looking forward to catching up with so many of you and visiting different churches. If you want to find out what churches we'll be at in the fall- look for a schedule in our upcoming newsletter. If you don't receive our newsletters post a comment or send us an email and we'll be sure to add you to our email list!

Blessings!