Celebrations and Changes

A shot from November taken at my birthday party.

Shirmy is in the front row, second from the right.

A cute shot of my favorite people ever! :)

We celebrated Christmas this past Sunday with our Bible Study students. We had a huge potluck, went caroling (even though it was icy cold outside), did a gift exchage and then watched a great movie which is an overview of the Bible - focusing on God's plan of salvation from Adam to Christ and then the Church. It is called, The Hope, and thanks to Aim and Matt for giving us a copy! Three students present are "seeking" but not saved, so we prayed it impacted them.



Last Friday we got a new member of our household! Her name is Shirmy, and she is an MBA student at Ashland University. She is from China and is a faithful member of our Bible Study. The Lord saved her last month and we are thrilled to have her in our home. If you are a family member of mine - you will get to meet her Christmas Day.



So, that's about it for now. Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Three Years Old!

Sophia turned three on November 25. Jamie and I surprised her with a bicycle the morning of her birthday! I made her a chocolate cake and Jamie decorated it, "Butterfly Ballerina" style, per Sophia's request at the theme of her party! Sunday evening we celebrated at my Mom and Dad's house with all the grand- and great- grandparents. She was blessed with many gifts. A few days prior to her birthday was Thanksgiving, and her Aunt Jeni and Uncle David and her great- Aunt Connie, Uncle Kerry, Aunt Cathy and Uncle Bob, all spoiled her with gifts. The dress A. Jeni and U. David gave her was worn on her birthday as her "party" dress. :)

One year ago Sophia was just beginning to really talk, gave up her paci for good, moved to a big girl bed, started potty training and really began the transition from baby/toddler to toddler/preschooler.

Two years ago Sophia was practically bald still, could only say a couple words, had just started walking (around 10 mos.), was still very much attatched to her paci and still very much our sweet baby.

Three years ago, on her birthday, it was Thanksgiving Day. As Jamie and I rolled into the hospital parking lot around 6am, it started to snow, which also happened to be the first snow of the year. 12 hrs. later, at 6:02pm, Sophia Ruth officially entered the world and we've all been smitten since! She was 9lbs, 14oz, and had blue eyes and wisps of sandy blond hair. At 10 days late, and arriving on the same day as our friend Rachel's birthday, we knew this would be a girl with her own mind, and boy has she not disapointed us! :)

Happy Third Birthday to Sophia!

Zane and Soph Video Clip'

Here is a video of the Fashion Show Sophia was in this November. You'll see her here with a little boy named Zane. Too cute! :)

International Fashion Show 2007

Sophia was again in the International Fashion Show. (For those of you who may not know, each year the International Club at AU hosts a fund-raising fashion show. They model Traditional clothing from various countries, as well as formal and bridal wear, donated from a local shop. Due to our friendship with many of the International students, Sophia has been allowed to join the fun two years in a row now) You may remember her being totally adorable last year. Well, she did not disappoint. Of course, to her it's just a chance to put on pretty dresses that twirl and be with all of her friends. Here are a few cute shots of her after the show was over in her lilac flower girl dress.

Ode to Daddy

My Dad doesn't tend to volunteer to wash dishes. He'll cook, he'll clean, he does the yardwork, and he's definitely Mr. Fixit, but dishes, no, he usually conviently disappears around that time (some may argue I inherited this skill). But, here he is, voluntarily doing dishes, in my house no less, after my birthday dinner. Thanks Dad! I know you were probably just bored with sitting around, but I appreciate history being made in my house all the same. :) Love you! :)

Ruthie's Birthday

One week ago I turned 27. It was sort of strange feeling. I was quickly reminded though, that my sister is turning the big 3-0 this year! :) hehehe and I quickly felt better! :) I had a lovely birthday weekend complete with many celebrations. Jamie and I were able to have a lunch date on Saturday, and he surprised me by inviting some of my dear friends, and their husbands, to join us! Sophia had a blast spending the afternoon with Grandma Susie and Poppy. After lunch Jamie and I were able to spend the afternoon on a date, and it was so refreshing to hang out with my best friend! After picking Sophia up, we headed back to Ashland where our dear International student friends through me a fabulous party.

On Sunday both sets of parents and my Grandpa and Grandma Hanna came for dinner and cake. Again Jamie surprised me- this time with an ice cream cake from Coldstone and we devoured it! Thank you everyone for the birthday cards and wishes. I love birthdays - my Mom always has made a big deal about them and I just think it's a great chance to spend time with loved ones, and that's what I did!

Mom, Me, Jamie

Dad and Sophia

Jamie, Grandma Hanna, Me, Sophia and Grandpa

Jamie, Mom A., Dad A., Sophia, and Me

My favorite gift! :)

Jamie and My yummy cake!

Trick or Treat

Sophia got to go Trick or Treating last Thursday, Oct. 25. She had a lot of fun and chose her outfit all by herself! She wanted to be a Butterfly Ballerina to be exact! Door to door we went and she was very good at first saying, "Trick or Treat," and than saying "Thank you!" Most people guessed she was a butterfly, and we got a few fairy guesses, but no one guessed that she was a Butterfly Ballerina, that is until the end... Just a house or so from our home, at the end of a candy filled hour, we passed a larger group of kids and parents. As we were passing this group I overheard another little girl say to her mom, "Look, a Butterfly Ballerina!" I guess it takes a little girl to know a little girl! :)

She patiently allowed me to apply some special, sparkly make up to complete her costume.

Papa's Birthday.

We got to help Jamie's Dad celebrate his birthday October 19th (though his actually bday is the 20th). It was a chilly fall day and we had a lot of fun hanging out with them! Love you both!

A-top Mt. Jeeves down at Malabar Farm.

At Malabar Farm.

Petting the giant, yet very gentle, horse.

I knew I wasn't crazy!

There is a documentary film out right now called, "The Business of Being Born." It was premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and is only being shown in certain places right now. I believe it may be in theatres in 2008 and will be coming out on DVD in the not too distant future. Check out the website @ http://thebusinessofbeingborn.com/ Make sure and watch the trailer (http://thebusinessofbeingborn.com/trailer.htm).

I am really hoping to have a chance to watch this film. To see where it may be playing near you check this out: http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/screenings.htm.

So, you may or may not know that I used a midwife with my first pregnancy and birth and went the "natural" route. I chose this option due to the experiences I witnessed and was a part of during nursing school, the research I did on my own, and due to the examples of some dear girlfriends whom had chosen this route previous to my pregnancy. For Jamie and me it was the best choice, and as long as I have a choice, I will never go back! I actually use my midwife for all my female health care, not just pregnancy. I am definitely an advocate of doing things as naturally as possible and love sharing my experiences. I have many thoughts on the current trends in childbirth. I think that most women have healthy pregnancies and emergency-free births. Unfortunetly so many of us are conditioned to think that we can't possibly bear children the way God created us to - but! for most of us, we can! And let me tell you, going through it this way is so empowering. Goodness, if you can do this, you can do anything!

Choices are many when it comes to how you will bring your child into the world. I hold no hard feelings towards women who do choose to be medicated, but I do have objection to planned births (i.e. purposeful and unnecessary use of Pitocin and scheduled, planned C-sections that are not medically necessary). Women need to know all their choices and that they do have it in them to do this! I can't wait to view this film, because they put into words and images what is inside of me, but they do it much better! (please note that I am aware of all of the situations that warrent pitocin, c-sections, epidurals, etc... I have dear girlfriends who have done it all! But, these are - at least should be - the minority, not the majority).

This is a semi-controversial topic because so many women have born children. I know it can be a sensitive issue too. I mean no offense. I am just so excited that I'm not the only one concerned with current trends within the healthcare system as related to childbearing, and I'm excited that this film is out now to better inform and educate all of us! So, please check it out and remember, that if the United States does indeed have the "2nd worst newborn death rate in the developed world," there is a reason for this.

I'd love your comments, even if you don't agree with the film or with me.

Leaves, leaves, go away!

The neighbors to our right (if you're looking at the street from inside our house) keep a very neat and tidy yard. They mow a few times a week and I rarely see a stray leaf lying on the ground. Well, we have a lot of trees in our yard, and I don't have a ton of time (or much ambition to be honest) to do yard work, and Jamie has even less time. Needless to say, I was feeling guilty over all the leaves in the front compared to our leafless neighbors, so out I went to rake last night after dinner. It was pretty much dark when I was finished, but! I did it and our yard was now neat and tidy too! ... so I thought...

It's been raining and windy all night/morning. Our yard is no longer neat and tidy, in fact it looks worse than before I raked yesterday! My only consolation is that the wind has blown a few leaves onto our neighbors grass. :) hehehe ;)

First Day of School

Today we started preschool! Sophia and her buddy Josh will both be three next month. They had fun collecting leaves from outside, pasting them on paper, learning to use scissors and coloring! Sophia was great at raising her hand and would only call me "Teacher!" :)

First Day of Preschool

Sophia Ruth Abrusci

First Day of Preschool

Josh Ronk

What faces!

Lunchtime!

Sophia decided she was grumpy around lunchtime, so this was her grumpy face.

:)

The New School Room

Jamie and I worked hard yesterday to convert our all-weather breezeway into a school room for Sophia and Josh. Here are some picutures I took. Thanks to Mom for all the materials and to Dad for the great desk he made for the "students!" :)

Playing in the leaves!

Some cute pictures of Sophia's first experience jumping in leaves! Taken Tuesday, October 16th. Enjoy!

I want to grow up

Pre-dinner conversation between Jamie and Sophia

Sophia: I can't wait till I be older.

Jamie: Why, what do you want to do when you're older?

Sophia: Cut things with a knife and drive.


:)

More Pictures

Vacation Pictures

Back to "Real Life"

Returning from our Chicago vacation last Thursday evening was a bit sad for us, as the end of all vacations tend to be, but it was also wonderful to sleep in our own beds! We greatly enjoyed our trip and hope to return to Chicago to experience some of the things we didn't have time for.

We stayed in the subarb of Oak Park and lodged in a lovely old hotel, the Carlton Hotel. Our suite had a separate bedroom, two bathrooms, a kitchenette stocked with dishes and a pull-out sofa bed in the living room for Sophia to sleep on. We quickly named it her "vacation bed" which she liked very much.

We left for our trip Sunday after Sunday School and made a stop off in Michigan to see my brother-in-law, David, officially ordained into the pastoral ministry. It was wonderful to see Jeni and David and the many other family members who were in for the occasion.

From Michigan we drove into Chicago and stayed our first night with our friends, the Kasels. Unfortunetly Carrie and little Aiden were out of town, but Adam (one of Jamie's college roommates, he was also in our wedding) was a gracious host. Monday Adam gave us a tour of Trinity (an undergraduate college and seminary that Adam currently attends). We spent the rest of Monday getting settled into our hotel and just relaxing.

Tuesday we rode the eL into the city to see the Chicago Institute of Art and later that night met up with Adam again to ride the elevator 90-some floors up to the Hancock Observatory. It was at night and the view was really beautiful!

Wednesday we did the Shedd Aquarium, where Sophia aquired her favorite sovenier, her baby beluga whale! We did a lot of walking Wednesday and it was very cold! We ate dinner in the city at the famous pizza place, Giordanos. The pizza was indeed yummy! After dinner, even though it was cold and raining, we did a horse drawn carriage ride through the city, then ended our night at the Ghiradelli chocolate shop! Yum!

Thursday we drove past a few Frank Lloyd Wright homes by our hotel on our way out of Chicago.

Back to real life now! We're hoping to get some outdoor work done in the yard before the cold makes that impossible. If you're good at pruning trees and ripping out bushes, let us know!

Sophia has been a little sick yesterday and today, so our first day of preschool was postponed. Hopefully we'll be able to start Thursday.

Enjoy our vacation pictures!

Off to the Windy City

Jamie, Soph and I will be heading to Chicago tomorrow night. First, we'll be making a stop at my sister and brother-in-law's up in MI. David is having his official ordination service and we wanted to be a part of that before heading to our final destination. We have a lot of fun things planned for the week and can't wait to relax and have some fun! I'll post some pictures when we get home.

Last night, around 9 or 9:30 (yes, she should have been sound asleep, but since Daddy was still at work, she just wasn't. She has a hard time falling asleep without Daddy home) Sophia started running around the living room acting like she was flying. She said the "angels were taking her flying!" She proceeded to "fly" with the angels around the living room for about 5 or so minutes, till I had to put a stop to it due to the late hour. It was pretty funny and she was so excited about it.

Sophia and Jamie got married again today. Jamie's parents came down this afternoon and they got all dressed up in wedding gear and got married. She also made all of us "tap dance" with her after recieving some new black dress shoes from Grandma Susie and Papa. :) I told her I couldn't because I had bare feet. Well, she solved that easily enough! She ran into my room and promptly returned with my tennis shoes! And there you have it, Mom didn't have an excuse anymore! :)

Love to you all.

The Awnings are Off!

Here are some more pictures of our house, sans awnings!