The Year Recap:
January: Christmas & New Years 2011 in OregonWe didn’t know at the time how special this particular Christmas would be. Much merriment was had—Jesse’s dad read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve while we enjoyed steaming bowls of clam chowder, we went to Luci’s church for Christmas Eve and got to enjoy seeing her in her element, and best of all we had lots of time spent being together. The whole week was special, and we will treasure that time always.
February: Weekend Getaway & Puppy
Jesse surprised me by taking me to Luray, VA (the true countryside) for a weekend. We stayed in a quaint cabin, and despite the crazy winds and storm rolling through we enjoyed the local flavor. The weekend ended with buying a certain little puppy. I’ll never forget how cuddly he was when the store placed him on the floor in front of me. We returned the next day and bought him. He was adorable!!!
March: Holly Marie Visits!!!
We have begged Holly to come visit us ever since we got married. Money and schedules have always gotten in the way, so this year we put our foot down and said, “We will make this happen.” And it did! She had Kelton in her belly as we toured the old streets of DC, and for the first time in ages, Holly and I got to have some quality time just the two of us (I suppose it was technically 2.5).
April: Losing Dad
Jesse’s dad passed away at the end of April, and missing him is an understatement. You know how people muster up good things about people when they pass away so that at funerals, only good things are being said? Well, for Gary, no mustering had to happen. For anyone who knew him, they’d know he was an exceptional man. I could go on and on about how amazing he was. But simply put--He was a man of God...the real kind.
May: Miss Luci Graduates!Just a week after we returned from our unexpected and difficult trip to Oregon, we found ourselves homeward bound a second time—but this time it was to celebrate a very special lady. Luci graduated from Corban University with high honors. We were so thankful for the added time with family and the opportunity to love on Luci. She is now a teacher at a local school near Silverton, OR.
June: Happy Fourth Anniversary
We celebrated our fourth year together by spending a quiet evening together at The Melting Pot. Why is it that dunking food in melted cheese or chocolate is so romantic? This year was a time of growing closer together.
July: Dad & Mom Visit
At some point, my parents will have seen DC in every season. This year, after much nagging from a certain blond someone, they chose to visit us on Fourth of July weekend. We toured the mountain scapes of Virginia and spent a lot of time laughing together. It was lovely. I can NEVER get enough time with these two very special people.
August: Enjoying the Great Outdoors
Jesse and I enjoy bike riding, but neither of us were outfitted with bikes for the local terrain. Jesse’s bike was built for heavy duty mountain biking, and my Wal-Mart purchase had seen better days. After two trips to REI (three if you count having to return to pick up my forgotten license), we had two new bikes and a bike rack. We had a lot of fun trying them out despite the EXTREMELY hot weather. And Hutch seemed to fit right in!
September: Picture TimeOur friends, Danny & Laura, came out and treated us to a family portrait session. The amount of laughter kept us plenty warm in the 40 degree wet weather. We're told that we have a nack for being in front of the camera...though I'm not so sure we should quit our jobs and explore the modeling realm. :)
October: Mom and More Mom
Jesse's mom visited us in early October. We always love when family comes to visit, and this time it was especially fun because we got to spend A LOT of time with her. Jesse and I both took some time off to be with her. One of my favorite memories from this trip was an evening the three of us sat around the living room playing Words With Friends and Hangman with each other on our phones/ipads. Very fun!! One week later, Jesse got to fly back out to Oregon to spend an additional week with her. Yay for time with family!!!
A certain little somebody was born in October. :) Kelton Nicholas Russell has proven to be quite the cutie pie. In fact, his pictures are plastered all over my desk now. Holly is a very good Mamma.
November: Jumping the GunI promise I’ve never decorated for Christmas BEFORE Thanksgiving…that is until this year…
This year can be wrapped up with one thought said in more than one sentence (sorry--you know me--Miss Wordy). FAMILY IS IMPORTANT. I think perhaps Jesus' love for us can best be seen through family and the unconditional love that comes with it. We miss our family--each brother and sister and mom and dad mean the world to us in their own special way, and we hope that someday soon God would have it in His plan for all of us to be living near each other again.
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