Random pictures

Here is a random collection of pictures from the last month that I've been meaning to blog about. Just some fun shots to enjoy. 

Our nephew Isaac and Monty. Monty sporting some new goggles.

Gabriel Joseph Stuart, born to my best friend Sarah and her husband Dan. What an answer to prayer!!

Happy Father's Day! Our special treat for Brian's dad, Matt. The Portland City Grill, yum, with an amazing view!

Congratulations to Brian, his sister, Sarah and her boyfriend, Rodd. They all graduated with their Bachelor's degrees this year!

Me and my love. 

Outside the city of Florence, Oregon. A wonderful day!

Brian worked on this stump for a few days; many hours of work attempting to get it out. Then, finally it came out! He had a little help along the way. Here he is with Jeremiah.

So, the month of June is almost over and we will be moving out of our home at the end of July. In the meantime we have FOUR wonderful weddings to go to in July and then we head to Russia on August 19th!! 

Moving to Russia!

After nearly two months of searching and waiting, we finally got the email this morning that said, "We would like to invite you and your wife to teach with us for the academic year of 2012-2013."

A few months ago I brought up the idea of living abroad in Russia for a year or so after Brian graduated. I figured we were in a good area of life, no loans of any kind, car is finally paid off, no children, no house payment, money in the savings account...we have a freedom right now that we probably won't have in the future. Brian liked the idea of going to Russia for a while (of course) so we started applying for TESL (teaching English as a second language) jobs for him. No one responded. We had over a month of silence. It was a little discouraging, but we kept trying, with a deadline of Brian's graduation (June 17th) to stop applying and stay in the States.

And then...there was a response, and it was quick! One day after applying Brian had a return email requesting an interview over Skype. That was completed and a second interview was requested a week later. That was also completed and then 6 days after that, they FINALLY said, YES, WE WANT YOU!  I say finally, because the 6 days of waiting was torture for Brian and I. We were stressed and worried and uncomfortable with waiting. All the while trying our hardest to trust in the Lord, knowing He had an awesome plan for us.

And He does. So, no official date yet, but sometime in the end of August we will fly over to Nizhny Novgorod to live until June 2013.
Brian's job? Teaching English. And even better, the interviewers were pleased that I was coming and offered me an assistant teacher job to Brian. So, we will both have a class of 3-6 year olds from 9-12:30pm daily and then I will be free to do what I want and Brian will then teach teenagers and any adults until 4pm or so. PERFECT.
Can I stress how good and perfect God's plan is? Not only do we have a job, but I have something to do daily also that will make my days more fulfilling and fun.

We don't know too many more details yet, living in a little apartment somewhere, three vacation weeks off during the school year (Oct, Jan, and March), and hopefully me learning a little Russian here or there. :)

I will blog again when we find out more details! We will have quite the adventure coming up ahead!!

COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE!!!

Last week we went to Illinois for a wedding/family reunion. We always love going back to the midwest and seeing such fun family. It was a quick four days and we didn't even milk any cows. However we still managed to have some good old farm fun. 

  WENDY MANAGED TO CAPTURE THE WILD BEAST OF THE LAWFER FARM. THIS BEAST HAD BEEN TERRORIZING THE FARM FOR A LEAST A MONTH. WENDY MANAGED TO WRESTLE IT TO THE GROUND AND MAKE IT SUBMIT TO HER WILL. WAY TO GO WENDY!!

 WENDY MADE US POSE FOR A DRESSED UP WEDDING PICTURE. THE TOWN (MONROE, WISCONSIN) WAS THEMED AFTER A GERMAN VILLAGE . IT WAS PRETTY COOL. AND GOOD CHEESE AND MILK WAS AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE.

 AT THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE COOL CREATURES LIKE THIS MASSIVE CAT FISH. IT JUST SO HAPPENED I KNEW HOW TO SPEAK CATFISH. TURNS OUT HIS NAME IS LEON AND HE'S DOING A 5 YEAR SENTENCE IN THE TANK FOR MISUSE OF HIS WHISKERS. HE IS APPEALING THE JUDGES RULING.

 " O I'M BEING EATEN BY A BOA CONSTRICTOR, OH GEE HE'S UP TO MY KNEE, OH HECK HE'S UP TO MY NECK, OH DREAD HE'S UP MMMMHHHMMMHMHHHMMHH!!! " SHEL SILVERSTEEN

 FUN COUSINS ANNE (LEFT) MICHELLE(RIGHT) WE ALWAYS LIKE HANGING OUT WITH THEM AND MICHELLE IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT BIG PHOTOGRAPHER.

 I TRIED TO GET THIS PRETTY LITTLE LADY TO DANCE WITH ME, BUT SHE TURNED ME DOWN. SHE MOST LIKELY DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE WENDY JEALOUS. I LOVE MY GRANDMA.

THEY HAD A PHOTO BOOTH AT THE WEDDING SO WE COULDN'T RESIST. SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO THINK OF POSES SO I PRETENDED TO BE SCREAMING IN WENDY'S EAR, SHE HAS A GREAT FACE IN THIS PICTURE.