Today's Coffee: Unknown Organic Blend

As usual, the Russells have had a lot going on in the past weeks. It's already December and we are getting SO excited about coming down to SC for a few days at the end of the month. I am teaching until the 23rd of December (half-day) and Thomas is playing a Christmas eve and day service at church. We will then depart after church on the 25th and drive to Virginia Beach to see my wonderful Ganny and relatives. We will stay the night with her and then leave her house early on the 26th to hopefully be home in SC by 6 pm on the 26th. The journey back begins on the 31st with our friend William who will drive us back. Thomas must be back by Jan. 1st evening for a wedding rehearsal so we will be taking turns driving. While we are home we hope to visit and see everyone. We want to go to Columbia to have coffee with old friends and also have a dinner with all the Russell children. What a sweet meal that will be - with Matthew, Seth, Thomas, Faith, Ethan, MomR and DadR and myself. :)

Thanksgiving was also a good time with Seth coming from Rochester to spend it with us. We all ran a 5k on Thanksgiving morning and we all finished in under 30 minutes! We proceeded from there to go to the Holst's house for Thanksgiving (it was amazing!). We also spent some time that evening at my stand-partner's house for another round of dessert. Friday we introduced Seth to Ikea and just chilled out later with watching the movie Up. Saturday we ventured into NYC where we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Thomas Cathedral, Met Museum of Art, Central Park, a really uppity (but very chic) pizza place, Rockefeller Center, and Time Square. It was a very windy day but we had a lot of fun. The hot nuts were awesome as well! It was great fun and we can't wait to go again with Seth sometime!

My job has been going well. I have over 60 students in 6 grades split up into 8 classes. I have had many struggles so far with this job but am truly learning to see what a blessing it is. I really enjoy working with inner-city students and giving them something like a stringed instrument to learn and play. I enjoy my schedule which gets me home much earlier and therefore allowing me to prepare for the next day at school and practice other instruments. My bass and cello skills are getting much better! I am thankful for how everything is working out although it is challenging in many aspects. I praise the Lord for this job! :)

Thomas and I are signing up for another race... in February! brrrrrr! It's going to be on Feb. 13 and it's called 4M sweetheart race - we will be a team! :) So, yep, a 4M race in whatever weather February CT looks like. We read the description "rolling hills with one steep hill".... great! We are excited about starting to run again and keep in better shape. We want to be able to eventually do a 10k and then half marathon... and then maybe a marathon. . . maybe.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we enter a busy season of gigs, exams, tests, assemblies at school and concerts.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Exploration El Dorado Columbian

Many things have been happening in the Russell household lately. First, I have started my new job: middle/elementary school strings teacher. Today was an in-service day due to Election Day, but tomorrow should get interesting! I have a small but capable classroom with chalkboards and hopefully some awesome bulletin boards featuring "Name that Note Speed Chart" and a musical staff with notes to place or take off of it. I have a great set of instruments at the school that I can't wait to get into the student's hands. It's going to be quite challenging but I am ready for the challenge! I have also cut my hair and now have a short haircut. It's very new but I think that I like it - much better curly than straight though.

Thomas and I have decided not to watch any shows during the school week and instead fill that time (that is often just a waste) with memorizing Scripture and studying and reviewing music theory and history to help Thomas prepare for the rigorous tests in the next few semesters for the DMA program. We decided that there was no reason for us to be watching shows (even though we like them) when we could be edifying each other and working to glorify God more and more. We will still watch on weekends, but we really want to strive to do our best with what God has given us and the opportunities that He has given us. Call us crazy but we are really excited about this.

So, it is already November! We will get to see Seth very soon and (maybe) we will get to travel to NYC with him. Also, I am running a 5k on Thanksgiving day with a friend from work whom I hope to be starting a weekly run with her. I am of course nervous but excited and hope to beat my last time of 31'. Running in the cold is different than Columbia heat and humidity. Anyways, we are making homemade apple chips from the apples we picked and they are AMAZING. Easy and amazing. I love it!

I need to get dinner going since we both have busy evening plans (rehearsal and board meeting).

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Aldi Brand Kona Blend with Nutmeg

So here we are... almost done with October and many new updates from New Haven. One of the most exciting things is that I am now strings teacher at a local elementary/middle school here in New Haven. The school is about a mile from our apartment (eek!) and I hope to be able to start next Monday. There is a ton of paperwork to get sorted out but needless to say this is VERY exciting! The Lord has blessed me again! I have learned so much about patience and trust through this whole journey. :) So, this also means that this is my last week at my jobs right now. It's bittersweet - I am happy to be doing what I have spent my life training for, but I have met some amazing people at my jobs. I know that we will all continue to be friends even after I leave.

I have decided to cut my hair short as well. It's high time to donate again and I really want to try something different. I've had long hair ever since I can remember and I think that I am going to do something else. I hope to get an appointment in for Friday morning. The weather has been quite temperamental here: rain, sunshine, rain sunshine. We took some lovely pictures yesterday of the beautiful fall colors. I have also been baking like a fiend. After we went apple picking (and got 20 lbs!) I have decided to make an apple pie. It's almost gone... and I baked it last night. It was INCREDIBLE! Also, cherry pie, sweet potato pie and the usual weekly brownies. I'm either a great cook or a little homesick... or both! ;)

Thomas and I are very excited about this new job - for one we will finally have a schedule. With both of my jobs that I have now we have hardly any time for each other. Now, we can begin running again and eating at normal times and practicing. Sigh. It must seem like I have gone through jobs so quickly, but the Lord was providing it all for me. He taught me to be content and trusting in His plan when I originally didn't get a teaching job - and I did. I trusted Him - and looking back, what an amazing lesson He taught me. I don't need everything that I think I need to be happy. I just need Christ. :)

Seth is coming for Thanksgiving (and hopefully Gregory for a day or so) and we are so excited to be seeing him. It will be nice to see a family member here for a holiday. Speaking of holidays... this new job also changes our visit home plans... I don't know exactly what we are going to do, but I think that we are going to drive down to see my Granny on Christmas day and then leave early the next morning for Greenville. We would then fly back to Hartford on January 2. This means paying a hefty fee for changing tickets, but we have decided that seeing family is way more important. I miss everyone a lot. I don't think that we will permanently live anywhere other than the good 'ole South. And we are excited about the new plans because that means we will get to come to Second! We try to listen to as much as we can on the live broadcast before we go to church - and we miss our church family!

Well, the dishes and laundry don't wash themselves... so I am off to finish cleaning.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Aldi Brand Kona Blend

Today is October 2nd and the cool weather is really beginning to roll in here in CT! Many things have been going on the past month. I have now started another job in the mornings: I am a receptionist for a local dentist (about 5 blocks away). It all started because I teach him violin lessons and he offered me the job. The best part is that my schedule works out to where I didn't have to change anything with my retail store job. So, now 3 days a week from 8 am to 11:30 ish I am a receptionist. Last week was my first week - and it's pretty tough. Let me also note that I have a TERRIBLE fear of dentists. Like none other. Just ask my parents - nurses usually have to hold me down, I cry, I bribe them to let me go... sad really. So, I'm hoping that my fear will be eased away as I make appointments, call people on the phone and enter data... all while hearing the going-ons of a dentist office.

Also in great news: Mary Nobile is coming to visit us on Sunday! She was my roomie in college for only 1 semester but we became really great friends. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding and basically she's awesome. She's driving up to see her grandparents and will be stopping by to see us! :)

Other things... we are becoming friends with many of the organists at Yale. Concerts are by the plenty so we are getting to hear a lot of great things. Thomas' birthday is coming up on the 15th. So, that is going to be exciting. Thomas and I have a new website: http://www.thomasjulierussell.vpweb.com/
We are hoping to drum up some business for my studio opening in February and such. The weather - yesterday we hung around 55 degrees all day. We are waking up to 45 degree weather ... so yea.

Thomas is enjoying his classes - he stays busy all day and seems to be practicing 50 hours a day. (It's not really like that...) and we were not lining up in our schedules which was really sad. So now every week we have a coffee date and once a month he plans a surprise date for me. We have been learning a lot about marriage now that we are over 800 miles from our families. We make it part of our day to do personal devotions before getting on the computer in the morning and also changing our Facebook habits. We now try to not use FB to make ourselves look super cool or impressive, but simply using it as a fun tool to let others know how we are and things of that sort. I just had realized that I used FB to puff myself up or seem super awesome through statuses and other parts - and I need to become less and God more. That's the simplest way I can think of saying it. It's been a personal battle for me to worship God and to stop worshiping myself. So, anyways - that's what I've doing spiritually. Also, memorizing verses through the Fighter Verses series - it's tough but I have about 24 minutes of walking a day I do to get to work... prime time to spend with the Lord.

Speaking of walking - in October I walked over 31 miles just getting to and from work. Awesome!

I need to go get lunch ready for Thomas and I. Then off to work! Let us know how we can be praying for you.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Millhouse Chocolate Velvet

Things are going well in the Russell House. Thomas has started school and loving his classes. Yale is a really interesting school (as I learned yesterday because at work we went on a Yale tour). The traditions that go on here are cool to hear about. American football really started here. Yalies invented the Frisbee. The buildings were actually built in the 1930s. There are people buried under the New Haven Green. Nathan Hale got his degree in drama from Yale. Lots of cool info.

My job has been going well. I get great excercise walking 1.3 miles to work everyday. Takes about 20 minutes, so I do a lot of my memorizing verses on that trip. Hopefully in February I will start my own violin studio. The church we have been attending is willing to let me use a classroom to teach out of - so I am spending my time drafting up flyers and info sheets to drum up business for that. Last night I auditioned for a community orchestra, the New Haven Chamber Orchestra and got in. This concert we are playing selections from Swan Lake, Beethoven 6 and one other piece... hmmm. Can't think of the title right now. I am excited to be playing again and working towards a goal. Now if I can just find a place close to our apartment where I can practice....

There are a crazy amount of AWESOME concerts Thomas and I are going to get to go to! They have an organ series that is phenomenal. Last week we heard Martin Jean (professor at Yale) play on the Woolsey organ. It was great! If any of you remember a certain piece Thomas played for his... junior recital (?) Etude Heroique by Laurin - she is coming in November to play!:) So it's very exciting.

We miss everyone a lot and we are so excited to be coming down for a visit in January. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. Well, Thomas just called and I am going to practice at the ISM with him. Talk to you guys again later!

In Christ,
The Russells

We finally did our wedding/bridal portrait!

Today's Coffee: Celestial Seasoning Organic Vanilla Hazelnut

Well, so much has been happening lately! This week Thomas is going to prep courses for the music history placement exam (hoping to pass out of the lower history courses). My schedule at work is now finalized so we can plan events, game nights, people over a little bit better. I have rearranged the living room and did the bedroom this morning. We'll see what Thomas thinks when he comes home! :)

We have finally decided that we are coming home in January. We will drive the Camry back because there is really no reason for us to have 2 cars up here - parking is atrocious and when it snows, well, needless to say, we only need 1 car. So, we will drive it home and then fly back to New Haven. Taking the advice of friends we will apply for a zipcar so that in the rare cases when we do need 2 cars, we will have one! (And, doing the math, it's cheaper to use a zipcar than the keep the Camry up here). The weather is so pretty hot - but in a different way than SC - the hot air doesn't seem to move - so it's heavy and gross. Ugh.

I also realized that my birthday is Sunday. Wow. Who is keeping track? Not me! Good ole 22! Happy birthday Matthew as well! We have been hanging out with the Groths - which is fun to have friends up here from SC (or Ohio or Wisconsin).

Other news: the tomatoes are purple and we cut into one of the yesterday. We also finally bought a blender and made smoothies. And they were awesome. We have tweaked a recipe - and they were phenomenal. Time to go get more blueberries and peaches? I hope so!

Currently I am reading through the Narnia series - very nice to read it instead of seeing it! I have a new kitty friend that lives in a CD shop down the street from where I work. I try to visit him (Wally) everyday. I think we are becoming good friends! Anyways, I need to get ready to go into work! I hope you have a great day and keep trusting in the Lord!

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Expedition Grano De Oro

Many things have been happening here in the North lately. The weather has been gorgeous and getting pretty cool in the evening. Our tomato plant lives happily on the fire escape as we patiently wait for the tomatoes to turn purple on it. Thomas and I have been blessed in so many ways this past week. I have gotten a job at a Yale merchandising store that is a 20 minute walk / 10 minute bike ride away. The people that run it are super nice and friendly and retail seems to be something I am naturally good at - talking to people. They have me working about 35 hours a week - so I am now fairly busy with that.

We have lived in CT for a month and a week and it is starting to feel a little more like home. We miss everyone in SC dearly and are looking forward to visiting in January. With Thomas' job we will be unable to be home for Christmas (not to mention that plane tickets are really pricey in December) so we have decided to visit after all the holidays and before Thomas starts back in January. All of this of course depends on how much time I can get off from work and such. So, in short - you should come visit us! :)

I have found a community orchestra is pretty decent that I would like to join - auditioning me in September. I went to a reading session and we read hard literature - so I have high hopes. Thomas is starting to prepare for entrance exams for music and German, he is going to do well on all of them.

Well, I need to get ready to go to work - we will post more at a later date.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Millhouse Regular

Thomas and I have officially been living in New England for over 3 weeks now. Lots has been going on as we are still settling in and getting used to what real rush hour traffic is. (Greenville, you haven't seen anything!) Thomas has received the job at Zion Lutheran Church and we are so pleased to see this answer to our prayer. I am still looking for a job but am now expanding my options to the realm outside of music. There are several places near Yale campus that will be hiring for the transition into school starting and I have decided to apply to some of these places. I believe that my southern charm will help me become the most awesome waitress New Haven has ever seen. :)

We went contradancing last Saturday night and found a really great group of people. The call, Bill Fischer, was a super cool guy whose house is an old barn (turned into a house). Once a month they host a festival for music and dancing where you can bring your instrument and they help you learn more about fiddle/folk music and then they contra later. Everyone jams together and Thomas and I know that this is where we might take our little bluegrass "band" next. Haha! We have found a church that preaches the Word pastored by Johnathan Holst. We are trying to get plugged into this church and do what we can to praise the Lord with our skills and talents. We are very blessed to have this church to go to.

We are trying to get back into the habit of running daily (the move stopped us for a few weeks) but we have found that it is a bit harder than anticipated. One problem that we have run into (hehe - no pun intended) is that the air here is not nearly as humid or heavy as the air in Columbia, SC. Our mouths get dry here when we run - it's strange how something so small like that seems to have a huge impact on our running.

In other news, we are huge fans of Chef Gordon Ramsey and we hope to go to his restaurant in NYC in August for my birthday. We watch all his shows online and we feel like we know him - so if we meet him, it could get weird. Our tomato plant is doing really well - we hope to have ripe juicy purple tomatoes by next week... and hopefully our oregano will decided to start sprouting soon as well. It's raining now - I was hoping to go running after this - but it has started raining (something we see A LOT of here). So, I guess I will go play Risk 2210 A.D. with Thomas. I told him I would play with him and he needed to set it up before I change my mind. ;)

Continue to pray for us while we are here. We thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: New England Eye-Opener Blen

Funny how appropriate today's coffee was. Thomas and I are settling into our new apartment very well. Our location is amazing. Beautiful neighborhood about 10 blocks from main campus and even closer to the Div School (where Thomas will be - a lot). On our way up we stopped at my Granny's house in Virginia Beach. We got to visit with family on my mom's side and do a lot of other fun things. fish, canoe, eat a lot, pogo stick, swing, drive the tractor, and lots of talking.

Thomas and I arrived in CT around 3.00 pm on July 1st to get keys to our apartment and then once we were inside we both agreed - much smaller than we had thought it was going to be. Waiting for Dad, Mark and Taylor (friend of Mark's) to arrive with all of our stuff we tried to occupy ourselves, ended up getting hungry and ate fluffernutter sandwiches. Dad finally rolled in around 9.45 pm (after getting lost and driving for about 13 hours) we decided not to unpack the trailor because we are on the 3rd floor of an old rickety house and didn't want to wake up anyone. We all slept on the floor that night. Getting up super early Thomas, Dad and I began moving stuff out of the trailor around 6.40 am so that we could move the car. Eventually all of our stuff ended up in the apartment. I still do not know how the loveseat fit through our tiny door - but maybe I don't want to know. Well, on July 2nd (while we were moving) Thomas had an interview for a church job at 1.00 pm and another at 7.00 pm. We were all so tired we all slept again that night, but we had a bed this time. The next morning we all ate bagels and cereal and then decided we wanted to show Dad and them the Yale Campus. It was awesome. Dad, Mark and Tayor left early Saturday morning to go back home - making a stop in Philly to try the famous Geno's cheesesteak.

So, Thomas and I have been living in New Haven now since Wednesday and we are really starting to enjoy it. Trying to get jobs has taken up a good portion of time, but there is a lot of time in the day when you know hardly anyone and do not have the internet. We are reading lots of books and practicing banjo and mandolin and playing games. I almost played Risk with Thomas, but then thought better about it and backed out. We are scheduled to get internet on July 12th and then we can Skype and do all that business.

All of our pictures are up on facebook - friend me and see them. We hope to have a video tour soon of our apartment. More to follow when we can get to the cafe.

P.S. The left picture is from the inside of the Yale Sterling Memorial Library. ;) The right picture of of the houses across the street from us.

In Christ,

The Russells

Today's Coffee: Iced Va Va Vanilla

Well, today is going to be busy! We are 10 days away from moving to CT and our apartment is getting pretty crazy. Boxes are everywhere, eating off of paper plates, bikes in the living room... you get the idea. We have been packing like crazy and trying to figure out how we have so much stuff. Granted - we live in a one bedroom apartment right now, it's not that much. Tonight, some of my dear friends from school are having a cookout going away party for Thomas and I. Right after that we are driving to Greenville to stay up and prepare for the Yard Sale of the Century. It begins at 7 am - so we will be up late tonight and up really early tomorrow morning. We are going to take all the money and pay for the moving costs.

Thomas and I have been training now for a 10k. This is something we thought would be really cool to keep up with when we move - so we are on an 8 week training plan. This has been fun to do and we both have found that we really enjoy running. Yale has sent out important dates for the students to remember and there are parties and semi-formals. I guess that's how they do it at Yale! The Institute of Sacred Music (ISM) hosts all these parties and they certainly are formal events - different than the School of Music cookout at USC. We are looking forward to those.

In other news - Happy Birthday Seth, Sandy and Olyn!

Well, off to figure out how to dismantle our desk and try to stuff it in the car to sell in the YSOTC (Yard Sale of the Century).

In Christ,
The Russell

Today's Coffee: New England Eye Opener Blend

Things have been coming together recently. I have applied to the Neighborhood Music School in CT. This took so long because I had to re-write my resume and business letter. Ugh. We have been gathering items for our yard sale - it's going to be huge - lots of clothes for women. We have also decided that it is going to be on June 20th - early in the morning. I have a to-do list a mile long, but I kind of enjoy having things to do - and I love being able to check things off when I complete them.

Thomas and I ran our 5k - in under 35 minutes and didn't walk once. I am so proud of us! We have decided that running is going to be our new hobby and I hope to run another 5k in CT either in August or September. This past weekend was a lot of fun - we got to spend some good time with our families and celebrate some birthdays! It has us thinking that we will only be around in the South for another 5 weeks. It is getting closer! I am pretty excited about our new move, starting a new segment of our life together - I am excited to see how our marriage will grow. I know that the Lord has a plan for us and to begin to live it out will be a great trial.

Well, off to go and work on some more of that to-do list! Let me know when/how you would like for us to pick up Yard Sale stuff! Keep us in your prayers.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Organic Celestial Seasonings Caramel Mocha

Hello again.

I was going through my huge to-do list and I wanted to let people know that Thomas and I are going to be having a yard sale in June. We wanted to know if people had anything they would like to donate for the sale - for we wish to raise some gas money for the move up there. Thomas and I will run the thing - but we are more than happy to come by and pick up clothes or boxes of things you would like out of your house! :) We were thinking the morning of June 20th - and if a certain pretzel eater wanted to sell lemonade - he could. Just an idea.

So, let us know if you need us to take anything off your shoulders! We would be more than happy to.

In Christ,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Southern Home

For our post #2 I would like to point out that I am a college graduate now. This is exciting. In other news, my laptop is acting up. We are not able to turn it on at all. :( But, we have been discussing getting a new desktop computer for awhile now - and we feel that this may be the time to do just that. Many of my teaching application files are on my laptop - so we need to get it running soon - but we feel that we are ready for a more reliable computer.

If you have any advice for buying a desktop - please let us know. We would greatly appreciate any help we can get. Thomas and I have also recently gotten into Skype. If you ever want to chat our user name is: tjrussell08 . We would love to talk and 'show' you around our apartment.

Well, this is all for the second post - brownies and ice cream are calling from the kitchen. Keep us in your prayers and let us know of any ways we can be praying for you as well.

In Christ's Love,
The Russells

Today's Coffee: Folger's Gourmet Hazelnut

Thomas and I have decided to start a blog so that after our big move to New Haven, Connecticut we can keep up with everyone with what is going on in our lives.

And that would be the first thing: Thomas is going to Yale to study Organ Performance next fall! Our move looks like it is going to be happening around July 1st, 2009 - SO soon! I am busy searching and applying for jobs - if you know of any up there - let me know! :)

We have almost been married for 1 year - June 14th- and we really don't feel like it has been that long - not at all. But it has - and we are looking forward to FINALLY eating some of our wedding cake. It might be kinda gross though - I don't know! It's been in my parent's freezer this whole time.

Well, this is just a starting post, we will see where this all goes.

In Christ,

Thomas and Julie