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