House Guests

The Fall of my Junior year in college I chose to study abroad for a semester in Cambridge England.  I had this romantic idea of living with a host family and developing a lifelong friendship...piece of cake right?  My University didn't offer any abroad programs so I left Vanguard for the year in search of one that would specifically place me in a home...not a dorm. I had grown up knowing a very special couple from the Netherlands that my father had lived with during his college years and I always dreamed of having a similar experience.  On my housing questionnaire I requested to preferably be placed with a Christian family with children and by God's provision I received just that and more!  I found myself living for 3 months in a little village just outside of Cambridge with the Slaymaker Family.

Slaymakers:  Andy, Dorte, Jack (7), Ralf (5) and Anna Marie (1),  

I instantly fell in love with kids and couldn't get enough of their accents.  The boys would always sneak up to my room to be with me and I would let them just talk forever =0)  Jack loved playing games and tossing a baseball with me in the backyard and had the greatest smile.  Ralf I called my monkey man.  He would climb anything...especially me.  He was adorable and always called me a "silly banana".   Anna Marie  and I were buddies.  I loved sitting next to her at the dinner table and I eventually taught her how to give high fives.  I remember listening to her speak her first words and thought the way she said "daddy" with an English accent was about the cutest thing ever!

I was so blessed by my host parents Andy & Dorte.  They opened up their home and their family to me and for that I have always been so grateful.  I always enjoyed their company, had great talks over tea, learned how to make a Danish apple Cake and a traditional English Christmas Cake, jumped for hours on the trampoline with the kids, watched Pride & Prejudice for my 1st time with Dorte...best movie EVER, and always seemed to stand on the wrong side of the car when Andy would drive me into town. The whole drivers side is on our passenger side got me every time.  I have always spoke very fondly of my time with the Slaymakers and told my dad that if I didn't have such an amazing family back home in the States I would have just stayed with them =0)

Now nearly 12 years later  I had the joy of hosting Jack Slaymaker and a few friends for a month. Those who know me well knew how excited I was to welcome him into our home!  The last time I saw him he was the same age as Michael, our oldest son and looked like this...

The past month has been too busy to blog about but soooooo worth it!!!  These 3 guys were quite adventurous!  

While Jack & Matt stayed for an entire month Adam was only with us for 2 weeks so the first 14 days were jam packed with surfing, sky diving, bull riding, backpacking in the High Sierras, a gun range, Angels game, batting cages, trampoline park and more!  

All said and done a month was not enough time.  Saying goodbye was hard.  While they had crazy adventures during their stay they also spent a lot of time with our kids.  The gave piggy back rides, put together puzzles, played soccer, colored, read books and spent countless hours playing.  Our kids couldn't get enough of them =0)  Stephen always found his way into one of their laps and insisted that they buckle him in the car...not mommy or daddy.  And while the girls loved following them around and playing it was Michael who really found a friend.  He finally had someone big enough to play with and he made the most of it!  

While we were saying goodbye at the airpot I saw Michael fight back tears as he hugged Matt & Jack goodbye.  Once  they walked down the security ramp he couldn't fight them back any longer...the tears flowed.  It was sad to see him cry but it was also sweet.  It showed just how much these guys came to mean to him during their stay here.  They made an impact on Michael's life and for that I am grateful.  They were truly the greatest house guests and became part of our family and we will miss them very much!!!  

How amazing that this all began 12 years ago and will hopefully continue for many many more years to come  =0)  

Jack, Matt & Adam you are welcome here any time =0)

Andy & Dorte...you raised a terrific son!

And Lord...thank you for making all of this possible!

Back to Blogging

I created this blog with the hope of documenting and sharing life at the Russell abode but the craziness that is my life took over and blogging was put on the back burner.  So here I am trying it yet again.  I am a stay at home mom of 4 trying to navigate the world of motherhood and the inherent chaos that comes along with it.  I strive to let go of my perfectionism, put my kids before the dishes, and love my husband as he deserves to be loved.  However, my life and home are not Pinterest perfect.  I fail at times as a mother and wife and Lord knows there are always toys to be picked up, dishes to be done, floors to be swept and a never-ending pile of laundry to be washed, folded and hopefully put away. Nevertheless the joys of motherhood largely outweigh the hiccups along the way and I am blessed beyond measure to walk this road with my other half and the grace of our Lord.  So welcome back to Russell Party of Six...where messes and mess ups are inevitable but love and joy overflow!