laupäev, august 14, 2004
Happy Birthday to Andrew Treadwell Groff!
Today is my cousin Andy's 34th birthday! We were going to call him at midnight, but didn't get out of bed in time (7 a.m. here). Andy is the third child in his family, born after his parents already had a son and a daughter. When I think of what delight Peter gives to us, I can just imagine what a treasure he was to his parents.
Andy is more like a brother than a cousin to me. His mother and my mother had a baby every other year, so that our birth order is Evelyn Smith, Debbie Groff, Mary-Kay Smith, Andy Groff, Katherine Smith.
Andy became engaged this year, to the beautiful and vivacious Rachel. We look forward to having her in the family! (We were going to name our baby Rachel if it was a girl.)
Our 5-month-old son, Peter Jonah Clark, was named after Andy's mother, my Aunt Joann. I was thinking about this in bed this morning, after the alarm went off and while I was nursing the baby. I think it's quite interesting that Peter and Andy are both the third child, both boys, both born after a boy and a girl.
Andy was named "Master Maine" in a child's beauty contest when we were little. He had beautiful blond curly hair and really was adorable -- the most handsome boy in the whole state! This led to the first of many trips to Florida for the Groff family.
Andy is generous almost to a fault. He defends my mother as if she were his own. He loves children and is such a great uncle to them -- taking Chris to the movies or holding Elizabeth upside down so she can walk on the ceiling.
Andy is the biggest person I know. He is as tall as a mountain (although I think in a few years, Chris might catch up to him!). He is also, much like his mother, big in spirit and heart. Aunt Joann called him a "gentle giant" and this is an apt description! We compare him to Hagrid and Shrek.
Andy loves to listen to music like Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. Andy bought his grandparents' house in Sanford, Maine, and lives there now. Andy likes to make prank phone calls (he once called me up and pretended to be offering me free baby formula, just to get me riled!).
The night before we left America, we were at the camp Andy owns with his brother and sister (to be kept in the family for all of time, according to their mothers' will!). We had such a good time with him and Rachel and Mary-Kay, watching people set off fireworks in the middle of the lake, and lighting sparklers and things I don't know the name of (London Bridge?).
Andy has the coollest middle name of anyone I've ever known -- his mother's maiden name.
Andy is our most faithful blog-reader, and isn't afraid of hitting the Comments button after reading a post.
If you know Andy, please give him a phone call or send him an e-mail or stop by and say "happy birthday!" to him today. If you don't know Andy, please think of someone like him in your life -- a cousin, a brother, a friend -- and tell him how much you love him (or her! the Estonian language has no he/she distinction) and why.
Today is a busy day for us. This weekend and next week, as well!
This morning, we will go to Kalevi 90 to get some more practical information about the house Tim blogged about yesterday. Kalev is my favorite chocolate -- http://www.kalev.ee/pages.php/02
It's named after a famous epic poem -- http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Kalevipoeg
This afternoon, we will leave for Narva. We're especially looking forward to seeing this castle -- http://www.narvamuuseum.ee/
Tomorrow, Tim will preach at the Narva Corps.
Monday-Friday, we will be at the Salvation Army youth camp here in Estonia. Wednesday morning and evening, we will be leading devotions there.
A week from yesterday is 20 August - Day of Restoration of Independence. Dramatic developments in the Soviet Union in August 1991 resulted in the three Baltic countries finally regaining their independence. On 20 August 1991, Estonia issued a decision on the re-establishment of independence on the basis of historical continuity of statehood.
And somewhere in there, we need to pack up this whole apartment (remember, 96 boxes came from America, plus 10 suitcases we brought on the plane) and move to the house! Oy veh!
Happy birthday to Andy, and a happy weekend to the rest of you!
Please continue to check our blog every day if that is your habit, but don't be too disappointed if there's not a new post until Friday.
Evelyn
Andy is more like a brother than a cousin to me. His mother and my mother had a baby every other year, so that our birth order is Evelyn Smith, Debbie Groff, Mary-Kay Smith, Andy Groff, Katherine Smith.
Andy became engaged this year, to the beautiful and vivacious Rachel. We look forward to having her in the family! (We were going to name our baby Rachel if it was a girl.)
Our 5-month-old son, Peter Jonah Clark, was named after Andy's mother, my Aunt Joann. I was thinking about this in bed this morning, after the alarm went off and while I was nursing the baby. I think it's quite interesting that Peter and Andy are both the third child, both boys, both born after a boy and a girl.
Andy was named "Master Maine" in a child's beauty contest when we were little. He had beautiful blond curly hair and really was adorable -- the most handsome boy in the whole state! This led to the first of many trips to Florida for the Groff family.
Andy is generous almost to a fault. He defends my mother as if she were his own. He loves children and is such a great uncle to them -- taking Chris to the movies or holding Elizabeth upside down so she can walk on the ceiling.
Andy is the biggest person I know. He is as tall as a mountain (although I think in a few years, Chris might catch up to him!). He is also, much like his mother, big in spirit and heart. Aunt Joann called him a "gentle giant" and this is an apt description! We compare him to Hagrid and Shrek.
Andy loves to listen to music like Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. Andy bought his grandparents' house in Sanford, Maine, and lives there now. Andy likes to make prank phone calls (he once called me up and pretended to be offering me free baby formula, just to get me riled!).
The night before we left America, we were at the camp Andy owns with his brother and sister (to be kept in the family for all of time, according to their mothers' will!). We had such a good time with him and Rachel and Mary-Kay, watching people set off fireworks in the middle of the lake, and lighting sparklers and things I don't know the name of (London Bridge?).
Andy has the coollest middle name of anyone I've ever known -- his mother's maiden name.
Andy is our most faithful blog-reader, and isn't afraid of hitting the Comments button after reading a post.
If you know Andy, please give him a phone call or send him an e-mail or stop by and say "happy birthday!" to him today. If you don't know Andy, please think of someone like him in your life -- a cousin, a brother, a friend -- and tell him how much you love him (or her! the Estonian language has no he/she distinction) and why.
Today is a busy day for us. This weekend and next week, as well!
This morning, we will go to Kalevi 90 to get some more practical information about the house Tim blogged about yesterday. Kalev is my favorite chocolate -- http://www.kalev.ee/pages.php/02
It's named after a famous epic poem -- http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Kalevipoeg
This afternoon, we will leave for Narva. We're especially looking forward to seeing this castle -- http://www.narvamuuseum.ee/
Tomorrow, Tim will preach at the Narva Corps.
Monday-Friday, we will be at the Salvation Army youth camp here in Estonia. Wednesday morning and evening, we will be leading devotions there.
A week from yesterday is 20 August - Day of Restoration of Independence. Dramatic developments in the Soviet Union in August 1991 resulted in the three Baltic countries finally regaining their independence. On 20 August 1991, Estonia issued a decision on the re-establishment of independence on the basis of historical continuity of statehood.
And somewhere in there, we need to pack up this whole apartment (remember, 96 boxes came from America, plus 10 suitcases we brought on the plane) and move to the house! Oy veh!
Happy birthday to Andy, and a happy weekend to the rest of you!
Please continue to check our blog every day if that is your habit, but don't be too disappointed if there's not a new post until Friday.
Evelyn
