Two Worlds - Another Reminder

The top photo shows my two youngest grandsons Knox and Thaine.  Michele and Mark Broadway are in the lower photo.  They are now at Namwianga and are shown here holding Lizzy and Dillon, two orphan babies at The Haven.

These photos remind me of the two different worlds I have lived in, and the joys of both.  Here is a re-post of a two-world experience from 2010.

Family Photo - 2012

Left to right:  Leah, Jacob, John, and Thaine Gregersen, Nana and PawPaw, Sara, Knox, and David Anderson

We gathered in College Station, Texas, this weekend to welcome baby Knox into the family.  Here is the latest news on our family.

Leah and John have two sons:  Jacob, age 2 years, and Thaine, age 4 months.  They have been living in Austin but will be moving to Brady, Texas, in late summer.  John works for Border States Electric and Leah will be teaching Family and Consumer Science at Brady High School. Sara and David live in College Station where Sara is a technology specialist for the Bryan ISD and David works for Suddenlink.

New Addition to Our Family

 Knox David Anderson was born at 2:03 this afternoon (June 28).  He weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and is 21 1/2 inches long.  Our daughter Sara and her husband David are ecstatic, and all of us are in awe of this little miracle.

Knox was blessed to be born in College Station, Texas, in a modern hospital with the equipment and personnel to ensure a healthy beginning.  It was a far cry from one of our early experiences in Zambia.  Read about David's close call with a birthing mother here.

It's Been SOOOO Long - A Personal Update

Two different people last week told me that they still look at my blog occasionally to see if I've written anything.  That motivated me to at least see how long it's been since I posted, and I'm embarrassed to see that my last post was April 19.

I don't have much Zambia news to write about, but here is a personal update.  David and I bought a house three miles outside of Mount Vernon on a 2-acre lot with hills and trees.  We moved in on Memorial Day weekend--just five days after I finished the school year.  We did a lot of painting and are slowly unpacking and getting settled.  We love being out in the country and have enjoyed having our morning coffee on the back deck as we listen to the birds and watch the deer in the woods behind the house.

As I mentioned, I finished my school year.  I taught second grade in Carthage, about 30 miles away.  It was a wonderful year for me professionally.  Most of my students came from non-English speaking families, so there were many challenges, but they made tremendous progress.  The families were extremely supportive, my co-workers were fantastic, and my principal supportive and inspiring.  I'm already looking forward to next year.

Our second grandson Thaine Gregersen was born to John and Leah in February.  He is named after my father.  He is a sweet little guy, and I was thrilled to spend a week at the end of May in Austin taking care of him and big brother Jacob while Leah returned to her job.

Daughter Sara is expecting grandson number three any day now!  I have my bags packed ready to head for College Station, Texas, as soon as we hear that Baby Knox has arrived.

The birth of a new grandbaby is keeping us at home this summer, but we are already looking forward to June, 2013, when we plan to make a trip back to Zambia.  In the meantime, I am keeping busy with the sponsorship program and occasionally talking to our Zambian friends online or by phone.

Summer is always a busy time at Namwianga as the medical team comes for Zambia Medical Mission.  I'll keep you updated as I get news.

The Gregersen Family Photo - Christmas, 2010

Lately I have concentrated my posts on Namwianga news. But I took a look at my loyal blog followers and realized many of you are our friends and would like to know what's happening in our family. So that, plus the fact that I am ridiculously crazy about the people in the photo above, prompts me to give you a look at the Gregersens and tell you about our recent life events.

Son John and wife Leah are shown on the left with baby Jacob. John is handsome, thoughtful, and has the second most gorgeous set of blue eyes in the world. He's also very sweet to his mama, in case you're wondering. Besides being a great son to me, loving husband to Leah, and devoted dad to Jacob, John works for Border States Electric in Austin. He's also loyal fan of the UT Longhorns.

Leah, my absolute favorite daughter-in-love, may just be the best mother ever. I'm sure having a degree in family and consumer science and a masters in early childhood helps, but she also has an innate ability to relax and enjoy her baby while she efficiently manages a household and a challenging job. Leah works in a school district near Austin. She teaches parenting classes at two high schools and also goes to the homes of the young moms after they've had their babies to keep them up with their courses.

Baby Jacob has the most gorgeous blue eyes in the world, and of course he got those from his dad. He is now nine months old and practically perfect in every way. He is happy almost all the time and can melt my heart just about anytime with his adorable smile. His recent accomplishments include crawling, clapping with delight, and playing peek-a-boo with his grandfather.

David Anderson became the newest addition to our family when he married our daughter in June. He is my favorite son-in-love, thanks to his great personality, good looks, and how sweet he is to me. He also adores my daughter, so that gives him a few points too. David works for Suddenlink internet and is a devoted Aggies fan. We try to forgive him for the latter and seldom miss an opportunity to say "Hook 'em Horns."

David and our daughter Sara now live in College Station. Sara works as a technology specialist for the Bryan ISD. That means she helps teachers use Smartboards in their classes and assists them with all things computer-related. I'm counting on some one-on-one help from her when I go back to teaching. She's also taking online graduate courses through A & M. As if that's not enough, she works with the college women at the A & M Church of Christ. You go, girl.

My David, or First David, or Bwana--whatever we choose to call him--keeps busy as minister for the Mt. Vernon Church of Christ. He loves small town life as much as I do and looks forward to things like the Monday morning breakfast with the not-so-young guys at the Courthouse Cafe. He drives a Silverado pickup and hunts deer when he gets a chance.

Right now I'm unemployed and loving it, although I'm going to be applying for jobs for next year and hopefully will be substitute teaching this spring. I'm still coordinating the student sponsorship program at Namwianga via e-mail and Skype. I also teach a women's Bible study here and work with a Monday night girls' class. All of that plus re-adjusting to life in America has kept me occupied and pretty much out of trouble.

I loved being with my family at Christmas time. Leah and John hosted all of us at their house in Manor, just outside Austin. It was the first time David and I had been with our kids at Christmas since 2006, so it was extra special for us. And having a baby there to enjoy--well, it doesn't get much better than that.

Now that we have fast internet, I promise to post and respond to blog comments--something I had trouble doing in Zambia. So I'd love to hear from blog readers about what you would like to see on the blog and what you enjoy reading.