These were actually taken a few days after the hair cut.

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years”
- Abraham Lincoln

So another year has come to an end, can you believe it? – almost 2010. As we usually do at the end of the year, we enjoy looking back at what we’ve done and where we’ve been, and sharing it with all of you.

Noah continues to be an amazing blessing. I have to say, things have gotten easier as he’s gotten a little older. He’s at a great age right now, he runs to hug you, talks a little bit, does really funny things, and (knock on wood) usually sleeps through the night. He’s starting to develop his own little personality, and it’s nothing short of a miracle to watch him grow and learn.

Silvia recently got a promotion at BigLots. She is now an Associate Manager. I am so proud of her for taking the initiative to talk to her boss about moving up. Surprisingly, her boss really took her request to heart, and started almost immediately showing Silvia some additional ropes, and within a couple weeks promoting her to Associate Manager. It’s a real testament to the power of simply asking. Now she’s learning about inventory, scheduling, sales, and other managerial tasks. She likes it but says it’s actually not much of a change since she’s been doing the same types of tasks for a while now.

I’m enjoying my work at UCLA Medical Center. In addition to desktop support, I have started to do some more programming. I have been giving the task of redoing the Family Medicine website. I also found and helped setup an online help ticket system for our group to use. I enjoy it, but at the same time feel I need to improve my skills and grow in my responsibilities. I’m hoping to start the process of getting a Masters Degree, either in Computer Science or an MBA next year.

In June we had a flood in our condo. I remember it like it was yesterday, and it’s one of those things that plays out in my mind in slow motion. It was about 9pm, and we were winding down for the day, I was about to start making my breakfast for the next day. All of a sudden, I heard a strong water running sound. I figured it was probably the washing machines next door to us. But after about 30 seconds, I started to hear and see drops of water come from the ceiling! Oh the thoughts that went running through my head at that point! Craziness ensued, and within about 15 minutes the ceiling in our kitchen and dining room were raining. We spent the next 2 hours sweeping the water out onto the patio, and making repeated calls for someone to come out and shut off the water. Since the unit above us (where the water was coming from) was for sale, there was no one there, and only a key lock on the door. Additionally, turning off the water for the complex was no easy task: the contracted plumbers had to come out and get it off. After 2 or 3 hours the water finally stopped, and at least the panic was over. The damage was done, and our minds were now on clean up. Rebuilding was a mess because they found asbestos in the ceilings. The ceilings had to be replaced, so the asbestos had to be dealt with. We ended up having to wait about 3 weeks before we could get clearance to remove the asbestos ceilings. Once the asbestos removal was Ok-ed, the process of remodeling began. We stayed in a Hotel during the whole process, which lasted about 5 weeks. In the end we got a new ceiling, new walls, new paint, and new floors. Luckily the owners of the unit above us were very professional and paid for everything including the hotel – not shying away from any responsibility.

One goal I had for this year was to get more involved at church. Around July I started volunteering in the Kids ministry. There is a separate building, and church for the kids, and I’m part of the A/V team for the 3rd-6th graders Sunday morning service. I have enjoyed making new friends, meeting new people, and helping out with the technical stuff.

In conclusion, I just want to thank you all for your friendship and love over the years. Life wouldn’t be life without you. We wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Love,
- Russ, Silvia and Noah

Nostalgia because we both remember what it was like when we got married. The chaos surrounding the day. The excitement of starting a new life together. The fun of seeing all our friends and family together, and providing a happy time for them.

Bittersweet because we are both reminded of our age. It’s always something that crosses our mind when we see a young couple tying the knot. We think, “wow, we did this X years ago….we’re getting ooooold!”. On the one hand this is a good thing – we’ve had a chance to see our son grow, gained perspective on life, and matured. On the other hand, it can be hard to see the sand as it’s falls through the hour glass – time that can never be gotten back, no matter how well (or not) we have used it.

Joy because we see lots of smiling faces, and weddings tend to be a happy time anyway. It’s fun to see all the grinning faces, and happy people. Everyone is in good spirits, and even though the time leading up to the day can be totally crazy and hectic, it seems everyone lets go at the time of the wedding, and decides to just enjoy each other.

We had a great time with Angie and Garett. We want to congratulate them on a new life together and thank them for putting it all together, and making it such a great day. Who could forget the Hawaiian Bonzai Toasts!

One word to describe it…. Special.

“Marriage is like pi – natural, irrational, and very important”
 Lisa Hoffman

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