lifeasmission
exploring the mystery of life and mission as one and the same
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Archive of "family" Category
Rozko Update | Feb., 2010
Amy and I are both networkers through and through. Each of us has enjoyed cultivating networks and communities of friends in the various places we have lived across the US and abroad. These are people who have helped, encouraged, shaped, and loved us. Because we want to do what we can to stay in touch with these people (you?), we’ve decided to compile a 1-page letter about every other month that highlights what’s been going on, what’s coming up, matters in which we hope you will rejoice with us, and others in which we hope you will support us in prayer.
We got our first one out in the last few days. If you didn’t receive it, there are 2 possible reasons.
1) We had no idea you might be interested in receiving it.
2) We tried to send it to you, but must have had the wrong email address.
In either case, if you didn’t receive our letter and would like to, leave a comment or drop us an email via the contact page and we will add you to the list of folks that we email these letters to.
Thanks for continuing to allow us to share our lives with our – nothing means more. We’re also hopeful that this might be a pathway to more of you sharing what is going on in your lives as well.
Click the image below to download our first letter.
An Engagement Trip
Thanks to the generosity of Amy’s team leader and co-workers, she was given the opportunity to work remotely for the last two weeks. Throw in three weekends, and you’ve got almost 3 full weeks together!
And thanks to some too-good-to-be-true family and friends, that time was jam packed full of fun and memories.
If you missed it, be sure to check out our engagement story, cause that’s where the fun began.
Engaged on Friday night in Chicago, we drove back to Memphis on Saturday, on the phone virtually the entire time and dreaming about our wedding and honeymoon inbeetween (details on both, TBA).
A neighbor gifted Amy and I with two tickets to see “Light in the Piazza” at the Midtown Playhouse. It was a fun and romantic show and we had a great time.
There was a blizzard in Memphis Saturday and Sunday, so attendance was way down at our morning services, but two of my co-pastor friends took it upon themselves to announce Amy and I’s engagement from up front to much applause and congratulations. We spent the rest of the day with our friends taking turns holding baby Asher.
On Monday Amy and I were off to Washington DC. We were there for a church planting conference and had the chance to stay a couple nights with Amy’s aunt and uncle as well as see a few friends we each have there.
Amy was there as a representative of iTeams - making connections with those who are looking for ways to help people get involved in international missions, and I was checking into Ecclesia as a possible resource and partner for Living Hope as we think about church planting. The conference was fantastic and we were really happy to connect with our friend and Fuller professor, Eddie Gibbs. Got to see some of the city on Friday afternoon and then we were off to Ohio.
My mom picked us up at the airport and after visiting for a few hours – it was lights out as we were both dog-tired. Saturday morning we traveled down to Canton to see some of my closest friends. We spent the day with them, talking all kinds of wedding details and just catching up. Monday the 9th was to be my 30th birthday so my friends arranged a dinner and a party at my friend Jay’s sweet new downtown office. Tons of people came to meet Amy, say congratulations, and Happy Birthday. As usual, I got sick on Sarah’s puppy chow, but well worth it.
Sunday was another full day of cruising around, meeting, and catching up with people – Meysembourgs, Snavely, Solida’s, Neftzer, Gouglers, and many others.
Monday was a full day with my mom and other family. Amy got the grand tour of Stow, where I grew up and got to meet both my Aunt Fannie and Grandma Ernsberger.
Had an incredible dinner at Macaroni Grill with my buddy Kenny and then ice cream, cake (actually Boston Cream Pie – a personal fav!), and a few gifts back at home. Amy had written to all my closest family and friends asking for pictures and short blurbs and she compiled them all together into one of the most meaningful presents I have ever received.
We left early Tuesday morning to head back to Memphis where we were set to have a slightly more regular schedule. Amy was working and so was I and thanks to the generosity of our good friend Lee, we had an extra car to use to help each of us get around to appointments and meeting spots. Still, the days and evenings were packed.
Tuesday we picked up the car from Lee, gobbled down dinner, and Skyped about all sorts of wedding related stuff with Amy’s parents. Wednesday we cooked dinner and hosted my house group – that never ends early (which I love!). Thursday the Donahoe’s, who host Amy when she comes to town, invited us and our friends Matthew and Lisa over for a celebration dinner and then we caught Slumdog Millionaire with Greg and Chandler.
We did lots of wedding planning on Friday and then my friend Ryan from LA flew into town to spend a few days with us. We took him to Rendezvous to get some good Memphis BBQ and then watched The Dark Knight (it just never gets old).
The night was rounded off with a midnight run to Gibson’s donuts for the after 11 – 6 donuts for 1.25 deal. Saturday morning we met our friends the Kerrigan’s at Memphis’ best breakfast spot, Brother Juniper’s and then drove around some of the cooler neighborhoods in urban Memphis and even visited an estate sale.
Ryan and I went for a quick run and then the three of us went to see “Race to Witch Mountain.” No, not because any of us particularly care for “The Rock,” but because Amy was in it. She did some extra work while she was in LA and in the movie you get to see her twice during the credits. Have a look!
Sunday morning was filled with plenty of congratulations since it was the first time that many people got to see Amy and I since we had gotten engaged. Ryan, Amy and I had a great lunch with our friends Zach and Liz and then we spent a few hours (she went nuts!) with Liz as she took some engagement pictures (not currently available). We actually ended up being late for a surprise engagement party that my house group was throwing for us in the form of an ultimate frisbee game.
We had a great time playing frisbee and then I had the privilege of baptizing a new friend who is on his way of to Fuller.
We spent the evening over at the Kerrigan’s eating up all the leftovers from the folks who have been providing them food while they adjust to having a newborn in their lives and playing everyone’s favorite game, “… And a bottle of wine.”
While I was at staff meeting Monday morning, Amy and Ryan worked from a coffee shop in the Cooper-Young district and got to check out another great BBQ spot – Central. We went downtown for a few hours to check out some of the sights and walk down Beale St. before Ryan had to had to the airport to head for home. Amy and I had yet another great dinner with our friends Sam and Allison and then made a short little video for our wedding website (unveiling soon!).
I just put Amy on the Megabus back to Chicago a little bit ago and I miss her already. While we are bound and determined not to let it take over our relationship, the next several months will be filled with planning and preparation for our big days and those to follow. We cover all your support and prayers as we try and figure out the future together and plan for a celebration of marriage that will be both enjoyable and meaningful to all those who can celebrate with us.
5 Days, 4 States, and All Kinds of Goodness
Time to come clean. I can hide no longer. The Amy G. I have mentioned and interviewed, well… we’re actually a couple. I know, never saw it coming did ya?! That being said…
This was a whirlwind of a Valentine’s Day weekend for us. Though Amy has traveled all over the world & lived in both Los Angeles and Chicago, she had never been to NYC. My brother and his girlfriend live there, so for Christmas, I got Amy 2 tickets to the city. But, as has been the case with all our other times being together, we sought to pack as much in as we possible could.
Our journey began in Indianapolis where I got to meet some of her close college friends as well as a bunch of people she used to work with at Global Partners. Then, we traveled to NYC where we were able to spend time not only with my brother and his girlfriend, but 2 of my good friends who were in from OH and DC.
We took the Staten Island Ferry to view the Statue of Liberty.
Saw ground zero.
The flat iron building.
And went to the top of the Empire State building – an unforgettable experience!
We also got to see Grand Central Station and Time Square.
For Valentines Day dinner, my brother managed to get reservations at a swanky Tapas bar that (though sadly small in size) offered some amazing tasting cuisine.
Quite serendipitously, we got to spend time with a good friend of mine and a good friend of Amy’s, both of whom happen to be part of the same church community that we were visiting on Sunday morning – and got to have lunch at the Seinfeld restaurant!
On Sunday, we traveled down to Princeton together. We got to see and stay with 2 of Amy’s good college friends, Dave and Holly and their 2 little girls. Dave is working on a PhD at Princeton and they were good enough to take us by “Schuller Field,” recently named for a good friend of mine who passed away a few years ago after finishing the first year of his MDiv there. Here’s a few pictures of small plaques fixed to two benches at the field.
The next day we got to take a nice stroll through Central Park, followed by visits to the coolest looking Mac store around and FAO Schwarz (remember the piano scene from Big?) where Amy got to choose any stuffed animal she wanted for her Valentine’s Day present.
Monday afternoon we traveled back to Chicago where we got to spend the evening with our friends Noel and Ashley in Lawndale. Tuesday morning it was back to Memphis for me. Told you we packed alot in! Some more pictures here if you’re interested.
Some Me Stuff
It’s been a while since I did some sort of a, “here’s what’s going on with me” sort of post. Well, the wait is over.
Where to begin? Remember my interview with famed, “Amy G.”? Let’s start there.
That was right before Christmas, and then for Christmas, my mom and brother came to town. None of us really have any money right now (a gloriously freeing reality) so our Christmas morning was spent opening up tons of random stuff that I had picked up at the dollar store for everyone. I’m not sure I can even remember a Christmas morning that was so full of laughter and enjoyment.
That’s right, I’m wearing shorts for Christmas!
The day after Christmas we all had to go our separate ways. Mom, back to OH, Alex, back to NY, and me, off to Kenya.
A few days after I got back, as part of the contract we had negotiated for the interview, Amy G. came down for a follow up interview. This one lasted for a few days and was filled with plenty of serious conversations.
This is from when I asked some questions on sensitive subjects and she tried to choke me.
The highlight of the middle of the month was offered by way of my friend Jimmy and his floor seats to the Memphis Tigers basketball game at the FedEx Forum. We sat down a ways from Penny Hardaway!
I love living in midtown and have been anxious to find a way to get more involved in the community. That desire has finally taken shape in being able to help teach ESL (English as a Second Language) classes to a group of beautiful adult refugees on Monday evenings through the Refugee Empowerment Program of Memphis Leadership Foundation.
The capstone event of January was a trip to Chicago where I serendipitously ran into Amy G. who invited me to go see her family in Davenport, IA and do some bald eagle watching off of the north Mississippi River.
Not bad for the first month of the new year. Can’t wait to see what February has in store.
Elfed
My dad has too much time on his hands. If you’re Christmas wasn’t already Merry enough, here’s me, my two brothers, my sister, and my dad’s dog to throw it into hyperdrive.
My 4th
I spent the 4th of July with friends and family back in Ohio and on Pelee Island on the Canadian side of Lake Erie.
I left Memphis Wednesday night, was supposed to switch planes in Detroit and then get into Akron/Canton. Unlike my brother, for whom traveling is almost always filled with surprises of the negative sort, things often work out in my favor when I travel and this was no exception. Instead of landing in Detroit, adverse weather forced us to land in Columbus where I was able to get off the plane affording me the opportunity to see my friends Ryan and Heather (6ish months pregnant with twins).
Then, my friend Pam drove me 1/2 way up to Canton while my friends Jay and Clay drove 1/2 way down to pick me up.
I spent Thursday in Canton trying to soak up as much time with my community of friends and former students as I possibly could.
Babs and I had breakfast at John’s Bar and Grille where we happened to see a former professor of mine, John Geib. Then, we went over to hang out with Caris and JJ – 2 of my favorite kids in the world.
Josh came down to visit me at Muggswigz that afternoon, then Lauren joined us. The thee of us went to visit Lauren’s sister Olivia at work where I received my typical huge-and-excited Olivia hug – always a treat!
A number of us went out for dinner together and then caught Hancock later in the evening.
I was off early in the morning to catch a plane over to Pelee Island where I spent some time my my grandma, mom, brother Alex and his girlfriend Michelle, my cousin Beth and her husband Kale, and my long-time high school bud, Kenny. Of course there were all kinds of other cottager friends who were there for the weekend – which was filled with plenty of boating, jet skiing, cards, bonfires, fireworks, and other goodness.
Ken and I tackled the 2 mile hike out to Fish Point, the southern most part of the island and a feat I have been wanting to accomplish for as long as I can remember.
All in all, a great way to spend a weekend.
Hi There…
Hey, I'm JR - welcome to the blog.
I'm just an average guy trying to shape his identity around God's dream for the world and his place in it. This blog is a place for me (and you!) to reflect on and discuss all that might mean. Looking for a bit more on me? Check out the about me. Peace.
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