Baby Cash has arrived!

Congratulations Clay & Cullen!!!

Cash was born at 9:30 am Wednesday morning, October 17th. He weighed 8 pounds 1.6 oz. and has long limbs (per Clay's initial phone call), wrinkly fingers and toes.

Mother and baby doing well and Mother & Daddy are catching up on their sleep.

Jeannie's Bling

My co-worker, Beth, said I should send a photo to Britt so she can see how perfectly the shell jewelry I came home with matched my outfit.

(Honor posted this, can you tell?)

Day Four in Majuro

As I believe I told you, I left Honolulu on Sep. 17 and arrived here 5 hours later on Sep 18th. Britt met me at the dinky airport, and later that evening, no less than 30 Relief Society sisters from the church Britt's Uliga Branch came to her apartment bearing food and gifts in honor of my birthday (really a tribute to Britt). They sang several songs to me and each presented me with a flower or piece of jewelry they had crafted from shells and palm fiber. I was quite overwhelmed and humbled. Generally, they are quite a shy people, but in this setting they laughed and giggled and we had such fun. Britt had invited them for birthday cake, but they made something of a feast of the occasion. Most had to sit on the floor, as you can imagine.

Today I sat in on one of Britt's math classes and wished you could have joined me to gaze out the window at the palms bending in the wind and the gentle ocean waves rolling in. The young people are so sweet and well-behaved. They are responsive to a kind math teacher.

This is definitely a Third World country. The housing is so very humble. I look out of Britt's bedroom window (third floor) and see mostly shanties with corrugated tin roofs. I'm so very grateful for the opportunity to be in circumstances where Britt has lived and worked for several years of her life (So. Africa and RMI). I have met several of her colleagues at school, and many/most of them express the same sentiment that I encountered on Britt's blog: They would find it difficult to live in the USA again--conspicuous consumption, materialism, etc. This certainly does place our corner of the world in a much larger perspective.

Oh, one more thing: Yesterday I treated myself to a one-hour Swedish massage! I'm going to do it again before I leave. If I could do that every week, I think I would feel much better!

It is a challenge to get good produce, as you can imagine, but the fish I have had (halibut steak yesterday) is fabulous.

I'm in Britt's office using her computer, but she will be returning from a meeting any minute, and I need to get back to her apartment because someone will be coming to replace her plexiglass bedroom window (after a whole year!), and I need to let them in.

A little hard to see, but yes, that's me snorkeling.

Safely Arrived in Majuro

Hello Dear Ones,

Just want you to know that I am safely arrived and just about caught up on my sleep. Britt picked me up in a rented car from the airport and we drove to the end of the island (almost), wading in the ocean at a couple of places. Picked up pretty shells and sea rocks.

Then, that evening, thirty-two Relief Society sisters crowded into Britt's apt. to honor me on my birthday! They brought food and gifts and sang to me. I shall never forget! I'll have much to tell when I get home. It hasn't been too hot, but it is quite humid. Has rained and shone. The ocean is literally right outside Britt's bedroom window. It is definitely a Third World country. I'm so humbled--and so in awe of your sister who has come here to serve in so many ways. We just talked and talked and talked last night.

Much love to all!

Early Halloween

So I was going back through some videos today and found a classic that you can all use to inspire you as you contemplate Halloween costumes this year. We love you Jeannie!

Travels- Hawaii

How can I stand any more excitement?!!

I'm at the gate. It is just as I remembered. Dozens of igloo coolers returning to Majuro for more fish! (at the check in point). I was so early (3:45 am) that I stood for a whole hour in the Agricultural checking line (I was first in line!) before I read the sign that said it was for those going to the mainland. And I still am the first one at the gate! The hour went quickly as I was speaking with a lovely Phillipino couple who had ridden the shuttle in with me. Traveling alone has its rewards. I've met so many interesting people!

I want you all to know how very thrilled I am with that blog site and how grateful I am for your thoughtfulness. It was a great birthday/sendoff. Thank you all for managing to be with us at Stony Point Grill.

It was just as well that I had to get up at 3 am this morning, because my hotel neighbors were just getting home...drunk and banging and clanging. at 3:30 the shuttle picked me up and was almost already full! Imagine the spooky feeling to be the only one in sight at the security check. Had a leisurely chat with the officer at the machine!

Hawaii has been wonderful. I waded in the surf at Waikiki, went to the Makiki Ward yesterday, the Honolulu Arts Academy.

TImes almost up. Must run. Here goes another 5-hour flight. So EXCITED!!!

Introduction

Since most of the Mitchell children have their lives splashed all over the internet, we figured we'd get our parents involved. Clay is setting this blog up- we hope that this becomes a fun and easy way to stay in touch and share news about the Mitchell clan.

Here is a brief intro- Russ and Jeannie Mitchell are recovering Angelinos- having left the hustle and bustle of Southern California over twenty years ago, they raised their family in Windsor, CA, in the Sonoma Wine Country. They still live in the area, with their children being flung far and wide.

Britt- the oldest, is teaching college in the Marshall Islands. Clay and his wife Cullen live in Windsor and are expecting their first child, a boy. Honor, her husband Jeremy and son Grant live in Las Vegas, and Cammie is an upscale transient in the Sonoma County area.

Jeannie works in Community Services Department at the Town of Windsor, and is active in church and community activities. She just got back from visiting Honor in Las Vegas, and is about to spend several weeks with Britt in the Marshall Islands.

We hope that she will enjoy creating a digital journal of the goings on of the family- though we may have to help her get started, her excellent writing skills will surely shine through.