What a Post Looks Like Via Email

If you have recently subscribed to our EFB via email, welcome!

This is a post to just plunk something into your email box so you can see what it looks like.

Note you can click on a link and go straight to the EFB to leave a comment, directly from the email.

Hope you enjoy this tool!

Joe

Welcome!!

If you just got an email from me inviting you to subscribe to the EFB, you are in the right place!!

Look to the right, type in your preferred email address(es) and follow the prompts.

Enjoy!!

125 Years Old

Today is March 8 and the 125th Birthday of Laura Sophia Kerns Ely--- Gene Ely's mother! Aren't you glad to know that? She was born, March 8, 1883, so do the math.


She was born "across the river" from Brownville in Phelps City, Missouri as the second child of James F. and Alice Kerns. Shortly thereafter they moved to Auburn where James founded the J.F. Kerns Lumber Company later in 1883. They were charter members of St. Joseph's Church. In Auburn they had 11 more children including Alice Flack (#10)!! So that is the family history lesson for today.

I celebrated by calling Aunt Mary Alice in Kentucky. Of course she was thinking of her mother on this day. We chatted about a lot of family things. She asked about all of you and wanted me to send you greetings via e-mail. I forgot to ask her if a note on the blog was OK, but I'm sure it is.

As my Grandma Ely (Laura) grew older, she lost her sight. I helped her write Christmas cards where she dictated the message to many of her relatives and friends. Later my mother (Marge) found out that I had misspelled Kerns on all of the addresses!! I hope both of these wonderful women have now forgiven me!

I'll invite Marge, Joe, and Anne to add a little memory of her to this post. The photo was taken in 1950 at our house on 15th Street. The curtains are a huge clue! So she was 67 years old in the photo.

Love to all of you, Karen

Matching Dresses for Cousins

How about the two little "great cousins" in matching dresses? Abbey modeled hers in some photos from last November and Berneice in January. Aren't they adorable.... and the dress is extra cute too!

Learning to play UNO

Last Sunday, we had the three youngest Ely kids here before church. Gretchen has recently been teaching Nathan and Drew how to play UNO and they are starting to really enjoy it. So, here are some action photos of the trio in action. Enjoy.

Gretchen has them set up on the coffee table...and all the cards are on the table!

And you can see that Miss B decided she wanted to play as well!

With pencil in hand, Berneice decides she can keep score!

Enjoy!

Family Photo

Here's the whole family from last week. Wow, is it great to have everyone together!

For those of you trying to keep the twins straight, Andrew is in blue, Nathan is in red!

Thanks for your prayers!!

David back with his family!!

Today, January 9, 2008, was a special day for our family. Just before 8am this morning, after a 19 hour drive from Colorado Springs, David and Susan got back and were fully reunited with their kids. It was so awesome to see him again.

Gretchen asked him this morning "Did you think about this moment while you were in Iraq?" He smiled broadly and simply said "All the time!"

Around 9am, we all got together for what we came to call "Daddy Christmas." Nathan and Matt are here, Gretchen's parents joined us, Susan's parents were there and it was just a joyous time to be together. We opened presents, talked, had breakfast, talked and just enjoyed the hilt out of being together.

Here is David with all three kids. Drew is pretending to have binoculars, while Nathan and Berneice look on.

I realized we don't have a lot of good closeups of Berneice for all of you. There is a reason...getting an 18 month old to sit still for any period of time is a challenge.

Yet, here is a nice shot of her from this mornnig. Quite the darling, eh??

And here is a brief video I shot, which includes David, Susan, the twins, Nathan, Matt and Gretchen. Yep, David's home, and it is grand to have him.