Take off!

They have departed!
In the air to Dubai as we speak, touching down for 2 hours and then a 13 1/2 hr flight to JFK where they have a long 7 hour layover...should be anything but boring with two 3 yr old boys who've been cooped up way too long and are sleep deprived! Can't wait to read his log post on that!
They will be arriving here around 6:30 tomorrow evening.

I'll be waiting!

Bella Ballerinas

Isabella had her ballet rehearsal today.
We were pretty sad that her daddy couldn't be here, but other family members and friends turned out in full force.


'Uncle' David and some friends from his day training program.

Grandma in the middle

and grandpa too.

Lots of cute little ballerinas, as graceful as baby elephants, all done up in ribbons and curls.

There were chasse-ing ballerinas...

and leaping ballerinas,

listening ballerinas,

stomping ballerinas,

and grinning ballerinas.

Meanwhile, some of the captivated audience...

couldn't wait for it to end.

Che brava amore mia!

lonesome

*sigh*... I miss my guys.
3 1/2 weeks is waaay too long.


I miss him...

and him...

(o.k., just to clarify- the "him" on the right, though the one on the left might be kinda sorta cool too)

and him.

One more week...and praying I'll make it!

Tea Time

One would never guess that this seemingly sweet-looking ballerina has recently been spotted...

at a store with a sword stuck down the back of her dress,
in a fistfight with an older brother (one in which she was winning, btw...)
at the library, passing on all princess movies in favor of a Pokemon one,
and has lately been begging for a haircut as short as her brothers.
Did I mention that she has 7 of those?
Brothers. that is.

In our male-dominated household, it's not often that we have opportunity to celebrate more female inspired activities, so last week, when it happened on that oh- so -rare-occasion that all of the boys were out of the house, we decided to take advantage of it by throwing a girls-only tea party.

A phone call was made, sandwiches prepared, and cupcakes baked.

Little sisters were included.

Time to pour the tea!

Little sisters were quite content with their own version of a tea party...

...until they discovered ours, that is.

Who invited them anyway??

Took some mother-daughter pictures...

My beautiful sister, Kristin, who's husband, Chad, is far, far away (and gone way too long!) in Ethiopia with my husband at the moment

and me and my girls.

Lots of fun...
and here's hoping that some of the femininity of the day sinks deep and stays...at least until the next time a brother or two needs some beating-up!

Good Morning!!!

Wow
I woke up to find these pictures in my inbox.

Couldn't think of a happier way to start my day!

New pics of my sweeties!

A family from our agency just returned and I found a couple of new pictures of my boys.
Jerry hasn't been able to send me any and I've been almost dying here so it's pretty exciting to see these. Gets your mind off all the messiness and back on what this is all about- bringing my sons home!
What a beautiful smile!

And it looks like somebody got a haircut...I was really hoping that wasn't going to happen!
I was looking forward to messing with his beautiful curls *sigh*...hopefully it will grow fast!

Hurry home, babies...or momma's gonna be swimming the Atlantic soon!

CAUGHT!