The Drought is Ending

Yep, my friends, I'm back. Again. Once again I offer apologies for leaving you in the lurch. I am glad you are patient (at least, most of you are!).  Summer has taken over my sensibilities and my schedule.  All is well here in Richmond, VA.  This evening we are having a much needed thunderstorm.  It's quite parched here.  My good friend Grace has started to call her garden a Darwin garden--only the fittest are surviving.  My garden is similar, though I believe that the Japanese beetles are reigning victorious over my basil and raspberries.

In the past weeks we've had cousins visiting.  Can you believe this cuteness?

We've also had a little glitz in our lives...

James celebrated his birthday in style with a fancy schmancy dinner out with wonderful friends!  Look at that personalized license plate....they were only slightly off with his age.

Hannah had her first backyard tent sleepover last week!  The girls had a great time "camping".  Hannah's hit the blueberry farm twice so far, the local state park (they have a nice waterpark/ sprayground!), the lake, the neighborhood pool, a cooking class with the teens of our local Ds group (technically Hannah would be in middle school, so that's why she gets to tag along), and is attempting to grow out her bangs (a long and torturous process for me to witness).

Care for some stomach-intestine pancakes?  Hannah thought this was very funny!

My computer crashed two weeks ago, so I am limping along without all my tried and true comforting address books, bookmarks and photo albums.  I like my new ASUS that Chris chose for me (Yay!  A battery that lasts more than 12 minutes!), but it's going to take me a while to get everything set up.

Time isn't on my side--I'm leaving for Jordan in two weeks!  That is crazy!  I am really looking forward to it--I want to see what adventure Kate has been living.  I'm just starting to make my packing lists...procrastination is one of my best talents!

Amman....

Kate has been having a good summer.  School is out, so she had a stint as a camp counselor in a "resort" town on the Red Sea.  All the other counselors were from the Peace Corps, so she had lots of "American" time.   She was able to attend the Embassy's 4th of July party--dressed American style!

I can't wait to see her!

I am arranging Hannah's schedule when I'm gone. There shouldn't be much shuffling around. Chris is working at a local hospital, but will be taking off some days to hold down the fort here. Hannah has some playdates arranged as well.  One of the weeks I'm gone Hannah will be staying with the Saundersgang (who are now in Orlando at the NDSS conference--envious!).  She'll have a great time!