Gratitude!

Today I am just feeling unbelievably blessed. I truly feel that way everyday but today it just seems as though I am the luckiest person in the world. Let me start with last weekend when my cousin Eileen stopped over with a gift for us - a portable DVD player and holder for our van. We take several trips a year to Washington DC, Baltimore and other places that I need to go for work and am able to turn into family vacations thanks to my wonderful husband! I had been telling Eileen that the kids constantly asked why they couldn't have a DVD player like everyone else to watch movies while we travel but that the cost was just too much for us right now with all the other new baby expenses. Eileen showed up on our doorstep a few weeks later with a cool portable DVD player and case so it can hang between our seats - the kids can't wait for our next trip! Eileen also finds numerous other ways to help Bob and I out with small and large surprises that give us a little break once in a while - a gift card to a restaurant or a well timed visit to tell me how great I am - those are my favorite!

And as if the generosity of one Kelly wasn't enough on Sunday Brendan came over to visit with the kids and after noting my green complexion and inability to stop throwing up he took the big kids up to Auntie Kake's for a while. He played outside with them, fed them dinner and brought them home hours later tired, happy and feeling unbelievably loved!

Unlce B hanging with the girls on my bed before he whisked the big kids off for a day of fun and freedom from their nasty mom !

And then there is Grammy and Papa - the best grandparents ever but only after being the best parents ever. They took the kids yesterday for us - all three - all day so that Bob and I could both work. It was the first day of vacation and you have never seen two kids dress and brush their teeth faster than when they heard they were going to Grammy and Papa's. They spent the entire day being spoiled and loved and hugged and kissed and when I pulled up many hours later the 2 big kids faces fell when they saw me. So I went inside and visited with Grammy while Papa bought the kids icecream and took them for one more bike ride. And then after having the kids ALL day my mom took pity on my inability to stop throwing up and sent me home telling me that my Dad would bring everyone home in an hour. I put a little fight and then flew out the door to lay on my bed for an hour before making dinner and bathing and getting kids to bed - Bob was at school last night. And I must mention that both of my parents have been sick for over a week now and were not feeling great themselves. So I am the luckiest person alive and this just scratches the surface of the last few days.

All these pictures are ones that the kids took yesterday - they didn't do half bad!

Peter took these two pictures - pretty good other than the bad focus!

Papa and Molly making funny faces for Peter.
Peter's self portrait - check out those nostrils!
Molly took this one of Anny Bananie smiling away!
Peter pretending to be asleep while MOlly takes a picture.
I took this one because I was amazed at how big Pete looks on Papa's lap - his feet almost reach Papa's feet.