Mamma Mia!

Well, hello there! What a summer it has been. It’s been months since I last blogged, so I figured the easiest way to update would be photo-frenzy style. Here are a few things we’ve done since I last checked in.

Italy! We traveled to Florence, Assisi, Venice, Tuscany and Rome at the end of April. There’s simply not enough energy in my fingers to type the thoughts and emotions experienced during our pilgrimage. I filmed daily videos of our trip, so that might be the best way to journey with us. Needless to say, even writing these few sentences gives me that Wayne’s World “diddly doop” musical flashback feeling of being there all over again! A special thanks to my friends at Proximo Travel for putting together a trip of a lifetime for all involved!

First time on an airplane for the boys!

This is not alcohol! Coke in a wine glass. While in Rome… 🙂

Assisi

Garrett made his First Communion in Assisi! What an amazing God we serve! Only HE could put together something so beyond our wildest dreams. Not only a trip highlight, but a LIFE highlight.

Venice

I spy a finger in the frame! (or as my cute two year old says, “pinger’)

Florence

Our beautiful group

Our gloriously goofy bus buddies

We literally took thousands of photos on our 10-day pilgrimage, and those barely scratch the surface. It was an experience I will treasure with great gratitude all the days of my life. Very thankful for the fellow pilgrims we traveled with and the blessings we shared.

Summer.  It’s been uneventful, in a good way. Lots of sunny days just hanging out in the backyard. Kids saying “I’m bored” periodically, sneaking ice cream sandwiches and playing backyard ball. We did manage to take a drive to Amish country and visit “The Farm.”

Work. In addition to the morning show, there have been frequent speaking events and music festivals. The most exciting thing has been the Mom Squad ministry. It has been going and growing! We’ve had the busiest season yet, with a lot more to come. I’m so proud to call each woman, friend. I look forward to God using this special group of gals for continued ministry. We have a retreat coming up in September, a luncheon in November, and a weekend getaway in January! I hope you’ll “Like” our Facebook page and check out our blog.

Karolina. Our big girl turned FOUR! That amazes me. Time is going too fast! In terms of her progress, one of the biggest blessings has been Karolina receiving ESY (Extended School Year) services. She attends school twice a week and also receives therapy through our school system and DD program. There are suprisingly few things for preschool aged children with special needs (at least in our area). This is frustrating because early intervention is so crucial to the pediatric brain. Additional private therapy is available, but by the time we navigated the system and figured out how to cover the cost, it was mid-July.  I am learning a lot though. Thanks to wonderful friends and great resources, we are making strides. 

Reading.

I’ve pretty much been a colossal failure in terms of my summer reading efforts for the boys. Gone are the “Climbing the Ladder of Success” days, from back in 2010. Goodbye to my creative theme weeks and efforts such as “Ferdinand Ma-Jello“.