Fleischfest und Schwimmbadfest 2009!!!

We had the BEST weekend with the W's and S-C's. The W's drove all the way from Columbus, Georgia to spend a weekend playing. Kurt and Sandy and the kids hosted us Friday afternoon and evening. Saturday, we spent the whole day swimming, eating, talking and enjoying the kids. Sunday, we did the same.

Ed said on Friday night, "The last time we were ALL together there were no children. Now there are 5." That last time was in the fall of 2004 in Bavaria, Germany. During our years there together, we spent countless days and nights in each others' homes, in restaurants and biergartens. There is a genuine appreciation of each others' personalities, interests and strengths. We love each other. We admire each other and we're proud of what each person has accomplished and who we've become. We have celebrated each others' joys and mourned each others' losses. There is a level of comfort with them that I share with few others. And I trust them implicitly. With my heart, with my child, with some of my innermost thoughts and feelings. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to have that in my life. And Edward is too.

I am also so grateful to have the shared heritage of our Guatemalan beauties. And I love that Kurt and Sandy understand the importance of preserving familial heritage. They work hard at building the same connections for JM and Elise. Sandy speaks to them in her native French so that her French-Canadien family can communicate and that although they live in America, may appreciate her roots. It is a seamless understanding of each other. That doesn't happen every day.

Our babies are growing up. Julien and Ryker are 4 1/2, Reagan is almost 3, Gabi is 2 and Elise is our tiny tyke at 7 months. They had such a great time together. They are so witty and silly and smart.

I didn't get as many pics as I would have liked, but Kristin did and will be sending them soon. I'll just post some of mine-- they aren't great.