From Mommy and Daddy

From Gram, Gramps, Noni, Poppi,, Mon Oncle, Auntie Christine, and Auntie Bekah

Jack's 4th Birthday

Today we had Jack's birthday party! His birthday was actually last Friday - a week ago, but Mommy was gone for the weekend and so the party was today instead.

The theme was fish... a fish cake, fish on the table, fish crackers, fish bowls and plates and well, keep reading and looking!!

We invited a few friends over and had a great time!

Valentines Day Morning with the Boys

This year was really the first year for Jack to "know" what was happening with V day and what it was all about. He had a party at school where they exchanged paper valentines and they had a special party. I made each of his teachers a valentine too and he hand delivered them with a shy smile! Then on Saturday morning, we had a special breakfast together (and our friend David was also with us from North Carolina). The boys each got a Valentines bag and a special gift!. They had so much fun and Owen just couldn't resist eating everything right then and there. I'm sure by naptime, the sugar rush had worn off and he crashed!

Valentines Day #7

It's hard to believe this is really our 7th valentines day together. The first was very memorable as we had been engaged for a little over a month, were flat broke but totally and completely in love! I made Joel mint truffles and a homemade card and he made me a bouquet of sharpened pencils (You've Got Mail fans know exactly what that is!). It was perfect. Many things in life have changed in 7 Valentine's Days but one has stayed the same and has even deepend and that's our love for each other. We've had a few less than ideal Valentine's Days. Last year for instance, we were enroute back to the US, AGAIN and pretty much feeling a bit less than hopeful. We skipped Valentines Day that year but I'm happy to say, we've made up for it this year.

We switch off each year as to who does the planning and the gift giving. Whoever has V Day, the other has our anniversary and then it switches the next year. This year Joel did V Day. We just had a yummy dinner (a spring salad, pesto and chicken fettuncini, bread and dessert has yet to be served), and then Joel presented me with my gift.
And yes, he made it himself! Drool ladies, drool, he's all mine!! Husbands, you could learn something from this man, he's more romantic than I am. I am thankful for the almost 6 years of marriage we've had together and I'm hopeful the next six will be even better!

Silence

Have you wondered as you check back day after day to this blog,"where did the Potters go?" Sorry for the silence! Let me introduce you to our new housemates, the Michigan winter BUGS!

Hmmm? You don't know them, well count yourselves blessed! Beginning last Sunday, yes a full week ago, Jack, Owen and Bethany welcomed these very friendly bugs into our home, and our bodies! A full 7 days later (all of which were spent at home, no work, no school, and very little activity) and Owen is mostly back to good health but Jack seems to be welcoming the bugs into his chest, ie. a nasty croupy cough. I, Bethany may be coming out of it, but the jury is still out.

Poor Joel has been holding down his full time work at the school as well as covering the early morning shift and naptime, allowing me to catch some extra sleep.

So we'd love to have fun, interesting things to share with you about the many interactions with the students here but we had to cancel every single one this week. Perhaps we'll have better success next week. Oh, how I'm looking forward to seeing something other than the four inside walls of our house.

Jack, representing Owen and I and the positions we've held all week

The view from the sick bed - thank goodness for kids videos!