Bienvenidos al Verdadero Mundo

Well, amigos, we're back to the Real World after seven glorious days in Cancún for Michael's Big 4-0... home to Michael working 24/7, laundry, cleaning, cooking, schooling, disciplining, wiping noses, wiping bottoms, cleaning up mystery vomit, moderating arguments, getting gum out of carpet, grocery shopping, erranding... and being so thankful for our family. It's good to be home.

We had an unbelievable time on vacation. It was the first time we've been away for that long from the kids, and although we missed them (eventually) it was such a treat to be together, away, alone. Now that we've OD'd on romance and have baked ourselves to a crisp, here are some favorite photos.

I'll share the funny/horrible story later. I think. Hmmm... it's pretty embarrassing. As usual.

Well, enjoy. I've got to get back to the laundry room... I'm keeping a closer eye on that now because yesterday I found an open bottle of syrup upside down in the clean laundry basket.

The Real World.

*sigh*

Un Pequeño Cumpleaños Surprise Vacación!

(Since I took French and Latin in high school and only know enough Spanish to order a margarita and guacamole, I probably murdered the title of this post. I'm sorry. Je suis très désolé. Peto venia tibi.)

Remember that I told you I'd have to resort to something sneaky because of Michael's birthday party pooper funk? Drum roll, please...

In celebration of my Old Man's 40th birthday,

I packed his toothbrush and swim trunks,

and whisked him off to Cancún this week!

¡Hurra!

I think he's gonna like it.

¡Hasta luego!

Well, Look Who's 40!

Hey, my gorgeous! Even though you're fragile and decrepit now and are getting long white nose and ear hairs and shuffle when you walk, I still think you're H~O~T!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICHAEL!

Old Guys Rule

My Michael is turning the big 4-0 tomorrow! For an old guy he's pretty cute! But, the man is being very difficult. His one birthday wish got postponed indefinitely (not by me), and now every other thing I've suggested just doesn't quite stick to the wall. May I throw a fun "40 MPH" party racing sports cars in Long Beach? No. How about a formal harbor cruise dinner party? No. New York City for the weekend? No. Napa wine tasting? No. Skydiving? No. Limo up to LA for a show or a concert? No. Rent a lamborghini for the day? No. Flying lessons? No. FBI training camp? No. New tattoo? No. His & Hers matching tattoos? Never mind. Scratch that!

Well, shoot, what is a wife to do? I just might have to resort to kidnapping or a surprise party.

Old guys... they can be set in their ways, you know.

Evangeline: A License to Pray

Ray Ray & Evangeline having lunch al fresco in their tent.

It is a widely known fact that only the clinically insane or galactically stupid take children to the DMV. I admit, though, that I did it this week. That's me... crazy, or idiotic, or both times five. In my defense, my sitter did cancel at the last minute, but really you and I both know that there's no valid excuse.

In case you were wondering, we brought along a snack of mandarin oranges, whole wheat crackers, string cheese, and a lemonade Snapple, a few books, a princess coloring book with glitter crayons, two iPods, an Etch-a-sketch, a couple of Tinkerbell pixie faerie barbies and their Treehouse, and the Star Wars book "Jedi vs. Sith: the Essential Guide to the Force" which Ricker (big surprise) read to the babies at great length.

I sat there in my orange plastic bolted-to-the-floor bucket chair along with everyone else watching the appointment board. The same lady who got the gig for the airport public announcement "the white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only" broadcasted that #4761 should proceed to window #22a... and I thought, hmmm, only 87 others ahead of me now.

Right about then the ordinary turned extraordinary. An Hispanic gentleman in a wheelchair started to pass by us and Evangeline spontaneously reached out her hand, put it on top of his hand, squeezed her eyes tight, lifted up her face, and earnestly prayed,

"Dear Jesus, I pray that You would heal this man
and make him be out of his wheelchair in Jesus' Name, AMEN!"

He was stunned. I was stunned. Everyone was stunned at this incredible, beautiful Jesus Moment right there in the heart of the government machine... With a big smile, he responded, "Gracias!"

And, that, my friends, was Evangeline's first step into evangelism. My pee-wee preacher, my supernatural small-fry, had a toddler divine appointment. WOW!

So, next time sign me right on up for galactic stupidity. If there is absolutely no way to escape going to the DMV, I'm bringing my kids... just in case. Who knows? Any one of them could be the next John Wesley, D. L. Moody, John Wimber, or Billy Graham!

When we told our friend, Sydney, her comment was something like "Of course! She's living up to her name!"