Week without Mom

Bryn and Luke thrived without me for a week while I visited a good college friend, Cindy Harvey, in Israel. Ken wisely brought in reinforcements, Aunt Karlye and Uncle Mike, as he took B&L to Florida where Nana and Papap were also all-hands-on-deck. The kids spent hours playing in large tidal pools where they scooped up tiny fish; built dams; pretended, while wearing their "sunsuits," to be dolphin trainers; and pretended to be dolphins that did tricks for fish.

In another highlight, the kids and Nana and Aunt Karlye saw a seven-foot alligator in the turtle pond! At the initial sighting, Bryn and Luke ran away from the gator, but when Nana, Ken and Aunt Karlye were frozen with curiosity, B&L came back around to examine it, too.Thanks so much to Gail, who took lots of pictures and videos, and helped B&L to keep a journal as well so I didn't miss out on the week that I was away from them. I'm so very grateful for everyone's help and support -- I got word that B&L were starting to wear everybody out. I had an incredible time in Israel and learned a lot on a trip that holds many memories, like floating in the Dead Sea, that I will keep with me always.