How We Spent Our Saturday

I have been a member of a wonderful e mail list, maryskeys, for about ten years. It is a list of Catholic women from all over.  They have seen me through everything over the last decade of  my life: wedding plans, early married life, years of infertility, miscarriage, they all kept vigil upon the birth of my first little miracle baby, and through all of Anna's ups and downs.  Even though many of us haven't met in real life true friendships have been forged.  One MKs member is Ben's Godmother and another is Beatrice's Godmother.

Every now and then the women of Maryskeys are able to get together in person.  We had one of these occasions yesterday.  One of the very dearest members of MKs, Cecilia, is from Italy where she is a very well known art historian/restorer.  She is in the US for a few months on a fellowship.  So we were able to all get together at another MKsers home to finally meet Cecilia and all have a day together.

The day was perfectly relaxed with plenty to eat, plenty to share, plenty of kids to run around.  Time flew by I thought.

Cecilia LOVED to hold the babies....it was a nice treat for me and a nice treat for Cecilia!

The beautiful wonderful Jessica holding the beautiful wonderful Beatrice!

Baby Regina getting SOOOOO big!  The last time I saw her she was 7wks old and the tiniest little thing!  Now she is crawling and sitting up and even more gorgeous than before!!

A most charming couple, Alfonso and Cecilia.

Cecilia so kindly saved my kids from Maximus, the Brons's very very large Golden Retriever.  My kids have an absolute terror of dogs, but if  you saw Maximus you would have to laugh.  He is the most docile and lovely dog.  A big mush of a dog with lots of fluff.  The dog would sooner lick them to death than bite them.  But either way Cecilia was there to protect them from ferocious Maximus!

the darling husband

And with what I can only assume are magical powers she got the very cranky strung out Annabella to sleep peacefully in her arms.  A true miracle.

This is little Jack Brons and Ben.  This Jack is a really special character.  I wish he lived right next door because I can see him becoming a dear friend for Ben.  He is quite charming and had such a knack of getting shy Benjamin to talk and play.  Outgoing but just in the right amount to please Ben and therefore please this mama.

And all the MKs ladies in attendance!

Thanks Lynn and family for such a wonderful day!