The girls were eager to go this morning. Despite threat of rain, they donned (then doffed) their Littlest Pet Shop (shudder) hats and gleefully greeted the day. I'm going to have to get over the Littlest Pet Shop thing - the girls are happy, thrilled, love their hats, end of story. So here they are, mid-doff and oh so happy. But it wasn't just the hats that made them happy, it was the fact that Uncle Steve (my brother) and Aunt Gina (his fantastic wife) were stopping over with us for a couple of days on their way to their honeymoon in Paris, France!
The spring in everyone's step on the way to school got us all there a bit early, and so we talked about how we were going to welcome Steve and Gina to our house: pictures, flowers, songs...
Mac and I went grocery shopping for feasts and were duly impressed by the gigantic crabs all wrapped up and ready to go (the fresh-from-the-ocean seafood wasn't there today: back-log due to Pentecost on Monday - sigh!). As impressive as the big guy was, we went for a lovely cut of cabillaud (cod) instead - with a sprinkle of coriander, and couscous with lentils, and a salad on the side, we hopped it would feed and soothe the jet-lagged duo.
Steve and Gina are incredible. As Oliver said to Gina tonight at dinner: "You're not just the woman madly in love with my uncle, you're part of the family now." :-) What this actually meant was that Gina could now be subjected to Oliver's non-sequitur jokes, but she took that in good stride. I've always loved my brother for his honesty, good will and (hmm, must run in the family somehow) goofiness, and now to love Gina for her great and good humor, courage, and smarts is just so cool. Their wedding in December was so much fun (how could it not be, initiated as it was with bagpipes and danced to with "Brick House"?) and life moves fast, because below you see Iris confirming that...
Gina is pregnant!!!! Iris's "baby-ray" sees all!!! The doctor is _in_! She had extra oxygen for Gina, and a form to be filled out for the name. At this rate, the baby will beat Steve and Gina to their one-year anniversary. Go, baby, go! And know that we are here, and love you already, and that there will be much Clamor and Joy when you come, and that you've already made so many people so happy. A friend once described the well-being that comes from knowing that two really great people are going to have a baby - this is that well-being.
So out to a terrace we went (Gina's the gorgeous one, Steve looks shocked at who knows what) and enjoyed treats and sunshine. Good thing, too, as it's thundering and raining as I write. We eased into the evening knowing we were going to beat the jetlag, knowing that Baby was busy Becoming, knowing that dinner together (together!) was soon, and so, really, there was just one thing to do...
Proclaim "YIPEEEEEEEEE!"
Hello and congrats to Steve and his lovely bride!! And tell the children not to dispair about leaving the Machines de l'Île, for there is a magical place here in the States they will LOVE called the "City Museum" in St Louis. YOu will have to take them there some day--it is one of my favorite places in the world!!! http://www.citymuseum.org/home.asp
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