Out of Africa

A family we know from our summers in Maine has made it safely out of Libya. Having taught in international schools before, their plan of settling down on the east coast, putting the kids in the U.S. public school system, and finding work stateside quickly led them to boredom and brokedom thanks to the economy tanking, so they signed up to teach abroad again. A school in Libya needed them. I remember Sarah saying around the town pool last summer a week or so before they left for northern Africa, that they wouldn't go to Cairo back then, but instead decided to accept jobs at the American school in Libya. I thought that sounded a little nutty, even for international adventurers, but there were, perhaps, by the end of last summer whisperings of things maybe getting a little shaken up sometime in the future in Egypt. Maybe the quiet word among folks watching the politics of North Africa was that nothing would happen in Libya. I mean really, it'd been 41 and a half years of same ol' same ol' with Muammar Crazy Kadafi. Who would've thought they'd actually jump on the protest bandwagon?

So last August this family of four moved to Tripoli and last week they had to leave their jobs, home, Libyan friends, and belongings. Here is NPR's Scott Simon's interview with the headmaster of their school about their evacuation. As of Friday they were safe in Malta trying to book a flight back to the states. I wonder if evacuating Libya will make good school essay material for their kids.

Birthday Spark

The SPark is the first of our kids who has digital photos from all her birthdays, so I can do a little trip down memory lane for her. A tour of birthdays past...

2005, turning ONE, shortly after arriving home:

2006, turning TWO:

2007, turning THREE and in love with ladybugs:

2008, turning FOUR at a gymnastics party:

2009, the year we took her to fly at SkyVentures, turning FIVE:

2010, turning SIX:

And yesterday, turning SEVEN, in 2011

Blast from the Past

Zippy Cracking Himself Up. We were just unloading the groceries and he thought it was absolutely hilarious. This is one of our favorite clips of all time.

random pics

Haven't posted anything in awhile, so here are some random winter photos of the boys in the snowboarding clubhouse.

The Spark is about to turn SEVEN so there'll be a b-day post later this week. She's requested a day alone with me so she's skipping school, coming to my yoga class which is exciting for her since my yoga teacher is also her yoga teacher, out for lunch w/ me & J, and then we're picking up her friend from school in the afternoon to go get our nails done and have cocoa at a cafe. I think I am as excited for her birthday this week as she is which is very much so since she's been counting down the days for weeks now. So here is photo from her first February. Now we realize how lucky we were to have her home by her first birthday.

What do you do on a snowday?

Jump off the second story deck, right?!

Or maybe flip from the top of the playset, right?!

10" expected today and another 12-14" tonight & tomorrow. Woo-Hoo!