that's a wrap!

Finally! We've reached the end of these posts about the visitors from Kenya.  It already seems so long ago, so it has been nice to breeze through photos again and remember all the good times, and all that we did. We sure packed a lot into the two and a half weeks they were here.  We're so grateful for the opportunity to show them around our home and life here, and to introduce them to our kids.  Dexter's mom was a huge help with the kids and house (she did all the kitchen clean up while we were putting kids to bed. Let me tell you, that would NEVER get old), and it was just so special to be with them.

We weren't always doing big trips, of course.  Some days were just life-as-usual.  T-Ball. Swimming Lessons. Quiet Time.  Dexter went to work.  Nothing really blog-worthy.  But isn't that the way it is - doing life together?

One trip we did that didn't get blogged, because I wasn't a part of it, was a trip back down to Essex and then to Boston to the John F. Kennedy Library.  I figured that was a trip that wouldn't appeal to the kids, so met up with a friend at a park instead.  That was the right decision.  The trip into Boston and the library was a big success, and possibly both of Dexter's parents' favorite activity! Of course my parents would pick it!

We would have stayed in Essex longer, but had to rush back for T-Ball of course.  It was the last week, and we couldn't miss it (even if it was a kind of a crazy day).  Kyalo even got a trophy!

chances are good that if you come over, this trophy will be the first thing he shows you.

Every now and then, he'll randomly say, "I love that I got a baseball trophy."  The trophy wasn't for anything - just has the year and the name of his team on it or something.  But it makes him so happy.

Kyalo also had three weeks of swimming lessons at the local lake this summer.  Lois was a huge help that week, keeping Malaikah entertained - or just holding her while I tended to Kyalo.  

This is my absolute favorite picture of the whole trip (except for the strangers photobombing in the background)

Malaikah's happy face here is the best!

Please note:  this is a cloth. Tied simply around Malaikah and Lois.  That's it.  You would think it would be easy to do, but there is NO WAY I would trust myself to try it. I know that there's been a big push lately for people to wear their babies. But that usually involves hundreds of dollars for some big contraption (i.e. the $75 Ergo I got on consignment).  This is the way to do it!  Malaikah was so happy and content this way.  It was perfect.

They left on July 4th (originally they were to leave on the 1st, but that is Julius' birthday, and I didn't think it right to send him home that day. Also, I thought I'd make a cake or something.  Instead, we all forgot about it.  Winning.)

So, back down to Essex we went since they flew out of Boston.  

 sweet goodbyes.  What will Malaikah be like the next time they're all together?

 Maybe the only pic of the four of us?

Why Kyalo can't give us this radiant smile in all his pictures is beyond me.

And just like that, they were gone!  And we were exhausted.

It was the fourth, and my parents had a house full of guests.  We got to crash the party, which was an excellent end to our busy time:

Lobsters, Steamers, roasted marshmallows.  A perfect summer day.

And! I've just remembered, one more set of pictures!  I'll put them up right now!