extraordinary...

ex·traor·di·nary: (adjective) 1 a: going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary b: exceptional to a very marked extent

BASICALLY

having your husband schedule a surprise visit from my wonderful friend/sister in law and my adorable nephew!!!!! yep...i answered the door on friday thinking i was going to let my landlord in to have the house assessed and to my utter astonishment...amy & caleb were in town for a LONG memorial day weekend! we had such an amazing time! i don't think i stopped smiling for five days...

jeffrey opened the "daddy daycare" immediately and gave amy & i the opportunity to go to old town for the afternoon. we browsed in shops that would ordinarily be on the "absolutely, not in a million years would i take my children in there" list...lots of breakables & pretties!!!!! we had a chance to visit and catch up...which was very much needed and enjoyed!

on saturday...we hit the town...looking as touristy as possible! we took lots of pictures at the monuments - enjoying the memories we were making and the company we were with! the kiddos did so well & did some really swell posing!!!!!!! our last stop of the evening was at pop's old fashioned ice cream parlor for a late night treat! ella joined a singing quartet for a little performance of "twinkle twinkle"...how i wish i had my video camera for that one - what a moment i will never forget!

sunday we made our way to dupont circle to recreate a scene in "my big fat greek wedding"...except our dining experience looked a little bit more like a scene from "twister" or some other natural disaster movie!!!!!! ha,ha,ha! all kidding aside, we enjoyed a lunch at zorba's and spent the afternoon walking around soaking in the sights and sounds of the big city!

monday...the BIG girls went on an outing together! sweet maddie didn't make the cut (she has to be a wee bit older)...so amy, ella, & i headed out on the metro to georgetown! we had so much fun trying on the latest "in fashioned" items (as ella would say) & spending some girl time! miss madeline, we can't wait till you are a sidekick as well - it won't be long!!!!! ella keeps all of us laughing with her antics & her infectious smile!!!! after our excursion, we all geared up and went for an arctic swim at the pool! the kids lips were quivering & i am still trying to thaw out, but we got some great pictures - and that is what it is all about, right?! we then headed back to old town to enjoy a dinner of thai food...mixed in with way more laughs and good times!

today was wonderful as well! we spent the morning relaxing and letting the kids nap and then we headed to "the pit" so that amy & caleb could visit our "home away from home"! the girls and i spend lots of time at this park, so it was neat to share it with some special people! after a pizza party on the deck, the dreaded time came...they had to go.

that is the hardest part of any visit & the hardest part with any visitor...having to say goodbye. i choke back the tears because i don't want to minimize any of the joy i feel from having friends and family here...but there is an ache that covers me because i want to be leaving with them. every time i see a plane in the sky, i wonder where the passengers are going or where they are coming from. it is so much easier to bear all of this when i don't feel so alone. it is, however, what i have to do, so i suppose i will just keep my chin up...and wait for the day that i am on that plane for the last time.

my permanent smile is now back on the shelf...until the next round of company shows up at the door! don't get me wrong...there will be plenty of smiles going on around here...just not permanent ones! those are saved for EXTRAORDINARY times...such as those that i just experienced this weekend. thank you to my husband and thank you to amy. life is better thanks to the things you do.