Today we are off to our neighboring state, where we will pick up family at the airport and spend a few fun days together as a family. My brother and sister, along with their girl friend and boy friend, are flying out today from New York to spend a week with their nieces and nephews.

We have hotel rooms for two nights, and tomorrow will be hitting a huge amusement park, which of course has everyone around here really, really excited.

My kids are the only kids in both my family and Josh’s…none of our brothers or sisters have had kids yet. So as you might imagine, they are quite cherished by the aunts and uncles. I love to see it. I especially love to see my brother, who is known for being quiet and a bit surly, do a complete 180 when he is around my kids. All of a sudden the guy who did little more than grunt at me for years, is outside jumping on the trampoline or downstairs playing Barbies with the little girls or being chased around the yard by nine kids with squirt guns. We haven’t seen them since last summer so it is a much anticipated visit, and this will also be their first chance to meet Ben.

Even though our lifestyles are very different, both my brother and my sister have been very supportive of Josh and I and our choices, and I love them! It is hard living so far away from my family, so I really look forward to these visits.

And did I mention that tomorrow is also Josh’s and mine 10th wedding anniversary? Last year we had talked about going away on a trip for two to celebrate our tenth anniversary, and now we’ll be making two trips to Africa this year!

Ok, so a day at an amusement park with nine kids, two brothers (Josh’s is tagging along two), a sister and two friends won’t be the most romantic day ever, but it sure will be a lot of fun.