Pics and updates from Marina and Kayla!

It is great to get pics sent from Marina and Kayla.  I miss having those boys around so much!  Luckily Aunt Jaimee and I had planned on doing a joy preschool this year and a friend that was going to do it with us bailed!  So we talked to Ben and Kayla about Kayla joining with us!  So we will each take a day at our own home.  We are thrilled we will still be in their lives on a regularly scheduled basis! Kayla has a great mentor that hooked her up with a ton of resources too so that will be helpful!
Marina moved her stuff in officially the Sunday before last.  Ben was close to being finished with flooring the bedroom last time I saw.  Matthew had taken the liberty of "decorating" your old carpet with your nail polish and food coloring - yowsa!!  All of this seems so fast, but sincerely we have watched the quality and care of your boys get soo much better so quickly.  And Ben seems to have purpose again and hope again.
Marriage and children have been discussed at length.  I haven't had the chance to talk to Ben a lot about it, but get bits and pieces from others conversations with him.  Apparently if there is ever a baby girl in their future, Marina wants to name her Ilana.  Kayla said Marina doesn't want people to think she is trying to take your place, that she thinks so highly of you and Kayla said they even talked about making a scrap book of you for the boys to read often. This is really the best situation we could have hoped for- someone we adore who is caring and kind who wants to be there for your boys, but who also respects that we will always, always love you.
So Marina and her boys took off for a long visit to see her family in Russia.  Ben will be lonely, so maybe you can visit him  and those sweet little boys. . love you forever.

These first three were from Marina - look at the feet on Andrew! Holy Moly!!!  How does such a big boy still have such chew-able baby qualities?



Look at that- a little Lana face and a little Ben face.

Kayla sent the pic of "her little frog."

 

Ben to the rescue!!!

So my sweet son insisted on taking a bath and I put him in right before the doorbell rang.  So I raced downstairs and got side tracked. . next thing I know my ceiling is dripping and I am sick to my stomach that I ruined my new pretty house.  

Kayla and I had a play date scheduled with the boys and so I called Ben teary to see if she could bring a shop vac when she came.  Ben dropped what he was doing and came over with tools and vacuums willing to help his sis in her moment of desperation and take the day if needed to get my house in shape(your sweet mom gave him permission:)).  Such a good man!!  He pulled up my carpet and helped me start soaking all the water up.

Damage was a little more extensive than originally thought so my insurance company sent in mold team.  Luckily Matthew and J-Bo managed to have a great time with the industrial strength fans they sent.

And Kayla was sweet about my house being torn up and my spirits a little low.  She is such a great nanny.  Those boys are so lucky to have her.

More time with Marina and her boys

So like I mentioned earlier, I was able to meet Marina's little boys and spend a little more time with her.  The more I see, the more I like.  And that's probably a good thing because they are getting serious very quickly. Like they're "movin' in" serious.  I don't think anyone would have guessed Ben could find someone remarkable and kind and willing to not just tolerate but LOVE all your boys this quickly.  And it's mutual- all three of your boys are smitten.
Truth be told we are all fiercely protective of those little boys. . . I was so relieved to meet Marina's little boys Sammy and David.  She has taken good care of them Lans- they are 9 and 11.  They were dressed nicely, she's getting them orthodontics, they are exceptional students and they greeted me with, "My name is Sammy, it's nice to meet you" and a hand shake.  Her boys are very loving with your boys too.
I'm not going to lie . . it's going to take some time getting used to someone else on my brother's arm.  That being said, she's everything we could have hoped for and more.  I feel bad because I was blubbering on about you. . getting teary all the while.  We are thrilled for someone to be in their home to love them and adore them but also hopeful we can instill in them that their mom fought so hard for them and wanted nothing more than to be there as they grow.  Your desires were so simple and pure.
Hopefully Marina will feel our admiration for her and know that their is no competition or comparing. . we are thrilled to have her!!!  And her sweet, handsome boys!!!

Marina took the boys to Scottsdale for a little fun at the splash park!!  She was kind enough to forward me pics of all the fun!!  Yeah for another photographer!!

Meet Kayla

I stopped by last Thursday to meet the new nanny Kayla and got to spend time with her and Marina plus Marina's cutie boys(more on them later).  It was so fun to see those babies.   Kayla has been great with them!  They have been re-potty training Matthew. He loves his stickers!

It's funny because Kayla has had to be the bad guy a little in setting some guidelines- crazy new rules like, "We eat at the table!"  Ha!  It reminded me of when Ben would spoil Matthew all day and then you would come home from work and he would say, "Uh Ohh,  Mommy's here and she's going to brush your teeth and put you to bed!"  And Matthew would run for his life.  Your little stinkers!!   

Kayla is very fun to talk to and very much adores your busy boys.  And between her and Marina plus Ben they are getting that house whipped into shape. We're talking Ilana standards!  

As much as I missed having them in my home, I think they are doing well being at home with just one set of rules.  

Meet Marina

So you know how I told you Ben was dating again?  Well at that point he had been on a handful of dates over the last couple of months with a few different people.  And several dates with a girl he seemed to click instantly with named Marina.  

We have continued hearing about this lovely person for a month now and I finally had the chance to meet her briefly on the fourth of July.  

 

 Ben has described her to me and my mom and your mom as "peaceful" and that "every time she is around everything gets better."  He told your mom, "Lana would really like her."  Marina helped him paint your parents house to get ready for renters and helped him repaint your boys rooms before the nanny moved in.  He said she bonded with your boys almost instantly and that when she leaves they cry.

Just like with you, they met and have been together pretty much every day since.  We like her Lans.  She has two little boys too who are 8 and 10 if I remember right.  Ben said they are great boys and I believe one of them is an accomplished piano player.  I hope to meet them soon, but they are gorgeous boys from their pictures.  Marina speaks a few languages and just finished her second masters degree in psychology.  And from my brief meeting I see the "peaceful" Ben has mentioned several times.

 Your mom said to me a few weeks ago that Ben talked to her about how things seem to be stabilizing and falling into place at last - she and your dad moved close by, a full time nanny will help him work full time at the store (which has been doing well) and then Marina has somehow brought a smile to his face.  Your mom said, "Ilana must be working over time up there."


So keep up the good work Lans!  All these good things will hopefully bring your boys an even greater sense of love and security. We miss you every day.  We carry you with us everywhere.

 Grandma and grandpa showing us how it is done!

 Andrew somehow managed to find the one poop on the play ground to play in and was quickly stripped and cleaned off!

 Your cuties with their adorable cousins Dallin and Ethan getting ready to see fireworks!

Changes!

These pics were snapped on my last official scheduled day watching your boys.  Erin and her boys have moved on and a new nanny has come in to help with the boys full time as of July 1st.  So far, so good according to Ben.   I am anxiously waiting to meet this nice girl.  She has been a nanny for the last two years so hopefully this is business as usually with two unusually cute boys!!!  

 Pirate Mickey, another pirate Mickey, and goofy Mickey.  They thought they were pretty hot stuff and they are right!!

 I am really going to miss having them in my home so frequently.  It has been therapy for me having them - helping me feel closer to you.  I will just have to have lots of play dates!!

San Diego Memories

My little family just got back from a San Diego vacation and with our little trip came memory after memory of you.  When we lived in the same apartment complex when Ben was in Med. School before we had kiddos, we went there together.

Perhaps my most distinct memory was of the drive over to San Diego with you, when the song, "American Woman" came on the radio.  All of a sudden I hear you say from the back seat, "uh ohhh."   Shortly after Ben started on in his own LOUD version of the song with some crazy accent singing/talking about how some American woman took all his money.  We were dying laughing.  Your laughter, ohhh, what I would give to hear it again.  Your booming, infectious laugh in my back seat.

We hit Old town San Diego where we took our old fashion pictures together.  When we went with you, we shared a room at the Hilton in mission bay and teased you and Ben (prior perpetrators) that there was to be nooo risky business when "[You thought] we were asleep."  We ate at a restaurant close by that was a mom and pop Italian restaurant - you wanted to go back again to support the underdog and because the food was delicious.

You are with us everywhere we go Lans.