john's birthday! (sunday)

sunday was john's birthday! we all wished him a "happy birthday!" about every 5 minutes. all.day.long. i'm pretty sure he loved it ;-)

we started the morning by going to church. still had no idea when the fogarty's were getting back to the states and was a wreck inside for them. after church, i got the email saying they'd be getting home at 10:30 that night.

 ate lunch and headed to the beach (where else?!?)

this next series is hysterical. he ASKED to do this.

he asked to see the picture. when i showed it to him on my camera, he said he looked like a clown. and he's right!

they played with these water bottles for forEVER.

my body was at the beach this afternoon, but i was such a mess inside. i SO wanted to be in richmond to welcome the fogarty's home, but our whole family couldn't go...and i wasn't sure i could do it by myself...to arrive back at the beach at 4 am or so?? i was SO torn...

but finally made the painful decision to stay. i'm still not sure if i'll always regret it. but it's what we did.

my mom did such amazing "little" touches to make the week so fun...like fun cups and straws for the kids :-)

hannah and john made dinner. i was WAY happier than i look!

does that look yummy or what? it was!

after dinner...before john's cake and gifts...

i took these 2 on a little golf cart ride.

we are in TROUBLE when she turns 16! she drives like her momma...

my girls taught my mom, hannah and i a "new" game on the ipad.

ha!

and i was ATTACHED to my phone the whole night. thankfully, leah was there and texted me a picture AND a video! of them arriving home. i watched that video SO many times. and slept SO well that night, knowing they were home and all together.