Caroline's facial

Caroline looks like a Californian. Blonde hair is coming in and she has an increasingly orange complexion. Not from fake baking, but from Polish baby food of the marchewki z indykiem (turkey with carrots) variety.

Natalie is inspecting her Grandpa's mouth. She really likes doing that. Sorry guys, this image was so small that I thought this was Joe. She was doing that with him the last time we saw them.

We are loving the velcrohead game!

We are so hard core

this is Natalie's new get up for church. Shea dressed her all by himself. I'm so proud! However they were over a half an hour late for church. She still looks awesome.

I just want to make sure everyone knows where our loyalties still lie.

Natalie is really great about visiting her great grandmas. She just kind of heists their wheelchairs every time we go.

Natalie's way of comforting Shea's grandma, who's been unwell for some time is to force her repeatedly to accept hugs from Minny and Mickey Mouse. My daughter is so emotionally precocious!

I think Natalie is trying to send a gang sign while her face is covered in jam. Should I be concerned.

We got a chance to spend a lunch with Joe before his departure last week . . . this shot before we had to say 'hasta la vista' to Joe. Bethany is due next month--she brings the Abeyta name into the line of tough Shahas. Be careful out there, Joe. You are always in our prayers, as are Dan and Jake.

Looks like Lucy wasn't sure about Steve's haircut--she had to check him out a few times. Steve got to come see us on leave as he prepares to deploy to meet up with his unit in Afghanistan. Another tough Shaha.

This weekend Wendy and Dave came to town to run the Kansas City Marathon. The rest of us slugs in the photo are along for the ride--to watch others suffer. As bad a photo as this is, the other takes I got in the Panera just before the run were even worse.

Before shot of Wendy and Dave walking up to the start line.

Dave at mile 24--still smiling if you can believe it!!

Finisher Dave--at about 3:18!!

Finisher Wendy who, if you notice the pacer in front of camera, actually qualified for the Boston Marathon with a run time below 3:40. Congratulations to both Wendy and David for surviving, much less turning in such outstanding times.

Yep, we're strong. Nothing can stop us. Who's got the graham crackers?


It was another great weekend! We love you all and you are all constantly in our prayers for your physical, spiritual and, yes, mental welfare.

Love, Mom and Dad

Conan

I'll go ahead and follow up Bethany's awesome pictures with the new Conan clip. Different genres, I know.

"Conan" TBS Ad - Conan O'Brien Drives a Car Off a Cliff @ Yahoo! Video

Treasured Moments

These two are my favorite. I haven't seen all the pictures we had taken. I'll get them next week. I just thought I'd show a preview.

I'm so grateful we were able to get these done three days before he left.

Lucy and her dad

Joe made it safely to Kuwait. He left around 0545 on Sunday morning. I thought I would post this picture because the other one of me and him looks like a halloween picture. I look awful as you can only imagine why. We've been able to talk every day so that has been nice. Thanks Marinda for your email. I am going to write you back.
PS
You better watch out Steve, Joe has been going to the gym twice a day. They're obviously keeping him really busy.

New Blog

We started up our own blog as well... mostly because we didn't want to monopolize this blog with all our pics, so feel free to check it out. It has many of the same pics I already posted on here, but also lots of others you haven't seen. Of course, we will still contribute/participate in the familia shaha blog.

The web address is:

http://www.benandmarindashaha.blogspot.com/

BTW, Ben broke his foot today. We've kind of had a bad day, to say the least. He was rushing home from school so he could get back here so I could go to Polish class and he totally biffed it on the sidewalk. He has a cast and crutches. Totally lame.