Happy Birthday, Christina!

We love you! Hope it's a great day!

They're off!

Well, John and Maria just left for the airport. I don't know which was worse - when Maria woke up this morning (around 6) she was so excited she didn't seem to care that she had to say goodbye, or when I gave her my last hug and kiss, and she started sobbing. Please take care of them for me!

St. Christopher and St. Raphael, pray for them!

Thomas and I leave for Gaming in about an hour with a family from here. It should be a nice break just before the baby comes, and I hear it's cooler there. Blessed relief! In the high 80's instead of high 90's! Although I saw on the forecast that in a few days we should get rain, and high 60's. I never thought I'd be so excited about rain.

I'll try and post when I'm in Gaming, but I don't know what my internet access will be. In the meantime, have fun with John and Maria, and send them back soon!

More Pictures

I've just uploaded a set of pictures from another little day trip that we took earlier in the Summer. Just after graduation we went to Gaming for a Chrismation / First Communion, and then spent the next day on the Traunsee in the Salzkammergut (the lake district near Salzburg). Here are the pictures from that day (with more pictures of the kids).

Styria and Carinthia

After another lengthly absence from the old blogger, we return with a few pictures from our day trip to the Wörthersee in sunny Kärnten (Carinthia). We left pretty early in the morning, and stopped for some breakfast in Graz, the capital of Steiermark (Styria), which is one of the big cities of Austria that we had yet to visit.

.

Hauptplatz, Graz

After another stretch of driving, we arrived at the little town of Maria Wörth on the Wörthersee. We promptly embarked on a little rented boat, and headed out for a picnic lunch on the water. The Wörthersee is quite close to the border of Slovenia in the South, and not much farther from the Italian border. Its water is incredibly blue, and in the Summertime the water temperature can reach from 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Maria Wörth am Wörthersee

After a few hours in the sunshine we headed for home by a different road in order to catch a sight of the renowned Hochosterwitz Castle. We weren't disappointed. It's easily one of the most impressive castles we've seen out here. The road up to the inner castle passes through fourteen fortified gates.

Burg Hochosterwitz

American Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July!

Internet Troubles

I know it's been too long since a post. That is mostly because there is not too much exciting going on, and because we've been lazy. However, the last few days we have been experiencing a lot of trouble with our internet, so posting has been impossible. We are now watching the Tiger's game from Monday night in a neighbor's apt.

Not much new here. it's been pretty hot and buggy lately, which is difficult because our windows have no screens on them (it seems some Europeans are terrified of drafts, even 90 degree drafts, so there is no point in having screens on windows that are never opened), and the mosquitos are rampant. Also, air conditioning is mostly non-exsistent. But we're trying to make do with two small fans, and I keep telling myself that in 1 1/2 months I won't be pregnant anymore, and that should make life easier!

Also, we missed Richie's birthday. So this is for you: