A short but busy month with some scary news at home and abroad. Without further ado....
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Maria is clearly my daughter as she loves puzzles as much as I do. She can tackle 1000 pieces without fear. Currently she is halfway through one without any help from me. Gioia offers moral support.
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This was NOT a theme day at school....
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| Our sweet Jagger (only 5 years old) was diagnosed with lymphoma. He is battling it with chemo and steroids. So far he is not showing symptoms but we know our time left with him is likely short and so very precious. |
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| Jagger has many friends at our beloved Karura Forest. Some have been leaving tennis balls around to cheer him up. |
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US Summer camp requires TB tests for our children.
They both passed!
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| Paolo and Gio headed to Diani Beach one weekend to get SCUBA certification. We took the girls-only weekend seriously! |
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| Paolo and Gio loved their SCUBA course and are now fully certified. |
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Jagger's support team.
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| International Day at school. Maria did her two passport countries. Gio added his beloved South Africa (hat is for a Pretoria rugby team). |
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| Gioia has many napping spots but our bed is her favorite. |
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On Feb 23rd I officially became an Italian citizen!
It took us 5 years of effort.
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| Maria's work is often interrupted.... |
With the horrifying events happening in Ukraine I wanted to post a few pictures from our 5 wonderful years living in Kyiv....
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| This was the street (Kreschatyk) outside of our apartment building. This was the year Gio insisted on wearing only PJs (even to school) and went nowhere without his beloved Basset Hound stuffy "Big Tom". He loved stomping in puddles and riding the metro (subway) to his school. So many fond memories in a place now being attacked by a mad man. |
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Our children spent their early years in Kyiv (Gio ages 2-6 and Maria birth-2). This statue was one they both loved. Maria insisted on siting with the babuska nearly every day when we visited Shevchenko Park.
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| This was both Gio's and Maria's favorite thing in Shevchenko Park. While it would not have met with US safety standards it provided years of fun for both of them. Sometimes 12 children were crammed on it with the older ones swinging it wildly. It is heartbreaking that no children are on it now. Picture above is Gio at age 2 in 2010. Picture below is Maria at age 2 in 2015. |
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| Gio at the baracades during the Revolution in 2014 (reading Captain Underpants). |
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| Enzo was a beloved visitor to Shevchenko Park. Our daily visits were often met with cheers when this gang of children was there. It is heartbreaking to know they are now old enough to be defending their country. |
Slava Ukraine. xoxo. Clara
