I love our family!

 My favorite thing about this summer so far is spending time with my six (amazing) kids and their spouses/boyfriends! What a marvelous bunch of people! 

Leigh and me

Clare, Mary, Nando and Leigh

Leigh and Mary in Nemi

Leigh and Annie near the Spanish Steps

Heavenly Dinner with Mom and Dad, Annie and Sebastian

 

I love this man!

 

L'Isola di Giglio è meravigliosa!

Ron, Leigh, Annie, Sebastian, Charlie and I fell in love with an island off the Tuscan coast. It is sleepy and scarcely inhabited. It does not have a full grocery store, only bodegas. To get there, you have to go to an island port, Porto Santo Stefano, and then from there take a ferry to Giglio. So, essentially it is two islands away from the mainland. It has its own wine that is orange--white grapes that are processed with the skin. We rented a little motor boat and played in the water all around the island. The colors are so vibrant, they are not even captured in these (unfiltered) photos. 

Sebastian Writes a Song

 Sebastian left the room and burst back in 30 minutes later, having written his first song. It is in Italian and laments school. By all indications, 4th grade was a killer! 

https://youtu.be/jrL6JjCWe14

Sebastian's 4th grade

Sebastian had a big year--his first year in Italian school. He competed the entire 4th grade curriculum, learned Italian, and aced two state exams at the end of the year that were in 7 parts and included a written "tessina" plus an oral exam in front of a panel of professors whom he had never met in a school building he does not attend. What pressure! He did so well--I don't think I've ever been so proud of him. Way to go, Sebastian Peter!!!!

Recovering after a long day of studying for his exams

On the morning of the last day of exams

Here is a long video of Sebastian practicing his oral presentation! https://youtu.be/jyhvENEBzsc

Gelato after the last exam

Celebrating with friends at Zero Gravity in Rome

 

Mary and Nando--How fun!

 Mary and Nando have not only spent time with us in Dallas but also in Rome--what a delight! I keep asking them, "Do people constantly tell you that you are the prettiest couple in Dallas??" I mean, really!

Baby Cecelia!

 We are OVERJOYED to introduce our first grandchild into the family! Gabrielle is expecting a BABY GIRL and she and Jacob have already named her Cecelia. We can't wait to meet you, hold you, and LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!!!

Annie and I bought Cecelia our first gift: a white linen dress and her first pair of Italian shoes!!!!!!!!!

Here are Gabrielle and Jacob opening the gift. 

We love you, Gabrielle, Jacob and Cecelia! May God bless and keep you always!

 

Jacob!

He got a job, rented a house, graduated college as a philosophy and Italian double major (wow), got married, and they're expecting a baby. Not a shabby year, by any estimation! We are SO PROUD OF YOU, Jacob!!!! 

"Grease," featuring Sebastian Rombs

When I was a teenager, dancing around the house with my sisters to the soundtrack of Grease, if you had told me that I would one day have a son who performed it on a stage in Italian, I would never have believed you! 

Here are some clips from the Italian children's version of the stage production, Grease!

 https://youtu.be/VXKNo7RCL-A

Leigh KellyAnne--Remarkable!

 

This is a young woman who wanted to get confirmed, found a program that would allow her to join, reminded us to take her to confirmation preparation. . . she showed a complete commitment to the sacrament! 

This is a young woman who just amazed our most recent dinner guest when she told him that her original intention for learning German was to be able to read Ratzinger in the original. 

This is a young woman who is taking all her high school courses--biology, chemistry, physics, history, literature, math, etc.--all in German. She is crushing Italian and French along the way. 

This is a young woman who just passed all her classes with flying colors, and has already taken two subjects for her maturità--the killer exam at the end of the fifth year of high school in Italy. 

This is a young woman who could study at practically any university worldwide if she wanted to. Her economics/law track for high school sets her up for international law and business one day if she so desires. 

This is a young woman who throws a fabulous party, is adored by her whole class, and is a favorite of each one in our family. Who can get on the bad side of Leigh (does she have a bad side)?

She was one of the cutest 5-year-olds in human history. It is astonishing to see her grow into such a class-act adult! Way to go, Leigh!!! Stay gold!