Julia´s Birthday

7/24/07
Julia was awoken this morning by a whole singing family and presents layed upon her bed. We sat and watched her open each present on her bed and enjoyed some birthday cake this morning after breakfast. Johanna and I painted outside for a little while and I showed her some sketching techniques I had learned in art school. Julia and I were her models and I helped her to draw the correct proportions and how to “gesture sketch.”
I could have chewed someone’s arm off for some peanut butter today, so I bought my very own jar at the store. No one in Sweden eats peanut butter, and it was in the specialty baking section. We all prepared the food for Julia’s birthday party and around 6:00pm, the guests arrived. The guests were more members of my distant family and I was so pleased to spend time with them. Sweden has fantastic summer time games for the outdoors, I ran around and sang and opened packages – it was wonderful.

In one of the pictures, I am standing above a man with his head turned... This is Ulla´s eldest brother Ingamar, who has spent time with my father and both his parents in America back in 1970. This is very special because my Grandfather had died even before my mom could meet him. I will visit his home this week to look at pictures from the past. Very heartwarming.

I have so much love for these girls, I feel like they are sisters that I never had. Tomorrow we plan to go shopping in the nearest town - I can´t wait!