Hi Gia,

Happy Birthday!

I know you still read the blog so I wanted to let you know all of us are thinking of you. Mara picks up my cell phone still and says, “Hello, GiaGia?” She wants to talk to Pappou more and more, but she still thinks of you and wants to chat on the phone. Thane points out pictures of you whenever they come up on the computer and says, “There is GiaGia.”

The other day we were talking about Daddy’s birthday coming up and that your birthday was on the fifth. Thane started to frown and told me that GiaGia was going to miss her birthday. I told him we would celebrate it for her and think about her.

We are busy as ever, and before you say it, yes, I know, I am overdoing it. That’s the funny thing, after 34 years with you, I can still know what you would say, even without you saying it. Mara is in soccer and scored a goal the other day! She looks very cute in her pink shorts and pig tail braids. She is definitely your granddaughter though. She is loving her dresses and all her different shoes. She is even letting me do her hair now and there is enough of it for me to do something with. As you say though, “Who does she look like???” I don’t know but she is certainly a cutie, getting more beautiful everyday. Smart as smart can be too. Her teachers all say it and I see how quickly she picks things up.

Thane is as rough and tumble as ever. He is doing really well in school and has started to write and read (in that order!). He is liking the new Greek school we are going to as well. This week they learned how to do the cross and he lit a candle for you. He is having fun with hockey and soccer too. We are looking at new schools for him for the fall. He is very excited.

Jay is great and is helping me out so much at home. It was easy(ier) to go away last week knowing he had it all under control (although he was as much of a softee as me and let the kids sleep in bed each night). We even got a date night for our anniversary and are going to see Wicked next month. I think I will wear one of your scarves.

Last night, we decorated the outside of the house for Halloween and it looks really good, all the neighbors have commented on how much they like it. You would love it…maybe, if you did not tell me it was tacky. Still…I think you would have liked it.

Time to put Mara to bed. Love you much. Think about you everyday. Miss you. Watch over us.

Stef