Audio link

For an audio "slice of life" regarding the Edi Rama's ongoing project to address trash pick up and recycling in Albania's capital, Tirana, listen to this story (3 1/2 minutes) which aired on NPR on May 29...

For more of Albania in the news, don't forget to check the news feed on the lower right-hand margin of this blog. Also, keep your eyes open in the next few days and weeks for news stories on President Bush's upcoming visit on June 10.

family photos part 2

part one posted 5/17/07

The Waggoners

Here are some photos from last week...

Nonna, PaPa, and the grandkids
The Waggoner siblings

Ellie & Aunt Rebecca

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Last night we did our annual 'Waggoner Family Vacation' photo shoot. Nathan and his parents had earlier discovered some cool dunes a few miles down the road at a national nature preserve from where we are staying so we drove down and walked along a trail to reach our perfect photo location. Not long into the picture-taking we discovered Miss Ellie had a bit of a problem. Here she is pictured in her daddy's undershirt (which looked like a toga on her) -- our only solution for getting her back to the van -- and ultimately the house -- without getting the contents of her leaking diaper all over us too. It only partially worked. I guess no trip is too brief to leave the diaper bag at home (or even in the van). It made for a memorable ending to Nathan's birthday (no pun intended). Happy Birthday, Dad! (Incidentally, she created a similar mess on Mother's Day, too!)

Like My New 'Do?

We can't take our eyes off her now when she feeds herself! She did this twice!!! (that's fruit smoothie on her head)

Pretty in Pink

Ellie's First Visit to the Beach

Can you hear her saying, "Oooooh!" as she sees and hears the crashing waves for the first time?

After Rebecca's graduation, we went to the beach for a few days with the Waggoner clan. These images were taken Sunday. While she still refuses to try many of the perfectly delectable foods we try to introduce, she has no problem sampling sand (below).

Aunt Rebecca graduated!

with Aunt Rebecca, yesterday after her graduation from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia

We were glad to bypass the bleachers and spread out on the grass to watch the ceremony unfold. Ellie was great.

that's the Honorable Dr. Newt Gingrich (did you know he had a PhD? I didn't) on one of the jumbo trons
he delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree yesterday morning

3,800 students graduated yesterday...

the day was celebratory but also subdued in light of the death earlier in the week of Liberty's founder and chancellor, Dr. Falwell (you might be able to see tribute in the program photographed above)

Ellie was gettin' a bit hungry for lunch. Sorry for the lack of her normally pleasant face.
Rebecca, we're proud of you and look forward to seeing where the Lord directs you next!

"Put Me in the Zoo"

We got an up close view of the Zoo's most famous resident, baby Panda Tai Shon, just a few weeks younger than Ellie but weighing in a few weeks ago at 125 lbs!

Here's our host, Jan, showing us around the zoo!

Ellie really seemed most interested in the groups of school children who were enthusiastically exploring the place. Living these last months in a college environment, I'm sure she was fascinated with seeing so many smaller people.

Our Little Ambassador

Photos courtesy of Jan Graves.

Family Photos

All photos courtesy of Jan Graves.

We're on our way to Rebecca's graduation at Liberty University Saturday, but first we stopped at Jan's for a quick visit and get some much wanted family photos! Here's some of the first batch! I'll post a few more later...

Hangin' out with the cousins...

We want to give a big public thanks to Nathan's cousin Tim, his wife Marty, and their daughters Audrey and Tessa! They watched Ellie for us last Saturday while we attended Kristen and Viktor's wedding. As you can see, Ellie felt very much at home with them. Of course, venturing into the Hoosier State, Uncle Jack and Aunt Ruth planned their regular trip down to see their granddaughters (Audrey & Tessa) to overlap so they could help out with caring for Ellie. ;-) We are grateful that Ellie is so well loved.

Below find a photo of the happy bride & groom. We have had the pleasure of working with Kristen for the past couple of years at WGM and Viktor we met at English Camp in Hungary (where he served as a translator) in 2000! It is amazing to see how God has brought them together. We pray His richest blessings on their marriage and future ministry together.

Pool Picts

Sink or Swim

Tonight found us in Bloomington, Indiana at a Courtyard Marriott. We are in town the attend the wedding of some friends who are getting married in the morning. Fortunately Nathan thought ahead and packed our suits so we could introduce Ellie to a wonderful thing called the hotel swimming pool. Remember when that was all that was needed for the perfect vacation? It looks like that's all we'll need in the future to satisfy our daughter. Tonight here were many tears when it was time to get out (the fun couldn't last long enough)! Here's some of the happier moments:

Gettin' In


Blowin' Bubbles


Dad's a Riot

April Showers Bring...

She didn't want out of the wheelbarrow... so in she stayed (it certainly made it easier to keep an eye on her)! She had as much fun watching the cars driving by as anything else. It was just a nice day to be outside and having her around made brightening up the planter boxes in time for our week of visitors that much more fun.

Playin' in the Dirt

In spite of forecasts of showers and thunderstorms we were able to get rid of the mulch pile delivered to the bottom of the driveway several weeks ago (the original garden work day was rained out) and now our beds look clean and fresh, in time for graduation next week! As you can see, Ellie had fun joining in. After a mid-day bath she was clean and fresh too! (Now let's just hope that our clothes will fare as well after a good launder).